Hotel Californian
Santa Barbara · United States
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Reviews
Character and identity
Three blocks from the sand on Santa Barbara's State Street, this 121-room property occupies a trio of buildings that together feel like a small Mediterranean village. The architecture riffs on the city's Spanish Colonial Revival vocabulary but takes a sharp turn into Moorish and Moroccan territory: nearly a million tiles in 27 patterns, hand-painted ceilings, courtyards with fountains, and interiors by Martyn Lawrence Bullard. The fourth-floor El Mirador deck delivers a heated rooftop pool with ocean and mountain views; Blackbird handles Mediterranean cooking with serious culinary pedigree, and the four-room Majorelle spa is the wellness centrepiece. Service is warm and locally savvy.
Who's it for
Best for:
Design-literate couples in their thirties to fifties escaping Los Angeles or the Bay Area for a walkable, food-led weekend. Anyone who wants to ditch the car (Amtrak stops a block away, plus a complimentary house SUV), drink their way through Santa Ynez wine country, and trade screen time for tilework and a rooftop pool.
Should look elsewhere:
Families with young kids will feel out of place; the crowd skews adult and the vibe is grown-up. Tech maximalists and gadget lovers will find the in-room kit deliberately restrained. Light sleepers should note State Street traffic and late-night noise, and standard rooms lack a sofa for lounging.
Bottom line
The draw here is a genuine sense of being somewhere else, Moroccan-Andalusian design done with real conviction, paired with a staff that actually knows the town and steers you toward it rather than upselling in-house. Book it for a two- or three-night couples' weekend, spring for a suite if you want a couch and a proper sitting area, and arrive by train.
Location
What this place offers
- 24-hour room service
- Bar
- Fitness classes
- Gym
- House car
- Meeting rooms
- Outdoor pool
- Pet friendly
- Restaurants
- Spa
