This little lodge is situated at the corner of Alisal Road and Mission Drive, literally at the center of Solvang. Cross the street south towards Alisal Road and you'll be at the main strip where all the shops and restaurants are located. The lodge is no more than 5 minutes from the famous Solvang windmill at Copenhagen Drive & Alisal Road.

Due to Solvang being a tourist attraction, it is best to book your lodging months ahead - at least 3 months ahead of your preferred stay period. I booked my room way back in January.

The Svendsgaard Lodge reminds me of a Motel 6 room. Come to think of it, it's like a Motel 6 but with a Danish theme applied. The entire lodge is very small and the rooms are very compact and condensed close to each other, like college dorm rooms.

For this trip, I stayed in a king room, room #3. The room is minimal at best with the main desk lamp not working (blown bulb). The room is also pretty old and danky, as is with the lodge itself in general. The walls are pretty thin and you can hear your neighbors at night. In the morning, you can clearly hear people talking outside. Don't mind the staircase either, because you'll hear people ascending or descending it throughout the day. The A/C unit is functional, though a bit on the louder end of the noise pollution spectrum. The temperature reached 90-degree during my weekend stay and the A/C did not cool the room down to the temperature I set it. Albeit it did cool the room, but not to my setting.

Room amenities include a mini-fridge, a microwave, and a coffee maker.

Since the door to the room is locked by a conventional key lock and not by an advance digital security lock system, be sure to take your valuables with you when you leave the room.

If you're looking for a cost effective place to stay at an unbeatable location and nothing more, consider this lodge. If you plan to stay over 5 nights, or in need of additional amenities and services, you might want to continue your search.

I stayed at this hotel last night. The room was spacious, clean and quiet. There were two full size recliners, in addition to a king sized bed ,and it wasn't cramped. There was a full bath plus a sink and vanity table outside the bathroom. The staff was very friendly. I was in town on business, but the next time I travel up there I will be bringing my family and I plan to stay there again.

My husband and I have stayed here three times now, and wouldn't stay anywhere else in Solvang. Sure, it's an older property and kind of outdated, but very clean and pleasant. The rooms need redecorating, but they are very spacious and comfortable. The pool is nice, and the breakfast is very good. We like the edge of town location, nearby everything but not right in the middle of the throngs. The staff is friendly and accomodating, and the price is right. Will definitely go back!

My fiance and I stayed here for one night the weekend following Valentine's Day, as a quick trip to Santa Ynez wine country. Most hotels in the area were booked due to a bike tour that weekend, so we were lucky to get a room anywhere. This place actually turned out to be ideal because it is located right in the town of Solvang (which is like a real-life version of Santa's village with it's classic Danish architecture and even has a Christmas store open year round). You can walk to many restaurants and shops, and most importantly for us, it's located just a few minutes from some of the best wineries in the area: Sunstone, Kalyra, etc.

It's been a while since we've stayed in a place like this - motel style, nothing fancy, hasn't been renovated since the Carter era, and definitely caters to an older, less demanding crowd. That said, we really enjoyed our stay. We arrived late in the evening, and the woman behind the desk (who looked like she's also been there since before Carter was in office) was very helpful and had a great curmudgeonly sense of humor.

The hotel is also built in the Danish style (dark wood, white paint, A frame construction) which makes it very appealing from the outside. However the room interiors are decided American and not quite as charming. Our room at first seemed kind of dingy - the decor is all very outdated and the rug was hideously bright green- but everything was comfortable, clean and well-maintained. We had booked just a regular King room, but ours also came with a roomy kitchenette area, vanity area with sink, large closet space and relatively modern bathroom/shower. Plus the room itself had a fireplace, two lazy boy chairs, and a lengthy balcony overlooking the pool and the town of Solvang beyond that. You could tell that though the furnishings were older, they were lovingly cared for. This is the type of place that feels family-run and not corporate at all. In the end we were very pleased with our room and hotel choice in general.

They offer free continental breakfast in the morning (juices, danishes and fruit) in the main lobby area. Check out is the old-fashioned way - you have to go to the front desk and return your keys.

All in all, for the price (we paid around $150/night) and the location, I'd definitely recommend this motel. If you want a typical bed and breakfast, or looking to stay in a luxe hotel, then you'll be disappointed here. However, if you are just looking for a reasonably priced place in Solvang with Danish charm that is convenient to shops/restaurants and a short drive from great wineries, then Svendsgaard Lodge is perfect for you.