More about Hotel Santa Barbara
Not a good value!
by A TripAdvisor Member
I stayed at the Hotel Santa Barbara for one night and thought it would be a good choice because of the location and the fact that it was a small hotel, which I prefer.
I was quoted a price of $200 for a room with one double bed and a pull out sleeper sofa. When the sleeper sofa was pulled out, I could not walk in the room without climbing over the end of the bed and the sofa to get from the bathroom to the desk and window.
The room was tiny, with no view other than the rooftop of an adjacent building, and I thought the fabrics in the curtains and bedspread were cheap looking - in fact, my daughter commented that our room looked like a motel room, not a $200 a night room.
Ok, these things are not deal breakers, but the 2 soiled towels that i found folded on the rack when i got out of the shower definitely were a turn-off.
Also, the one clean looking towel that had been hung on the towel bar was shredded along the sides. A lot of time and effort went into fan-folding the washcloths and the toilet paper was tied in a bow.
Perhaps more attention should be paid to the quality of the linens, as the sheets were coarse and scratchy and the pillows lumpy, although the manager assured me they were new.
The room safe was on the floor of the closet and there was no light. I had to get down on my hands and knees with a flashlight to read the programming instructions, which were printed in 8 point red type on the door of the safe.
The elevator was old fashioned, and i suppose, charming, but impractical for using when bringing luggage up or down, as you have to open the door and hold the folding gate to get in.
I thought the breakfast was ordinary - the bagels were those huge puffy white bready things, and the cream cheese was packaged in those individual containers and tasted gummy.
I had just spent a week at a terrific hotel in Santa Monica, for less money that the Hotel Santa Barbara, and I slept on Frette sheets and had Frette towels and robes. The breakfast there included incredible artisinal whole wheat bread with filberts in it, assorted high quality pastries, real bagels, a huge bowl of fresh fruit, including cut up melon, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries, as well as cereals and yogurt.
I doubt I will stay at the Hotel Santa Barbara again - it just is not a good value.
Perfect Location
by TripAdvisor Member jlhartless
For My wife's 30th birthday we took a trip to Santa Barbara from Northern California. We could not have been more pleased with The Hotel Santa Barbara. We had a fourth floor room that was more than large enough for us and it had space for our baby to play on the floor.
What a convenient Location! In the heart of State St. for easy access to shopping, and only a few short blocks away from Sterns Wharf and the beach. Also many very good Restaurants are less than a 5 minute walk away.
Service was sufficient, easy access to parking, and the continental breakfast was one of the best I've seen. A great selection of fruit, muffins, bagel's, cereal and the like.
The only gripe I had, which was really no big deal, was that the elevator was awfully slow to and from the fourth floor, and with car seat or stroller the stairs were a steep option.
Beautifully Decorated, Great Location
by TripAdvisor Member JillJ
A friend and I stayed at the Hotel Santa Barbara over the weekend of July 4th. We loved this hotel. Our room was not as small as other reviewers suggest. I've stayed in much smaller rooms in European hotels. Our room was beautifully decorated in French country style. The breakfast served each morning in the lobby is very nice. The htoel is located in the heart of Santa Barbara - close to everything. We didn't hear any street noise (but our room did not face the street). The desk staff and valets were very pleasant. We wanted to go wine tasting but weren't sure where to go. The valet gave us great tips on which wineries to hit and which tourist traps to avoid. Although we paid a higher rate for the hotel because it was a holiday weekend, it was definitely worth the price. I highly recommend this hotel.
Old town charm
by TripAdvisor Member Rambler
The Hotel Santa Barbara is right in the middle of the action - at least for the small town of Santa Barbara. Despite this,it was easy to drive to and park (valet - about $5). The hotel doesn't have a restaurant but,frankly, you hardly need one with numerous cafes,restaurants and bars nearby.
Rooms are well apponted and have all the usual facilities.
Upper floors are surprisingly quiet,given the location,and reached by a vintage elevator that gives the Tower of Terror a run for its money. There isa regulation that the hotel is 'quiet' after 10pm & this was well observed when we were there (which was fiesta week - by the way). Staff were very welcoming and friendly. Breakfast is served in the lobby and starts the day on the right note.
Santa Barbara is a must see town on this coast.European visitors especially will enjoy a town with actual streets,shops and atmosphere - not to mention a beautiful setting. For those of you worried by tales of rowdy bars etc nearby - don't be. Everything is relative and compared to the UK, the locals are very well behaved (even polite!)
Tiny Rooms, Excellent Location
by TripAdvisor Member Viajera17
This hotel was among several offering discounted rates through the "Santa Barbara Car-Free" organization. We chose the Hotel Santa Barbara because the discount appeared to be more substantial, and the rates more reasonable overall (and it had a decent rating on this site). We stayed 3 nights, and while we weren't disappointed, we weren't wowed, either. The breakfast was exceptional, and the staff was accommodating if not particularly brilliant. The location can't be beat, if you want to be right on State Street. We walked right out into the heart of the Tuesday afternoon farmer's market, quite a lively scene. Our room, at the back of the hotel, was perfectly quiet. They had told us at time of booking that a rollaway would be provided at no extra cost (because I balked at the $139 instead of the advertised $130 room rate). It hardly fit in our tiny room! They charged us $10 a night for it at checkout, but I complained and they removed it from the bill. The one real bummer was that, despite my thorough research -- which included downloading a PDF file of the hotel's brochure -- it wasn't until after we arrived and checked in and I read the hotel amenities listing in our room that I discovered that they have an arrangement with nearby Santa Barbara Athletic Club for guests to use their facilities. If I'd known about this ahead of time, I could have brought my gear and had a nice workout (or at least my swimsuit and had a good soak).
Decent value, teeny rooms, great location
by TripAdvisor Member tarapup
A friend booked us at this hotel for a Wednesday night stay. The location is great if you want to be right in the midst of the college-crowd evening action, for dining, and for shopping. Mandatory parking valet ($5). The valet guys were charming and very helpful. We got a government rate for $130, which doesn't seem that great given what I now read in other reviews...but we were happy with the price given the location. Upon arrival, we asked to have a room with two beds, but were refused because we had the government rate. The sole elevator is one of those tiny, old, creaky ones with a barred door - scary! Our room was tiny, with one queen bed that frankly looked like a full-size. It was quite noisy. When we called for more pillows, however, staff brought them right up for us. The continental breakfast buffet was included in the price, and was quite substantial (bagels, toaster, cereal, juice selection, coffee, pastries, fruit) as continental breakfasts go. If you're looking for a place to bunk that's right in the middle of the action, this is a good choice for you. If you're looking for a romantic getaway, or planning to spend a substantial amount of time in the room, however, I'd keep looking.
Thought I was in a youth hostel!
by TripAdvisor Member funsandiego
The location is great and within walking distance to most everything. However, the hotel itself seems to be catered more to college age kids. I visited with my cousin and aunt and thought we were at a youth hostel. It was VERY noisy. The rooms were quite small and I had trouble with the plumbing in my room. The shower didn't drain properly so I was standing in ankle deep water which was pretty gross and creepy. The toilet overflowed and it seemed like an eternity before anyone came to fix it. The attitude of the desk clerk was quite lackadasical. I couldn't get a cashier's check cashed at the front desk and had to find a bank. When asking for a good restaurant I was told "there are lots of good restaurants"! All in all, it was NOT a pleasant stay!
tiny rooms and nothing but noise
by A TripAdvisor Member
Anyone staying on the State St. face of the establishment better bring earplugs - the bar (Kings Road) directly across the street has got to be the noisiest place I've ever stayed near - fighting in the streets, raucous loud music, etc. Towels dirty and standing water in my tub as well. If they continue to rent rooms with beautiful views of the roof structures, at least have the debris and trash cleaned out from them. Had heard wonderful stories - they turned out to be fantasies, obviously - word to the $$conscious and comfort conscious travellers who like to stay in a "better", three or four star place - there are far better places for less which offer you more all over Santa Barbara.
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