Cuyama Buckhorn | New Cuyama, California, United States

The Lowdown

Type: Banquet Hall / Event Facility; Boutique Hotel; Cafe / Coffee House; Hotel / Resort / Spa; Restaurant / Private Dining

Views: Desert; Farm View; Mountains; Valley

Style: Mid-Century Modern; Modern; Rustic; Vintage; Western

BEST type of CELEBRATIONS: Adventure Travel; Product Launch; Baby Shower; Bachelor / Bachelorette Party; Birthday Party; Bridal Shower; Charity Event; Conferences; Corporate Event; Dinner Party; Family Reunion; Group Getaway; Retreats: Corporate, Spa, Wellness, Etc.; Elopement; Vow Renewal; Anniversary; Engagement Party

Venue Setting

Cuyama Buckhorn is an artfully-restored roadside resort in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s high desert, located in between Bakersfield and Santa Maria on Historic Route 166, just two hours from Los Angeles and Santa Barbara proper and an hour from Bakersfield Municipal Airport.

We offer an intimate getaway filled with thoughtfully crafted meals, 21 newly refined rooms with stylistic nods to the past, and 2 acres of meticulously-designed outdoor space. Cuyama Valley sits amidst star-filled night skies for some of the best stargazing in California and pastoral golden mountains boasting hiking trails, breathtaking wildflowers, and wilderness. The food, design, and creative spirit of Cuyama Buckhorn is inspired by the rich history of the local community and the bounty of Cuyama.

Our resort retreat boasts a full service, farm-to-table restaurant and bar, as well as a craft coffee shop. Guests can also enjoy a glistening heated pool to splash into under the warm California sun, a spacious jacuzzi to warm up in on cool desert nights, a barrel sauna with sunset views, outdoor fire pits and games, a conference room with views of the grounds, as well as both indoor and outdoor venue and dining spaces.

Our property renovations highlight our original mid-century architecture, and western, cowboy culture, blended with modern amenities and a focus on connecting to the surrounding natural beauty and bounty of our Enchanted Valley.

One of the many wonders of our Hidden Valley of Enchantment is that the high desert experiences a full four seasons. Our team takes pride in working with each and every group to curate customized experiences that celebrate the season in Cuyama Valley from the locally-inspired meals, to off-site valley adventures and appropriate event spaces to accompany the time of year.

The Enchanted Valley also provides endless opportunities to escape, explore, and connect during guided stargazing sessions, nearby group hikes into the national forest or national monument, or through local tastings, tours and equestrian experiences hosted by our valley partners.

The bounty of our valley shines through our event menus, curated by our Executive Chef, Daniel Horn, a Bay Area native with prior experience working with Aman Resorts, who has established close relationships with our neighboring farms and ranches to highlight in-season produce and locally-produced proteins across our banquet and event menus. From more casual BBQ buffets featuring meats smoked on our iconic red oak grill, to elevated family-style seasonal meals to enjoy over candlelit dinners, our team takes satisfaction in hosting memorable culinary experiences for groups up to 75 guests.

Fees

(Prices listed here are estimates only & are subject to change)

Price Range: Join the party and sign in to view pricing
Does this include catering fees?: No
Insurance: Additional Insurance Is Not Required To Host An Event Here

Capacity

Seated: 75

Buffet: N/A

Standing: 75

Celebrations Hosted Here Since: 1952
Curfew: No Curfew
Venue Spaces: Indoor & Outdoor Venue Spaces Available
Catering: Client Must Use The Catering Provided By The Venue
Alcohol: Provided By Venue For Fee – You Must Use The Venue For All Alcohol Services; Corkage/Bottle Fee – You Can Bring Your Own Alcohol For A Fee
Music: Indoors & Outdoors
Smoking: Designated Smoking Areas Only
Accommodations: We are a 21-room boutique motel resort with space for your whole team! We have garden view rooms, courtyard view, as well as one elevated suite. Rooms have Brooklinen sheets and robes, water kettles for complimentary in-room coffee and tea, mini-bar with local goods and snacks, and more!
Eco/Green Events: Yes
Pet-Friendly Events: Yes
Kid Friendly Events: Yes
Handicap Accessible: Yes
Other: Yes

Inside Scoop

There is nothing quite like Western hospitality. It's warm, inviting, familiar, attentive, and detail-oriented. We treat you like family!

Amenities

Bridal Suite/Changing Rooms Onsite
Street Parking
Wifi
Ample Parking Onsite
Dining Chairs
Dining Tables
Onsite Restrooms

Venue Features

The Scene:

Cuyama Buckhorn is an artfully-restored roadside resort in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s high desert, located in between Bakersfield and Santa Maria on Historic Route 166, just two hours from Los Angeles and Santa Barbara proper and an hour from Bakersfield Municipal Airport. Or fly right into the recently reopened New Cuyama Airport L88, walking distance from us!

We offer an intimate getaway filled with thoughtfully crafted meals, 21 newly refined rooms with stylistic nods to the past, and 2 acres of meticulously-designed outdoor space. Cuyama Valley sits amidst star-filled night skies for some of the best stargazing in California and pastoral golden mountains boasting hiking trails, breathtaking wildflowers, and wilderness. The food, design, and creative spirit of Cuyama Buckhorn is inspired by the rich history of the local community and the bounty of Cuyama.

Our resort retreat boasts a full service, farm-to-table restaurant and bar, as well as a craft coffee shop. Guests can also enjoy a glistening heated pool to splash into under the warm California sun, a spacious jacuzzi to warm up in on cool desert nights, a barrel sauna with sunset views, outdoor fire pits and games, a conference room with views of the grounds, as well as both indoor and outdoor venue and dining spaces.

One of the many wonders of our Hidden Valley of Enchantment is that the high desert experiences a full four seasons. Our team takes pride in working with each and every group to curate customized experiences that celebrate the season in Cuyama Valley from the locally-inspired meals, to off-site valley adventures and appropriate event spaces to accompany the time of year.

The Enchanted Valley also provides endless opportunities to escape, explore, and connect during guided stargazing sessions, nearby group hikes into the national forest or national monument, or through local tastings, tours and equestrian experiences hosted by our valley partners.

The bounty of our valley shines through our event menus, curated by our Executive Chef, Daniel Horn, a Bay Area native with prior experience working with Aman Resorts, who has established close relationships with our neighboring farms and ranches to highlight in-season produce and locally-produced proteins across our banquet and event menus. From more casual BBQ buffets featuring meats smoked on our iconic red oak grill, to elevated family-style seasonal meals to enjoy over candlelit dinners, our team takes satisfaction in hosting memorable culinary experiences for groups up to 75 guests.

Design:

Our property renovations highlight our original mid-century architecture, and western, cowboy culture, blended with modern amenities and a focus on connecting to the surrounding natural beauty and bounty of our Enchanted Valley. The historic property was reimagined by LA-based designers, Ferial Sadeghian and Jeff Vance (of iD Group). They wanted to honor the history and the local culture through the design, while also bringing modern flair in to refresh the spaces. The result is a innovative, welcoming, and one-of-a-kind destination.

Cuyama Buckhorn is the kind of boutique hotel where felt cowboy hats pass as bedroom wall decor and porcelain washbasins sit atop rustic wooden consoles with authentic horseshoes as drawer pulls. It’s also the kind of place where the sauna is housed inside a big wooden barrel. The lovingly redesigned Santa Barbara–area high desert hotel with a midcentury Western-meets-farmhouse aesthetic was originally a 1952 roadside motel designed by George Vernon Russell (L.A.’s Natural History Museum). Wait for the idyllic sunset firepit moment by playing bocce ball or pool or taking an alfresco cooking class.

Standout Venue Features:

The Cuyama Buckhorn is a true ESCAPE. It feels like an off-the-grid getaway. Or as our guests often describe it, a true "exhale". Come here to slow down. To disconnect from the bustle and reconnect with your crew, partner, team or whoever you travel with!
On site, we have a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, full-service restaurant, bar, coffee shop, bocce ball courts, pool table, firepits, a lobby fireplace, board games, onsite library, and complimentary smores (of course!). Plus, there are nearby activities such as horseback riding, archery, wine tasting and more.

Extra Perks:

Specialty linens, glassware, decor, signature cocktails, multi-course chef-made dining

Awards & NotablesAD

LA Mag

Hospitality Design

Conde Nast Traveler

Goop

Men's Journal

Celebration Locations

The Bar:: This historic bar used to be a destination for bikers, and has been recently restored to its original Western, dive-bar charm. The rustic wood textures, warm tones, dear and buck head taxidermy, antique accents, leather barstool chairs, and fully-stocked bar display make a unique and welcoming space for a drink. It is both a trip back in time and a modern-day tribute to the California-West era.; - View: Western!; - Max Capacity: 75; - Price: Join the party and sign in to view pricing
Addition:: Beautiful natural light illuminates this warm and inviting space which is great for dining, lectures, performances, meetings and more.; - View: Mountains and Valley; - Max Capacity: 75; - Price: Join the party and sign in to view pricing
Russel Drawing Room:: A comfortable and chic conference room; - View: Resort courtyard; - Max Capacity: 25; - Price: Join the party and sign in to view pricing
Garden & Greenhouse:: Our garden is a beautiful, scenic space for dining or events; - View: Panoramic views of the mountains in the day, and twinkling lights at night; - Max Capacity: 75; - Price: Join the party and sign in to view pricing

Eats & Drinks

Food, Restaurants, Cafes, Bars & Lounges

Food, Restaurants, Cafes:: We have it all on-site! Farm-to-table restaurant, bar, coffee shop. We do it all, with options for customizable menus.

Also nearby, The Place
Bars & Lounges:: This historic bar used to be a destination for bikers, and has been recently restored to its original Western, dive-bar charm. The rustic wood textures, warm tones, dear and buck head taxidermy, antique accents, leather barstool chairs, and fully-stocked bar display make a unique and welcoming space for a drink. It is both a trip back in time and a modern-day tribute to the California-West era.