Paid
Children allowed

Facilities

Marble bathrooms with radiant heated stone floors
Deep soaking tub or freestanding bath (select rooms)
Walk-in rain showers
Double vanities
In-room fireplace (select rooms)
Private furnished patio or balcony (select rooms)
Hardwood flooring
Spacious writing desk
Widescreen LCD HDTV with premium channel access
iPod/iPhone docking station
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Beautiful, well‑maintained property and gardens
Exceptional, attentive staff and personalized service
Excellent spa, pool and relaxing amenities (steam room, fire pits)
Charming, comfortable rooms with thoughtful touches
Convenient, scenic location near Santa Barbara
Cons:
Perceived as overpriced / value for money concerns
Inconsistent rooms (one report of mold) for some guests
Gym refurbishment led to subpar substitute facility
Occasional slow dining service and mixed comments on food
Pool can be crowded on summer weekends

Categories

Cleanliness
8.6
Generally described as clean and well maintained (clean rooms mentioned), though one guest reported a room that smelled of mold, so minor cleanliness inconsistencies were noted.
Service
10
Consistently praised across reviews — friendly, helpful and attentive staff; multiple guests named specific employees who went above and beyond, and service is repeatedly highlighted as a standout.
Location
9.8
Described as lovely and peaceful up in the hills yet conveniently close to State Street; the setting and gardens contribute strongly to the guest experience.
Room Quality
8.9
Rooms are described as charming, luxurious (fireplace, deep tub, thoughtful amenities) though a few guests mentioned inconsistency between rooms and one mold incident, indicating mostly excellent but not flawless room quality.
Amenities
9.4
Spa, pool, steam room, gardens, fire pits and on‑site leisure offerings receive high praise; gym refurbishment and a temporary substitute facility drew criticism but overall amenities are viewed as excellent.
Value for Money
7.4
Several guests called the property overpriced (explicit comment: 'definitely overpriced'); despite high quality, value is perceived as below the otherwise excellent experience.
Food and Beverage
8.8
Mixed but generally positive: many guests praised fresh, well‑prepared dishes and good service, while a few reported slow dining service and one review called the food subpar — overall solid with some inconsistencies.
Overall Experience
9.9
Multiple glowing, enthusiastic reviews (e.g., 'Exceptional', 'Perfection', 'One of my favorite places on earth') and repeated statements of wanting to return indicate an exceptional overall guest experience, with only minor negatives.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-10-30 20:56

Property Description

Nestled within lush gardens and a fertile hillside, El Encanto offers a serene retreat from the rhythm of city life. Terracotta rooftops peek through palms, winding pathways beckon quiet exploration, and each vantage point reveals a new horizon of sea and sky. Discover enduring California elegance: each room embraces seaside tranquility through luminous, flowing materials and regionally handcrafted pieces that mirror the peace beyond your windows. Radiant floor heating and crackling fireplaces provide warmth during cooler months, and marble bathing chambers offer luxurious relaxation. When spring arrives, swing wide your oceanfront doors and savor salt air from your private outdoor sanctuary.

Important information:

You must show a valid photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all special requests cannot be guaranteed and are subject to availability upon check-in. Additional charges may apply.

Please note: For Premier Bungalow and Deluxe Bungalow Room Types the bed type is by request only and is not a guarantee.

For reservations booked with breakfast the maximum credit is $60 per day.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: SBA

Property Policies

  • Check-in / check-out

    Check-in from 16:00:00, check-out until 11:00:00.

  • Minimum age

    Guests must be at least 21 years old to check in.

  • Pets

    Pets are allowed; charges may apply.

  • Extra bed

    Extra bed available for ages 0–None: 40 per night.

  • Cot

    Cot available for ages 0–2: free.

See all policies

Location

Property Video

Guest Reviews

9.1
Based on 262 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.6
Service: 10
Location: 9.8
Room Quality: 8.9
Amenities: 9.4
Value for Money: 7.4
Food and Beverage: 8.8
Overall Experience: 9.9
L
Lucelle • solo_traveller • ae
4
Nice hotel , not worth the money
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Tiny Gym and very expansive

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
B
BRIAN • couple • us
7
Pros:

Beautiful place.

Cons:

It’s definitely overpriced.

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
J
Jacqui • solo_traveller • nz
10
2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
B
Beth • couple • gb
10
Loved it!
Pros:

Gorgeous property. It feels very exclusive.

Cons:

The gym was being refurbished and the substitute facility was not very good

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
S
Sherita • couple • us
1
2026-09-07 • via Nuitee
J
Jazmin • extended_group • gb
8
2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
S
Steve • extended_group • us
9
Lovely
Pros:

Thomas helped us a lot
Linda, the server was excellent

2026-08-21 • via Nuitee
F
Flores • family_with_children • mt
10
2026-08-19 • via Nuitee
L
Lisa • couple • us
10
Exceptional birthday extravagance! One of my favorite places on earth.
Pros:

Exceptional birthday extravagance! One of my favorite places on earth.

2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
T
Thomas • couple • us
8
2026-08-11 • via Nuitee
G
Gracieruns • Couples • San Francisco, California
10
Book week days if possible. Pool can be a bit crowded weekends in the summer
Pros:

Our 4 days could not have been more perfect. The transfer from a Belmond property seems to have been a positive move. Upgraded gardens, same warm helpful staff. Still an excellent spa experience, glad to see the same faces there. We can’t wait to return.

2026-08-07 • via Tripadvisor
W
wildirishrose53 • Family • San Luis Obispo County, California
10
Perfection
Pros:

The hotel is well named: ours was an enchanting and luxurious two day experience, with every thoughtful amenity considered. The friendly check in staff offered us a chilled lavender/lemon cocktail or mocktail on arrival, then proceeded to show us to our beautiful room, which was ready early. A bowl of sweet ripe peaches awaited us, along with a handwritten greeting. The next morning we needed more coffee pods, which arrived within two minutes. The room was charming, complete with fireplace and a deep tub for relaxing with bath salts. We spent one day lounging by the pool, waited on by an attentive staff member. Dined that night on the terrace and enjoyed perfectly prepared halibut and salmon. Loved the oversized chess and checkers games laid out on the grounds, as well as the romantic fire pits. The steam room is available to all guests, not just those using spa services, and it's a revelation! Don't miss this experience. We came here to relax, and relax we did, enjoying the sumptuous gardens, the view, and the friendly staff. We even threw a penny in the wishing well, and wished to return again. Soon. Well done, El Encanto. Simply superb.

2026-08-06 • via Tripadvisor
S
Stephanie • couple • us
9
Despite its shortcomings with the subpar food and inconsistent rooms, the staff is lovely and this feels like a special
Pros:

Helpful staff!

Cons:

Our first room wreaked of mold and the dining staff is sooooo slow! The food is also pretty bad.

2026-08-02 • via Nuitee
S
Svetlana • family_with_children • us
10
Small luxury gateway.
Pros:

Clean rooms, comfortable beds, nice pool, great service.

2026-07-18 • via Nuitee
A
Aditi • couple • in
10
2026-07-07 • via Nuitee
E
Explore790806 • Couples
10
Beautiful property with great amenities and amazing staff
Pros:

Amazing! The property is beautiful, sprawling, with modern, clean, and comfortable rooms. Hard to find a boutique hotel in this day and age that is maintained with so much love and care. The staff are amazing - friendly, helpful, kind, and resourceful. The food is great, really fresh with good service. Located conveniently in the middle of Santa Barbara and easy to get around. It’s a comfortable atmosphere to hang out and relax between the pool, lobby, patio, and fire pits. New ownership is great and renovating the property in real time. We will be back!

2026-07-03 • via Tripadvisor
P
P1982APboh • Family
10
Exceptional Stay at El Encanto
Pros:

Our stay at El Encanto was absolutely wonderful. The property is stunning, the atmosphere is peaceful, and every detail exceeded our expectations.

A special thank you to Michael Noone, who went above and beyond to take care of our family during our stay. His kindness, professionalism, and genuine hospitality made us feel truly welcomed and made our experience even more memorable. Michael’s attention to detail and dedication to guest service are what make El Encanto such a special place.

We highly recommend El Encanto to anyone visiting Santa Barbara and look forward to returning in the future. Five stars all around! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

2026-06-28 • via Tripadvisor
3
310rajv • Couples • Bothell, Washington
10
Gorgeous old world retreat
Pros:

Beautiful hotel and grounds. Feels a million miles away yet only 12 minutes from State Street up in the hills. Amazing service from all staff including front desk, valet, and restaurants. Romantic and relaxing- an absolute treat.

Thank you for making our anniversary so special!

2026-06-28 • via Tripadvisor
B
Brett • family_with_children • us
9
2026-06-22 • via Nuitee
M
Maxime • couple • fr
9
Tout simplement magique
2026-06-20 • via Nuitee