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Santa Barbara is all about the Pacific Ocean and unique places to take it in, like the Coral Casino ... [+]
With gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean, palatial Spanish-style architecture and famous residents like Oprah Winfrey, it’s no wonder Santa Barbara is often referred to as The American Riviera.
Home to historic landmarks including the Santa Barbara Mission, this coastal California city is also a mecca for art lovers, outdoor enthusiasts and foodies. Add nearly perfect weather, and it becomes a great year-round destination, especially if you’re looking for a little upscale R&R. Or a B&B.
Here are some of Santa Barbara’s most pampering properties.
Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara
The gorgeous gardens at the iconic Four Seasons Resort, The Biltmore, Santa Barbara
This iconic luxury hotel has been attracting celebrities since it opened more than 90 years ago. The 22-acre property is an unparalleled mixture of California history and impeccable Four Seasons’ service. Settle in to one of the casually chic Spanish Colonial villas or bungalows filled with custom handcrafted furnishings, original artwork and beautiful objets d’art. Whether you stroll along Butterfly Beach, take a guided botanical tour or park yourself at the Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club or in the award-winning Spa, you’ll want to wind down by the fire in Ty Lounge with an Original Moscow Mule.
Kimpton Canary Hotel
The views are stunning from the rooftop of the Kimpton Canary Hotel.
Kimpton hotels are renowned for providing a quintessential local experience, and the Canary’s highly coveted location lets you take in 360-degree views from the largest rooftop pool in Santa Barbara or take a short walk (or ride on a complimentary bike) to State Street, Funk Zone or the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. This Spanish-style boutique hotel indulges guests with four-poster canopy beds featuring cushy pillow-top mattresses, Frette linens and Atelier Bloem bath products. You probably wouldn’t even leave your room except for the fact that Canary hosts a daily wine hour and houses Finch & Fork, where executive chef Peter Cham, a Santa Barbara native, creates California cuisine “to dine for.”
Santa Barbara Inn
The Santa Barbara Inn's lovely lobby.
The views are the real stars at the Santa Barbara Inn, an oceanfront gem where each of the 70 rooms and suites offers a private balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Stearns Wharf, the Channel Islands or the Santa Ynez Mountains. All rooms have recently been redesigned to reflect an elegant Spanish-Mediterranean style, and a brand-new fitness center features state-of-the-art equipment and inspiring ocean views. Start your day with complimentary breakfast on the outdoor terrace at Convivo Restaurant and come back later to watch the sun set over the Pacific while you dine on wood-fired pizzas, fresh seafood and homemade pasta.
Belmond El Encanto
Belmond El Encanto is Santa Barbara's only Forbes Five-Star hotel.
With some of the best views of the American Riviera, the glamorous Belmond El Encanto has been a center of Santa Barbara’s social scene since it opened more than a century ago. Perched high in the hills and surrounded by seven acres of secluded gardens, this Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hideaway (the only Five-Star hotel in Santa Barbara) features 92 suites, bungalows and rooms that fuse California Craftsman and Spanish Colonial style to create serene sanctuaries. This year, to commemorate its milestone of “101 years on Highway 101,” the Belmond El Encanto is taking things up yet another notch with movie nights under the stars, lawn games, limited edition picnic hampers and exclusive celebration cocktails.
Hotel Californian
This stunning guest reception area welcomes you to Hotel Californian.
Welcome to the Hotel Californian—such a lovely place and the new center of the Santa Barbara waterfront. Incorporating the façade of the original 1925 hotel, this 121-room seaside destination boasts a rooftop pool and event deck with panoramic views of the coastline and the Santa Ynez Mountains. Located just steps from the beach, the hotel features Spanish Colonial Revival architecture with Moroccan influences and unexpected custom furnishings from celebrity designer Martyn Lawrence Ballard. Rooms and suites are named after the Moorish Troubadours of medieval Spain and turndown service includes unexpected touches like poems or quotations. Be sure to book a spa treatment at the blissful Majorelle and dinner at the L’Assiette Michelin-recommended Blackbird.
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara offers breathtaking ocean views.
Set on 78 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Ritz-Carlton Bacara is all about the water. Escape to the tranquility of two beaches, three infinity pools and a 42,000-square-foot spa where you’ll be pampered with unique treatments like the Spirulina Wrap, which uses live spirulina algae to revitalize the skin. Or just take a long, relaxing bath in the deep soaking tub in your room. Each of the hotel’s six restaurants pairs ocean views with delightful dishes celebrating local flavors, from certified Kobe beef and seasonal sides at Angel Oak to sustainable seafood at Bacara Bar to wine flights at Foley Tasting Room.
The Wayfarer
A whimsical room at The Wayfarer.
A recent addition to Santa Barbara (it opened in 2014), this downtown boutique hotel sits on the Urban Wine Trail in the trendy Funk Zone neighborhood. With 27 private hotel rooms (and 4 shared dorm-style rooms), The Wayfarer is geared toward social travelers and features a fully-equipped community kitchen and dining room where complimentary breakfast is served every morning, onsite games like corn hole, ping pong and Giant Jenga, and a heated pool overlooking State Street. With its colorful décor and welcoming staff, the feeling is warm and the vibe is oh, so cool.
Rosewood Miramar Beach
The terrace of the Beach House Suite at Rosewood Miramar Beach is an ideal retreat.
This property just opened earlier this year, but Rosewood Miramar Beach is already making a splash as one of those rare California luxury hotels that truly warrants its “beachfront” description. The 124 guest rooms and 37 suites have a breezy yet sophisticated California coastal style, with private balconies or terraces, inviting tubs and coffee tables piled with art books. In fact, there are more than 600 pieces of art on display around the resort, which is a work of art in itself: Lush gardens, two pools, a healing spa, beautiful dining spots and, of course, the ocean and beach, make Rosewood Miramar Beach a very special place to relax and rejuvenate.
