Hotel in Santa Barbara, CA
5-Star Hotel
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
Top-tier experienceA high end property in this area
About this hotel
Located next to the Funk Zone in Santa Barbara, the Hotel Californian is just steps from the beach and features an outdoor pool. Guests can enjoy several on-site dining options and take advantage of the on-site spa.
Amenities
Business facilities
Shuttle available
Free shuttle available
Concierge services
Free Parking
Air conditioning
Pool
Non-smoking
Pets allowed
Gym
Heating
Wheelchair accessible
Bar
Spa
Balcony/Terrace
WiFi/Internet
Hot tub/Jacuzzi
Beach access
Laundry services
Sauna
Beach front
Ironing facilities
Toilet with grab rails
Accessible by lift
Key card access
Emergency cord in bathroom
Housekeeping available
Fire alarm
Fire extinguisher
Cleaning products
Map of Santa Barbara, CA
Available Rooms
Ratings and reviews
100% verified reviews9 / 10Outstanding·Sep 2026
Great location, good sized rooms and amenities.
A couple of the staff weren’t as friendly as they could be.
7 / 10Good·Sep 2026
The room itself was genuinely beautiful: stylish, comfortable, well designed and absolutely in line with what I expected from a hotel in this category. Unfortunately, that was by far the best part of the stay.
Almost everything outside the room felt completely at odds with a five-star hotel.
The overall atmosphere was surprisingly downmarket and lacked any sense of refinement or luxury. We attended the hotel’s “social hour”, which was horrible, and even found rubbish inside the hotel elevator. We then went up to the rooftop expecting a sophisticated five-star setting, only to encounter a very casual, teenage atmosphere, with people drinking from plastic cups. It was honestly depressing given the price and positioning of the hotel.
The surrounding area was also a huge disappointment and felt dramatically different from the elegant, upscale Santa Barbara I remembered from previous visits.
The staff were polite, but politeness alone is not five-star hospitality. There was very little initiative, personal attention or genuine effort to understand what would suit us. It was obvious that I had returned to the hotel extremely disappointed with the area, and I specifically asked for a restaurant recommendation that would be clean, sophisticated and genuinely upscale. Despite explaining exactly what I was looking for, I was sent to Lark, which turned out to be completely wrong for us and only made the evening worse.
At this level, I expect more than a beautiful bedroom. I expect judgement, service, atmosphere, attention to detail and a team capable of reading the guest and making appropriate recommendations. None of that was there.
For the amount of money we spent, the overall experience was profoundly disappointing. The contrast between the excellent room and everything surrounding it was extraordinary.
9 / 10Outstanding·Aug 2026
location was amazing, probably best about the hotel
room and bathroom were both lovely
staff was very nice
lack of nice breakfast option inside the hotel but there was a good restaurant nearby that served great breakfast
6 / 10Average·Jul 2023
The location was great.. nr the beach
The service was not good at the hotel and it was not good value.
$$$$
Top rated by guests
8.5Excellent
(124 Ratings)
"Property is beautiful. Service was amazing definitely one of the best hotels I’ve stayed in. Walking distance to pier, bars and eateries. Turn down service on point will definitely be coming back."
Verified guestDon't miss out! Price and availability may change
