Santa Barbara hotels

Set in a quiet, palm tree-lined neighborhood a few blocks from State Street, The Eagle Inn puts you close to the action while still lending a peaceful night’s sleep at the end of the day. Housed in a 1929 Mission Revival building, the family-run, boutique inn showcases Spanish tiles and hand-carved wooden doors.
Choose from a variety of room configurations, some of which include fireplaces, balconies, and verandas. For more seclusion, nab one of eight freestanding casitas with added luxuries such as pillowtop mattresses and whirlpool tubs.
Complimentary parking and Wi-Fi are welcome amenities, yet it’s the freshly baked afternoon cookies and a hot breakfast delivered to your table – or your room, for those in the casitas – that are the real perks.

With Spanish Colonial buildings strewn throughout a lush hillside property, El Encanto embodies Santa Barbara’s natural and cultural beauty. The beloved local landmark has entertained many Hollywood celebs since its founding in 1918 and was fully restored to its former glory in 2013.
“Encanto” is the Spanish word for “charm,” and the botanical garden-worthy grounds offer up plenty of enchantment with mature palms, lily ponds, and splashing fountains. Dotted throughout the gardens are clay-tiled guest rooms outfitted with luxuries such as stone fireplaces, freestanding soaking tubs, and heated bathroom floors.
The Spa at El Encanto lends another quiet retreat with unique treatments such as sound bath meditations. The property’s definitive highlight is the infinity pool showcasing panoramic views of Santa Barbara and the Pacific beyond. The resort’s signature restaurant, The Dining Room, features the same vistas with composed plates of California fare best enjoyed on the scenic landscaped terrace.

The local outpost of this fashionable boutique brand brings its stylish digs to the historic Presidio Neighborhood, home to Santa Barbara’s most celebrated Spanish Colonial gems including the Santa Barbara Courthouse and El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. As with other Palihouse locales, interiors are a visual treat with artful decor consisting of a clever mix of contemporary and vintage finds.
The aesthetically pleasing property offers numerous spots to sip a Hemingway daiquiri, from the retro-tinged lobby lounge to the leafy courtyard pool ringed with pink scallop-edge umbrellas. The hotel showers guests with fun perks such as afternoon lemonade, an evening wine and cheese spread, and complimentary Linus bikes to cruise to the beach or restaurant-filled Funk Zone.
There’s also the Pawlisociety program which rewards pet owners with plush dog beds and chew toys for their four-legged companions.

Housed in an 1872 Victorian home surrounded by a one-acre English garden, the Simpson House Inn is one of the fancy hotels in Santa Barbara. It’s adults-only and feels like staying at your friend’s posh estate. The fetching property is ringed by privacy hedges and filled with numerous indoor and outdoor nooks to cozy up with a book or glass of wine.
There hardly seems a moment when you’re not offered a nibble or sip, from evening wine and hors d’oeuvres to a morning breakfast served in the main house or delivered to your room. In addition to the main house’s antique-furnished rooms, you can also choose from contemporary guest quarters within a converted carriage house or freestanding cottages warmed by wood-burning fireplaces.
All feature premium linens, soaking tubs, and a mini refrigerator stocked with complimentary drinks.