The 6 Best Luxury Hotels in Santa Barbara
Cottages on the Riviera, a resort on the bluffs or Moroccan tiles on State Street: our travel advisors work with you personally to find the one among the luxury hotels in Santa Barbara that suits you. Every suitespot booking comes with free breakfast for 2, a room upgrade subject to availability, hotel credit and VIP service – benefits worth over €500.
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The best-known hotels in Santa Barbara
Beach, hillside or right in town: where should your stay unfold? Here are the best hotels in Santa Barbara at a glance, with location, suitespot Score and nightly rate. Our tip: if you want to walk to the beach and the Funk Zone, stay at the Hotel Californian; if you are after quiet and Pacific views, choose El Encanto Santa Barbara on the Riviera.
| Hotel | Location | suitespot score | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara | Downtown | ★ 4.3/5 | 442 € |
| El Encanto Santa Barbara | Riviera | ★ 4.7/5 | 625 € |
| The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara | Goleta | ★ 4.5/5 | 698 € |
| Hotel Californian | The Funk Zone | ★ 4.6/5 | 361 € |
| Drift Santa Barbara | Lower State | ★ 4.2/5 | 295 € |
| Mar Monte Hotel | East Beach | ★ 4.0/5 | 361 € |
Your guide to the best luxury hotels in Santa Barbara
El Encanto Santa Barbara · RivieraAmong the luxury hotels in Santa Barbara, we recommend El Encanto Santa Barbara on the Riviera to couples, with cottages on the hillside and a Michelin Key. If you want to walk to the beach, book the Hotel Californian on State Street.Families find pool, spa and beach in one place at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara in Goleta, and if you travel with your dog, the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara makes you welcome.
At no extra cost: booking through suitespot costs the same as booking direct with the hotel – the benefits come on top, free of charge.
Newly opened and freshly renovated: what the luxury hotels in Santa Barbara offer you today
A resort in a new look: For its 25th anniversary in 2025, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara completed a property-wide renovation. Meyer Davis redesigned all 358 rooms and suites, many of them with fireplaces, as well as the lobby and arrival. Since June 2025 Danny Grant has been cooking at Marisella on the bluffs; Lulio, the ‘O’ Bar & Terrace, the SunBar by the pool and the Mission Market are new too, and the pool terrace has new cabanas.
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara · GoletaYoung, small and by the beach: The Drift Santa Barbara opened in early 2023 in an early-1900s building on State Street: 45 rooms, pared-back design, handwoven Oaxacan robes; check-in is contactless, and beach cruisers and surfboards are ready to borrow. The Mar Monte Hotel on East Beach was fully renovated in 2020 and has carried its historic name again ever since, with a new lobby, costa Kitchen & Bar and Café Lido by the pool.
A classic under new owners: El Encanto Santa Barbara has been run independently since 2025. Over about three years the estate is being renewed step by step, starting with the gardens designed by landscape architect Mark Rios; the hotel stays open throughout.
These luxury hotels in Santa Barbara have a pool – above the bluffs, on the roof and in the garden
Above the Pacific: The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara has three zero-edge saltwater pools heated to about 82°F; two look out over the beach, cabanas surround the main pool, and the SunBar serves light bites by day and cocktails in the evening. The spa has its own adults-only pool.
Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara · DowntownOn the roof downtown: At the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara, the heated pool sits on the sixth-floor rooftop terrace with ocean and mountain views; there is yoga on Saturday mornings, and the pool is reserved for hotel guests. The Tan Tan Pool on the roof of the Hotel Californian has a Jacuzzi and looks out over the coastline to the Santa Ynez Mountains.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
By the beach and in the garden: The Mar Monte Hotel faces East Beach; fire pits line the outdoor pool, and Café Lido serves right by the water. At El Encanto Santa Barbara, a small zero-edge pool waits among the hillside gardens. That makes five of the six luxury hotels in Santa Barbara with a pool.
Spa & wellness at a 5-star hotel in Santa Barbara: ocean views, Majorelle blue and calm on the hillside
The big resort spa: The spa at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara has 36 treatment rooms, its own adults-only pool, a redwood sauna, a eucalyptus steam room and a rooftop terrace with ocean views. Newer treatments include the Aescape robotic massage, Theraface LED masks and Recovery Air Jetboots.
Hotel Californian · The Funk ZoneMorocco and the sea: The Majorelle Spa at the Hotel Californian is named after Majorelle blue and inspired by Morocco, with couples’ treatments on request. At El Encanto Santa Barbara, treatments draw on coastal elements, followed by detox tea or fresh juice with views over the town. That gives three of the luxury hotels in Santa Barbara a spa of their own.
A spa day without staying there
The Majorelle Spa at the Hotel Californian is open to day guests too. So you can pair a stay by the beach or on the hillside with an afternoon in Majorelle blue on State Street. Our travel advisors are happy to book your treatment before you arrive.
Dining at the luxury hotels in Santa Barbara: coastal cooking, mezcal and local wine
With a view of the ocean: At Marisella at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara, Danny Grant cooks Mediterranean food inspired by the Amalfi Coast: handmade pasta, local seafood and wood-fired meats, in a Mission-style building on the bluffs. At Lulio in the same resort, more than 85 percent of the wine list comes from within 100 miles. On the terrace of The Dining Room & Terrace at El Encanto Santa Barbara, the menu is seasonal and coastal, with views over the town and the Pacific.
Mar Monte Hotel · East BeachFrom the farm and the coast: Finch & Fork at the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara cooks with produce from local farms and the coast, such as oysters, diver scallops and King salmon; in season there are chef’s table evenings on the roof. At the Mar Monte Hotel, costa Kitchen & Bar pairs local ingredients with Mediterranean flavors, on a patio overlooking East Beach and in front of a display of 800 wine bottles.
At no extra cost: you pay the same rate as booking direct with the hotel – the suitespot benefits come on top, free of charge.
Bars for the evening: At the Hotel Californian, the Djinn library bar mixes cocktails inspired by Moroccan lore, the wine room The Society: State & Mason hosts tastings, and The Knock Kitchen + Cocktails is a gastropub with food from California’s land and sea. At the Drift Santa Barbara, Dusk Bar pours mezcal and agave alongside a Baja-inspired raw bar, with live music on Tuesdays; in the morning Dawn Cafe opens next door. So each of the luxury hotels in Santa Barbara has its own address for the evening.
Evenings in the Funk Zone
Between State Street and the beach, old warehouses now hold wine bars, coffee roasters and workshops. From the Hotel Californian at the entrance to the Funk Zone you are there in a few steps, and afterwards you can stroll out onto Stearns Wharf.
Luxury hotels in Santa Barbara with history: a hideaway from Hollywood’s golden age, an earthquake and a 1930s beach hotel
The hideaway on the hill: El Encanto Santa Barbara opened in 1918 as a cottage hotel on the Riviera; its first buildings date from 1912. From the 1930s to the 1950s it drew guests from Hollywood, and Franklin D. Roosevelt stayed in cottage 320. Orient-Express bought the property in 2004 and reopened it in 2013 after a long restoration carried out with the city’s Historic Landmarks Commission; in 2025 it passed to new owners who run it independently.
Drift Santa Barbara · Lower StateEleven days after opening: The Hotel Californian first opened in 1925 as a gateway between beach and town, and eleven days later the great earthquake damaged it. It was rebuilt behind the original facade and reopened in 2017. Designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard filled it with more than one million tiles, many hand-painted in Morocco, and no two rooms are alike.
A beach hotel and a building that survived the quake: The Mar Monte Hotel goes back to the 1930s Vista Mar Monte across from East Beach; after years as a Hyatt it has carried its old name again since 2020. The Drift Santa Barbara occupies an early-1900s building that survived the 1925 earthquake.
On old Chumash land: The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara opened in 2000 as Bacara Resort & Spa on the site of a former Chumash settlement called Hel’apunitse and has been part of Ritz-Carlton since 2017. The ‘O’ Bar takes its name from the Chumash word for water.
Award-winning luxury hotels in Santa Barbara: Michelin Keys and Forbes Travel Guide
One Michelin Key goes to El Encanto Santa Barbara. The Keys rate the hotel as a whole, not a restaurant: the cottages and gardens on the hillside as much as the service and the kitchen.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
Four stars in the Forbes Travel Guide go to the Hotel Californian, and the guide also lists The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara as Recommended. If you choose among the luxury hotels in Santa Barbara by these awards, you still have three very different settings to pick from: hillside, town and bluffs.
Where to stay in Santa Barbara: Downtown, East Beach, the Riviera or Goleta – the right location for your 5-star hotel
Santa Barbara is compact, yet its settings differ a lot: State Street and the Funk Zone in town, East Beach on the water, the Riviera on the hillside and the bluffs of Goleta west of town. For a 5-star hotel in Santa Barbara that means choosing the setting first, then the hotel.
Downtown, State Street and the Funk Zone: Three of the luxury hotels in Santa Barbara are right in town. The Hotel Californian stands at the foot of State Street at the entrance to the Funk Zone, steps from the beach and Stearns Wharf. The Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara is on Carrillo Street, one block from State Street and minutes from the beach and harbor. The Drift Santa Barbara sits right on the car-free State Street promenade, within walking distance of the beach and the pier.
East Beach: The Mar Monte Hotel is just across the street from East Beach on Cabrillo Boulevard, with the beachfront path outside the door; downtown is about five minutes away by car.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
At no extra cost: you pay the same rate as booking direct with the hotel – the suitespot benefits come on top, free of charge.
The Riviera: El Encanto Santa Barbara sits on the hillside above downtown, with views over the town, the harbor and the Pacific. Our pick for couples who want quiet and like to spend the evening on the terrace.
Goleta, west of town: The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara lies on 78 acres above the Pacific in Goleta, about ten minutes’ drive west of downtown, with direct access to a secluded natural beach. Santa Barbara Airport is also about ten minutes away.
Montecito: The neighboring town to the east is popular too when people look for a 5-star hotel in Santa Barbara and the area; we present its hotels on a page of their own.
Our travel advisors’ insider tip
If you travel with your dog, the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara is a good choice: it even has an in-room dining menu for dogs. The Hotel Californian, the Mar Monte Hotel and The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara welcome pets as well; our travel advisors clarify the conditions with the hotel in advance.
What a night at a 5-star hotel in Santa Barbara costs – and what’s included
Rates start at 294 € at the Drift Santa Barbara on State Street and go up to 697 € at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara. The Hotel Californian and the Mar Monte Hotel both start at 360 €, the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara at 442 € and El Encanto Santa Barbara at 624 €. You will find today’s rates and availability in the hotel list below.
| Luxury hotel | From | suitespot benefits from | suitespot score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown, State Street and Funk Zone | |||
| Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara | 442 € | 1st night | ★ 4.3/5 |
| Hotel Californian | 360 € | 1st night | ★ 4.6/5 |
| Drift Santa Barbara | 294 € | 1st night | ★ 4.2/5 |
| East Beach | |||
| Mar Monte Hotel | 360 € | 1st night | ★ 4.0/5 |
| The Riviera | |||
| El Encanto Santa Barbara | 624 € | 1st night | ★ 4.7/5 |
| Goleta, west of town | |||
| The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara | 697 € | 1st night | ★ 4.5/5 |
What’s included: Breakfast for two is served daily at the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara and the Drift Santa Barbara, and at the Mar Monte Hotel as one breakfast dish with coffee or juice. The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara gives a daily breakfast credit of 50 US dollars at Lulio, El Encanto Santa Barbara 45 US dollars and the Hotel Californian 45 or 36 US dollars depending on the rate, each for up to two people. An upgrade subject to availability comes at all the luxury hotels in Santa Barbara, at the Mar Monte Hotel already at booking.
Hotel credit: The Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara, El Encanto Santa Barbara, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara, the Hotel Californian and the Mar Monte Hotel add 100 US dollars. From certain suites and two nights there is more: at the Hotel Californian 200 instead of 100 US dollars from the Magellan Suite, at El Encanto Santa Barbara another 100 US dollars for selected suites, at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara 100 US dollars for the spa from a One-Bedroom Suite. At the Drift Santa Barbara, a mezcal tasting for two takes the place of a credit.
Points and status: Marriott Bonvoy applies at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara and the Drift Santa Barbara, IHG One Rewards at the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara, World of Hyatt at the Mar Monte Hotel and I Prefer at the Hotel Californian. Because suitespot books direct rates, points and status nights count as usual. El Encanto Santa Barbara is independently run; there the breakfast credit, hotel credit and welcome gift are what you gain.
When it’s most beautiful: A 5-star hotel in Santa Barbara is worth it all year round. Autumn brings clear, warm beach days, in winter and spring the hills turn green, and summer evenings belong to the rooftop terraces and the promenade. For the Old Spanish Days Fiesta in August and the film festival in February, book early.
How long to stay: For a 5-star hotel in Santa Barbara we recommend three nights: one day for the Mission and State Street, one for the beach, Stearns Wharf and the Funk Zone, one for the wineries of the Santa Ynez Valley. A fourth night leaves time for a spa day or a trip to Montecito.
The hotels in Santa Barbara at a glance
What sets the hotels in Santa Barbara apart – from their opening year to the spa:
| Hotel | Opened | Renovated | Pool | Spa | Forbes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara | ✓ | – | |||
| El Encanto Santa Barbara | 1918 | 2013 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara | 2000 | 2025 | ✓ | ✓ | Recommended |
| Hotel Californian | 2017 | ✓ | ✓ | 4 stars | |
| Mar Monte Hotel | 2020 | ✓ | – |
Earn points & use your status in Santa Barbara
Here you earn Marriott Bonvoy points at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara and the Drift Santa Barbara, IHG One Rewards at the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara, World of Hyatt at the Mar Monte Hotel and I Prefer at the Hotel Californian. Because suitespot books direct rates, points and status nights are credited and your status benefits apply.
| Program | Hotels | Examples in Santa Barbara |
|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy | 2 hotels | The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara, Drift Santa Barbara |
| I Prefer | 1 hotel | Hotel Californian |
| IHG One Rewards | 1 hotel | Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara |
| World of Hyatt | 1 hotel | Mar Monte Hotel |
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Frequently asked questions about luxury hotels in Santa Barbara
What does a night at a luxury hotel in Santa Barbara cost?
Rates start at 294 € at the Drift Santa Barbara and go up to 697 € at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara. The Hotel Californian on State Street and the Mar Monte Hotel on East Beach both start at 360 €. Breakfast or a breakfast credit is included at every hotel.
What is the best luxury hotel in Santa Barbara?
That depends on how you travel. For couples looking for quiet and gardens we recommend El Encanto Santa Barbara on the Riviera; if you want to stay right in town, the Hotel Californian. For pool, spa and beach in one place, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara is the one, and for trips with your dog, the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara. Our travel advisors will personally recommend the right hotel for you.
Which hotels in Santa Barbara offer the best views of the Santa Ynez Mountains?
From the rooftop pool of the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara you see ocean and mountains, and the Tan Tan Pool at the Hotel Californian looks out over the coastline to the Santa Ynez Mountains. The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara lies between the mountains and the Pacific.
Which luxury hotels in Santa Barbara have a rooftop pool?
The Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara has a heated pool on its sixth-floor rooftop terrace, and the Hotel Californian has the Tan Tan Pool with a Jacuzzi. Three saltwater pools above the beach await at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara.
Which hotels in Santa Barbara are right on the beach?
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara has direct access to a secluded natural beach. The Mar Monte Hotel is just across the street from East Beach, and from the Hotel Californian it is a few steps to the beach and Stearns Wharf.
Which hotels in Santa Barbara are new or freshly renovated?
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara redesigned all its rooms and suites and opened new restaurants in 2025. The Drift Santa Barbara has been open since early 2023, and the Mar Monte Hotel was renovated in 2020.
Which hotel in Santa Barbara has a Michelin Key?
El Encanto Santa Barbara on the Riviera holds one Michelin Key. The Hotel Californian has four stars in the Forbes Travel Guide.
Can I earn hotel points in Santa Barbara?
Yes: Marriott Bonvoy applies at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara and the Drift Santa Barbara, IHG One Rewards at the Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara and World of Hyatt at the Mar Monte Hotel; I Prefer covers the Hotel Californian. Because suitespot books direct rates, points and status nights count as usual.
Where should I stay in Santa Barbara?
Downtown for State Street, the Funk Zone and the beach on foot (our pick: the Hotel Californian), on East Beach for sand outside the door (our pick: the Mar Monte Hotel), on the Riviera for quiet and Pacific views (our pick: El Encanto Santa Barbara) and in Goleta for a resort above the beach (our pick: The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara).
What is the most expensive hotel in Santa Barbara?
At the top end is The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara, with rates from 697 € per night, followed by El Encanto Santa Barbara from 624 €.
Which luxury hotels in Santa Barbara welcome dogs?
The Kimpton Canary Hotel Santa Barbara even has a menu for dogs. The Hotel Californian, the Mar Monte Hotel and The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara welcome pets too. Just let us know when you book, and our travel advisors will sort out the details with the hotel.
Which hotel in Santa Barbara is good for families?
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara, with three pools, direct beach access and babysitting on request. On East Beach, the Mar Monte Hotel offers beach chairs and umbrellas, a bocce court and complimentary bikes.
