With miles of seashores, a backdrop of rugged mountains, stunning Spanish Colonial-style structure and a vibe that’s equal elements outdoorsy power and laid-back laissez faire, it’s straightforward to see why the coastal California metropolis of Santa Barbara is dubbed “the American Riviera.”
Though the world acquired its present title from Portuguese explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo within the sixteenth century and was colonized by the Spanish within the 18th century, the area had been dwelling to Chumash Indians for over 10,000 years by the point Europeans arrived. And no marvel. The fertile soils, teeming seas and hospitable local weather (it will get over 300 days of sunshine every year) — all of which proceed to make Santa Barbara a preferred vacation spot and agricultural hub to at the present time — had all the things they wanted to thrive.
Guests will discover among the finest California seashores to sunbathe and surf, mountaineering trails galore ranging in issue from newbie to skilled, a historic city core sprinkled with landmark buildings, and even an city wine path with a number of dozen tasting rooms representing among the area’s finest wineries. Additionally, because it’s simply 90 miles north of Los Angeles, it’s straightforward to make it a part of an extended highway journey all through California or only a one-off vacation spot by itself.
Whether or not you’re contemplating Santa Barbara for a romantic weekend or an extended household trip, there’s a lot to see and do for each sort of traveler on this seaside metropolis, together with a passel of nice locations to remain the night time.
Listed here are 9 of the very best inns in Santa Barbara (together with among the finest California inns generally) and what to benefit from at every.
Lodge Californian
Santa Barbara, California, USA
Finest for: People who need an upscale style of this iconic seaside city.
Why keep right here: Although positioned in Santa Barbara’s occurring Funk Zone, this resort is something however funky because of its eye-catching inside design by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, a rooftop pool with coastal views and a classy restaurant serving craft cocktails and seasonal fare.
Finest method to ebook: Ebook via our associate Skylark to get pleasure from elitelike advantages and on-property credit.
Anchoring Santa Barbara’s so-called Funk Zone — a 13-block district close to the shoreline that was as soon as an industrial neighborhood however now homes artists’ studios, eating places, bars, winemakers and galleries — the 121-key Lodge Californian is a Moorish-style gem that had fallen on arduous instances in current many years. After a top-to-toe rebuild with new grand areas and rooms by designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, it reopened in 2017 and rapidly turned one of many hottest spots on the town.
Visitor rooms have an artwork deco-forward aesthetic with sculptural furnishings in wealthy main colours, various daring geometric patterns within the textiles and tile work, to not point out marble bogs stocked with bespoke physique merchandise. Some suites even characteristic working fireplaces.
The resort’s Majorelle spa is supposed to evoke the riads of Marrakech because of intricate white-and-blue tiling, in addition to a prolonged menu of customizable massages and facials. Signature remedies embody the “Quake Rescue” therapeutic massage that comes with fragrant components like sandalwood, cedar and bergamot to spice up immune perform and enhance sleep.
The resort can be dwelling to 5 eating places and bars, together with upscale Central Coast delicacies at chef Travis Watson’s Blackbird, informal grab-and-go choices like baked items and picnic baskets at Goat Tree, and Djinn Library Bar for tasty libations (somewhat than genies) poured from its many bottles. The resort was acquired by Foley Leisure Group in 2021, so it additionally now has a brand new wine-tasting room referred to as The Society: State & Mason, showcasing Foley Household Wines releases from world wide.
Charges on the Lodge Californian begin at $603 per night time.
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Kimpton Canary
Santa Barbara, California, USA
Finest for: Bringing your canine alongside to discover this metropolis and its environment with out sacrificing luxurious.
Why keep right here: For a heart-of-town location with Spanish Colonial-inspired rooms, pleasant service and a candy little rooftop pool, to not point out Kimpton hallmarks like nightly wine hour.
Finest method to ebook: Ebook straight with IHG to earn or redeem IHG One Rewards factors and revel in any elite advantages.
You couldn’t ask for a greater location than this. It is inside a block of sometimes-rowdy State Avenue (this can be a faculty city, in spite of everything) however far sufficient eliminated that the hubbub shouldn’t hassle you or your pup when you carry them alongside to this pet-friendly resort. Talking of which, the resort can be blissful to supply canine bowls and beds to be used throughout your keep, freed from cost. As for different typical Kimpton touches, there may be complimentary morning espresso and tea in addition to a night wine hour — that includes native pours, after all — within the stylishly up to date foyer (suppose terracotta flooring, Mediterranean ornamental tiles and uncovered timber beams, but in addition modern artwork and mod rattan furnishings), plus bikes to borrow for exploring the city on two wheels.
Though it’s a part of IHG, the resort feels extra like a boutique resort because of having simply 97 rooms and suites, all of which have ornate picket four-poster cover beds wearing Frette linens. Although bogs are small, they’re properly provisioned with aromatic Atelier Bloem merchandise. Some rooms have small balconies or personal out of doors areas, too. Nevertheless, the principle out of doors space you’ll wish to go to is the quaint rooftop pool (the one one in Santa Barbara), which is lined by well-cushioned and well-shaded loungers.
There’s no on-site spa, however resort visitors can ebook in-room remedies from Float Luxurious Spa, which is one block away. Be sure you get brunch or dinner on the resort’s single restaurant, Finch & Fork, the place the menus spotlight the bounty of California’s fields, farms and coast, similar to Hope Ranch mussels swimming in a coconut-curry broth, in addition to some choices from farther afield.
Simply be aware that the resort fees a steep $35 every day resort payment. Nevertheless, it features a $10 meals and beverage credit score, a neighborhood airport shuttle upon request, a tote bag, weekly rooftop yoga courses and entry to a close-by Gold’s Health club.
Charges on the Kimpton Canary begin at $360 or 60,000 IHG One Rewards factors per night time.
Mar Monte Lodge
Santa Barbara, California, USA
Finest for: World of Hyatt members in search of an upscale however understated SoCal spot to redeem their factors.
Why keep right here: Vibrant, breezy rooms, a sun-splashed pool space and a chic restaurant that showcases coastal Italian delicacies are all causes to spend an evening or two right here.
Finest method to ebook: Ebook straight with Hyatt to earn or redeem World of Hyatt factors and revel in any elite advantages.
If the main target of your journey is extra on the seaside expertise, the Mar Monte Lodge must be at or close to the highest of your checklist. A historic resort that initially opened in 1931, this sprawling Spanish Colonial-style class act stays as well-liked as ever because of the truth that it occupies satisfaction of place simply throughout East Cabrillo Boulevard from Santa Barbara’s well-liked East Seashore.
Lodging begin at a roomy 300 sq. ft and are vivid and ethereal because of giant home windows to let within the SoCal sunshine and a coloration palette that evokes sundown on the close by sands, with taupe as a mainstay together with accents of pink and orangey-red. The decor feels curated however accessible, and creature comforts embody modern must-haves like Keurig espresso machines and 55-inch flat-screens.
There’s a small however serviceable pool together with loads of out of doors seating dealing with the Pacific, whereas the 24-hour health heart gives a plethora of up-to-date gear, together with Peloton bikes.
The resort’s vault-arched Cafe Lido, simply off the pool space, makes a speciality of seasonal cocktails and Cali-Med plates similar to halibut-crab ceviche with black lime and cara cara orange. The resort’s elegant Italian restaurant, Costa Kitchen & Bar, serves all the things from 30-day dry-aged New York steak and bone marrow to squid-ink linguine with clams.
Charges on the Mar Monte Lodge begin at $293 and vary from 17,000-23,000 World of Hyatt factors per night time.
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California, USA
Finest for: A coastal California getaway within the lap of luxurious you could get pleasure from whereas incomes or redeeming Marriott Bonvoy factors.
Why keep right here: The attract of its picturesque perch on the bluffs above the Pacific is just rivaled by its giant however cozy rooms (many with fireplaces) and the expansive spa complicated the place distinctive remedies embody the oh-so-Californian citrus-avocado physique scrub.
Finest method to ebook: Ebook via our associate Skylark to earn Marriott factors whereas having fun with elitelike advantages and on-property credit, or redeem your factors by reserving straight with Marriott.
Few locations in Santa Barbara really feel extra rarefied than the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, which perches alongside 78 waterfront acres about 15 miles northwest of city alongside the 101 freeway.
This 358-key Mediterranean-styled resort is basic California at its best. The fantastically landscaped grounds abound with coastal shrubs and crops, three infinity-edge swimming pools for uninterrupted Pacific views, and easy accessibility to 2 seashores for individuals who wish to courageous the surf.
Visitor lodging begin at a whopping 450 sq. ft, and every incorporates a patio or balcony with ocean or backyard views, so take a look at your particular room sort fastidiously earlier than reserving. All of them have elegant two-poster beds (immaculately wearing Frette linens, after all) and marble bogs with deep soaking tubs and Asprey merchandise. Some even have fireplaces or hearth pits to get pleasure from on these cool coastal evenings.
The resort’s 42,000-square-foot, light-filled spa and wellness heart is the biggest well being complicated within the space and contains services like a redwood sauna, eucalyptus steam room and its personal swimming pool. The signature remedies draw inspiration from the locale and embody delights such because the “Pure Resilience” facial, which includes Japanese kobido therapeutic massage, jade rollers and probiotic merchandise to revive pores and skin’s radiance and tone. Energetic visitors ought to get pleasure from a match on one of many 4 clay tennis courts or a spherical on the next-door Sandpiper Golf Membership. They will additionally hire electrical bikes to discover the world.
With a plethora of eating and consuming institutions proper on the property, visitors may not even really feel the necessity to enterprise out and discover Santa Barbara’s restaurant scene. Among the many highlights, Angel Oak is a up to date steakhouse with unparalleled shoreline views, to not point out its spectacular 12,000-bottle wine assortment. For fresh-as-can-be sushi and sashimi, there’s San Setto, whereas Caffe and the poolside Haskell’s Bar serve extra informal choices, as does Bar de Vino, which proffers wine and light-weight bites.
Charges on the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara begin at $646 or 53,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors per night time.
Rosewood Miramar Seashore
Montecito, California, USA
Finest for: A splurge to remain at one of many few inns proper alongside the seaside in Santa Barbara (properly, Montecito, however who’s quibbling?).
Why keep right here: This historic resort initially dates to 1889, however is trying brisker than ever with beachy rooms, an outpost of Rosewood’s Sense Spa and a number of eating and consuming venues together with the Michelin-starred Caruso’s restaurant.
Finest method to ebook: Ebook via our associate Skylark to get pleasure from elitelike advantages and on-property credit.
Skewing extra natty Newport than upmarket Mediterranean, the Rosewood Miramar Seashore is just the newest incarnation of this rarefied seaside resort within the tony enclave of Montecito, about 5 miles east of Santa Barbara, which dates to the late nineteenth century. Whereas it’s most likely the closest you’ll be able to truly get to a resort that sits on the sand round these elements, it’s truly bisected by a railroad monitor that useful escorts support visitors in traversing – removed from an annoyance, this provides the place a very Californian really feel.
Nautically themed with clear strains and crisp blue-white patterning, the 158 visitor rooms and suites begin at over 500 sq. ft and have backyard or ocean views from personal lanais and balconies. Spacious and stylish marble bogs characteristic Hollywood Regency-style finishes and custom-created La Bottega tub merchandise.
The resort has a health heart, which incorporates an out of doors part to benefit from the world’s sunny clime. It is also dwelling to certainly one of Rosewood’s branded Sense spas, which proffers wellness periods, together with a heavenly rose-citrus full-body therapeutic massage that comes with an exfoliation with Himalayan salt and antioxidant-boosting cranberry.
The resort boasts two swimming pools: the family-friendly Manor pool, whose yellow-patterned loungers and umbrellas are allusions to the encompassing citrus bushes (Scoop Store, serving burgers and ice cream, can be right here), and the 21-and-over Cabana pool, which has a particular scalloped edge and is bordered by 19 personal cabanas.
As for eating, there’s the Cabana Bar for mild bites and drinks, Ama Sushi for Japanese specialties, the oceanfront Miramar Seashore Bar for small plates and drinks, and the Michelin one-starred Caruso’s for wonderful eating with panoramic views that may have you ever pondering you’re on the Italian Riviera as an alternative of the American one.
Charges on the Rosewood Miramar Seashore begin at $1,505 per night time.
El Encanto
Santa Barbara, California, USA
Finest for: A secluded sojourn with sweeping coastal views and a touch of Southern Californian historical past round each nook.
Why keep right here: Tucked away within the hills above city, you received’t thoughts not being on the seaside because of this resort’s glamorous Previous Hollywood aura and an nearly too-gorgeous-to-be-believed pool.
Finest method to ebook: Ebook via our associate Skylark to get pleasure from elitelike advantages and on-property credit.
This ultra-luxe hideaway tucked into the foothills above city has been successful with the superstar set since initially opening in 1918 and has hosted luminaries like Clark Gable and Barbra Streisand.
After being acquired by Belmond (previously Orient-Categorical Motels), El Encanto underwent a $134 million renovation and reopened in 2013 as one of the vital unique enclaves on California’s coast.
Charming cottages dot its seven gorgeously manicured acres of gardens and have basic touches like Mission-inspired wooden and leather-based furnishings, marble bogs with heated flooring, and even fireplaces in some room and suite classes.
The dual focal factors of the 92-key resort are the tranquil terrace simply out the again of the principle constructing, the place you’ll be able to get pleasure from a glass of native wine as birds and butterflies flutter previous, and the infinity-edge pool, which has spectacular views of Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands.
The resort additionally has one of many city’s finest spas, with remedies that harness the therapeutic powers of botanical merchandise and tropical fruits. Among the many signature experiences is the 90-minute “Physique Regeneration” designed by skincare guru Linda Ross, which features a full-body masks and therapeutic massage.
There are a number of eating choices, together with the principle all-day Eating Room and Terrace, whose menu objects, similar to Channel Islands halibut with olive tapenade and cauliflower, concentrate on domestically sourced components. The Bar gives a small menu of Americana bites and basic cocktails, whereas the Lounge serves informal small plates like truffle fries together with cocktails like a pear-ginger mule. Weekday afternoon tea within the Lounge is an space spotlight.
Charges at El Encanto, a Belmond Lodge begin at $863 per night time.
San Ysidro Ranch, A Ty Warner Property
Santa Barbara, California, USA
Finest for: Effectively-heeled jet-setters who wish to really feel like they’re rusticating within the lap of luxurious.
Why keep right here: Romance abounds (JFK and Jackie O. honeymooned right here) at this enchanting enclave, with cozy cottages tucked into the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains.
Finest method to ebook: Ebook via our associate Skylark to get pleasure from elitelike advantages and on-property credit.
There’s unique … after which there’s San Ysidro Ranch. This legendary resort has been round since 1893 and counts Oprah as certainly one of its neighbors within the tony city of Montecito. Its rambling grounds comprise 550 gorgeous acres, together with gardens and mountaineering trails, however simply 38 uniquely embellished visitor cottages, so the expertise is rarefied and stress-free. Maybe that’s why it’s welcomed so many well-known visitors — together with Audrey Hepburn and Winston Churchill, in addition to John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy, who honeymooned right here.
The bungalows begin at practically 800 sq. ft, every with a distinct title. They really feel Craftsman and comfortable thanks to personal walled patios (some with sunken sizzling tubs), polished oak flooring and uncovered ceiling beams, four-poster beds with diaphanous netting and brick fireplaces, amongst different options.
Company can select from quite a lot of experiences — epicurean wine-tasting excursions, personal yoga periods, strenuous hikes within the close by foothills and different diversions. They will additionally merely chill out by the pool, wander the gardens or ebook a session on the salon and spa, whose delicious-sounding remedies embody a brown- and white-sugar physique scrub and massages using important oils distilled from crops on the property, similar to lavender, rosemary and lemon.
Of the resort’s two eating places, Plow & Angel (make sure you discover the stained glass window of the ranch’s namesake, St. Isidore) looks like a refined roadhouse, serving consolation classics like child again ribs. Stonehouse Restaurant resides in a former citrus-packing home and plates up modern American fare, similar to Santa Barbara’s well-known sea urchin with celery leaf salsa verde and Meyer lemon.
Charges at San Ysidro Ranch begin at $2,495 per night time.
Palihouse Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California, USA
Finest for: A residential-style stick with simply the correct amount of quirkiness.
Why keep right here: This much-loved minichain brings its signature model of caprice and comfort to the center of town’s Presidio neighborhood with colourful rooms (together with tiled fireplaces) and a small however sunny courtyard pool.
Finest method to ebook: Ebook straight for the very best charges and packages.
The burgeoning SoCal Palihouse resort minichain is understood for its quirky, residential-style inns, and this 24-key outpost in Santa Barbara’s Presidio neighborhood isn’t any exception. You may not discover all of the facilities you’d anticipate at a giant resort. Nevertheless, your keep right here will make you are feeling like a Santa Barbara insider with a really stylish but homey (Twenties Moorish-style) pied-a-terre.
Decor within the visitor rooms, a few of which may really feel a bit compact, channels a midcentury clubby vibe with wood-framed furnishings, clear strains and matte-finished lighting fixtures, to not point out Smeg minifridges and tile-lined fireplaces, plus finer touches like Nespresso machines and Diptyque tub merchandise.
As for different facilities, there’s a quiet pool with cabanas, loungers and meals service; a small health heart with Peloton bikes; Linus bikes on mortgage for excursions round city; and even a particular neighborhood information that can assist you navigate the world.
The resort’s eating program melds a foyer lounge, cocktail bar and alfresco cafe right into a single all-day outlet the place specialties like smoothies and breakfast burritos begin the day, adopted by sandwiches and salads for lunch (amongst different choices), plus a plethora of specialty cocktails just like the fizzy passionfruit home spritz.
Charges on the Palihouse Santa Barbara begin at $315 per night time.
Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort
Santa Barbara, California, USA
Finest for: A basic Southern California seaside trip you’ll be able to ebook on factors with out draining your complete Hilton Honors account.
Why keep right here: It is the right mix of seaside location and metropolis actions, plus it has vivid, spacious rooms which might be affordably priced and loads of on-property facilities.
Finest method to ebook: Ebook straight with Hilton to earn or redeem Hilton Honors factors and revel in any elite advantages.
Near the principle a part of city, adjoining to the Funk Zone and simply throughout the road from the seaside, the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort has top-of-the-line areas and is likely one of the finest offers on the town.
The resort has 335 rooms and 25 suites, and whereas it received’t win any originality awards for inside design, decor within the lodging is beachy and vivid with a mixture of tones from the blue spectrum plus taupe and beige evoking the sands of close by East Seashore.
The resort has a big, family-friendly pool and gives actions like beachfront yoga, bike leases and complimentary garden video games like croquet and bocce, and may also help visitors organize excursions like day sails or kayaking jaunts.
Informal and uncomplicated, The Set is the resort’s foremost restaurant, serving brunch, lunch and dinner (reserve one of many hearth pits for additional ambiance), together with dishes like chilaquiles, mahi mahi tacos and lobster macaroni and cheese. The resort additionally homes the Fess Parker wine-tasting room, the place visitors can get pleasure from glasses and flights from the long-lasting vineyard.
Simply watch out for the $30 every day resort payment, which incorporates primary web entry for 2 gadgets, a two-hour bicycle rental, a glass of home wine for as much as two adults and two bottles of water every day on the entrance desk, in addition to a 20% low cost on providers like spa remedies and tennis clinics.
Charges on the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort begin at $261 or 79,000 Hilton Honors factors per night time.
