Hotel Californian

Hotels
8.3 (410 reviews)
36 State Street , Santa Barbara , UNITED STATES
+1 805-882-0100
[email protected]

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Paid
Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

Complimentary local transfers
Custom Hotel Californian bicycles
24-hour state-of-the-art Fitness Center
Tesla & standard EV car chargers
Complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access
Complimentary tech & game library
Complimentary local calls
Beach chairs and umbrellas
Access to exclusive on-property activities & events
Tan Tan Pool
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent central location
Stylish, recently renovated rooms
Comfortable beds and well-appointed rooms
Warm/attentive staff (specific praise for Stephen)
Good amenities: spa, pool, minibar
High-quality food (noted fish & chips)
Cons:
Value for money concerns / overpayment
Inconsistent staff friendliness and initiative
Social hour/rooftop atmosphere felt casual and disappointing
Occasional cleanliness lapse (rubbish in elevator)
No gluten-free breakfast option
Surrounding area felt downmarket to some guests

Categories

Cleanliness
8.6
Generally reported as clean and romantic with recently renovated rooms, though one guest noted rubbish in the elevator which lowered perceived consistency.
Service
8.7
Mixed but leaning positive: several guests praised warm, attentive staff (notably Stephen at the front desk), while others noted a few staff lacked friendliness or initiative.
Location
9.1
Consistently praised as an excellent, central location in Santa Barbara (Funk Zone/pier area) and very convenient for sightseeing.
Room Quality
9.2
Rooms described as stylish, large, recently renovated, comfortable and in line with five-star expectations — one of the strongest positives across reviews.
Amenities
8.6
Good on amenities (minibar, pool, spa, rooftop) and spa bookings were praised; however the hotel's social hour/rooftop atmosphere received criticisms for being casual and underwhelming.
Value for Money
6.1
Noted as a weak point: multiple guests felt prices were high or they overpaid (prepaid rate much higher than day-of price) and one guest explicitly called out poor value given expectations.
Food and Beverage
8.8
Generally positive — some guests loved the food (notably excellent fish & chips) and spa treatments; one guest noted lack of gluten-free breakfast options.
Overall Experience
7.3
Mixed overall: many guests had wonderful, memorable stays with excellent rooms and service, while at least one guest found the broader atmosphere and service shortcomings profoundly disappointing.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-10-30 18:54

Property Description

Hotel Californian continues to redefine luxury in the celebrated American Riviera. The 121-room hotel in Santa Barbara is a magnet for the Hollywood elite, international visitors, and locals alike. Featuring dazzling spaces from celebrity designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, the iconoclastic enclave - part history, part imagination, and all Californian - continues to drive the revitalization of Santa Barbara's Funk Zone while upending conventional expectations. Nestled in the Funk Zone, Hotel Californian offers stylish environs framing picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains. Comprised of three buildings and breezy outdoor courts, the architecture is a nod to the iconic Spanish Colonial Revival style with a distinctive Moroccan twist, with interiors elevated by the work of Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Each guestroom intertwines classic Spanish Colonial Revival architecture with Moroccan influences and rare custom furnishings, and each is distinctly unique in its design. Room and suite names honor the Moorish Troubadours of medieval Spain: Almeria, Sevilla, Granada and Cordova honor the royal cities of Moorish-controlled Medieval Spain, while Sestina pays homage to the song style of these illustrious bards, and Tangerinn memorializes the famous bar in Tangier. The hotel is dog-friendly and ADA compliant.

Important information:

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.
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 18 years old to check in.

  • Pets

    Pets are allowed; charges may apply.

  • Extra bed

    Extra bed available for ages 0–None: 75 per night.

  • Cot

    Cot available for ages 0–3: free.

See all policies

Location

Property Video

Guest Reviews

8.3
Based on 410 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.6
Service: 8.7
Location: 9.1
Room Quality: 9.2
Amenities: 8.6
Value for Money: 6.1
Food and Beverage: 8.8
Overall Experience: 7.3
M
Milan • couple • cz
10
Nice Hotel in very good location.
Pros:

We felt very good. Bed was very comfortable, Minibar full, seating in yard very nice. Clean and romantic.

Cons:

Price which I paid in advance was very high. I check the price in day of my arrival and it was for half. My mistake. Only recommendation, booking in advance is not needed. You overpay.

2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
U
Umjado • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
S
Sabrina • family_with_children • de
9
2026-09-09 • via Nuitee
V
Vanessa • extended_group • gb
9
Great location in Santa Barbara. Would stay again.
Pros:

Great location, good sized rooms and amenities.

Cons:

A couple of the staff weren’t as friendly as they could be.

2026-09-07 • via Nuitee
R
Rudy • family_with_children • fr
9
Pros:

The rooms were nicer than on the hotel pictures. They were large and recently renovated. The location is great. The hotel itself is very charming.

2026-09-07 • via Nuitee
M
Magdalena • solo_traveller • pl
10
Wspaniały miejsce!
Pros:

Wszystko! Wspaniały pokój! P
Basen! Obsługa

Cons:

Brak opcji bezglutenowej na śniadaniu

2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
A
Annie • couple • gr
7
Santa Barbara is dead. Depressing experience with a 5star price tag
Pros:

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.

Cons:

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.

2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
V
Vipul • solo_traveller • us
10
2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
Z
zoen754 • Friends getaway
10
Wonderful Stay at Hotel Californian
Pros:

We had such a wonderful stay at Hotel Californian. From the moment we arrived, the staff was incredibly warm, attentive, and helpful, and we truly felt accommodated throughout our visit.

Stephen at the front desk was especially incredible — he went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and taken care of. The room was gorgeous, and the location was amazing and so convenient for enjoying Santa Barbara.

We also treated my mom to a massage at the spa, which she said was absolutely delightful. We were even able to book it the same day, which was such a nice touch and made the experience feel effortless.

Overall, a beautiful hotel with wonderful service. We would absolutely stay here again!

2026-08-26 • via Tripadvisor
D
donnatS9159ZL • NONE
10
Very cool hotel in the center of everything in Santa Barbara's Funk Zone and pier area.
Pros:

The Hotel Californian is a well-located, beautiful property in the heart of coastal Santa Barbara. It has a very cool, laid-back vibe, and very stylish. I loved the Moorish/Spanish influences. The rooms were well-appointed and very comfortable. The food was great, the best fish and chips we have ever had, and we just got back from London, so that's saying something! We would definitely recommend and would love to come back!

2026-08-25 • via Tripadvisor
J
Johanna • couple • us
8
2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
H
hamid • couple • us
2
Never ever again
Pros:

O booked with you the highest rate room with views of ocean and i got court yard room

Cons:

Prices vs value
And 3 days after i checked out they charged me $25 for a laundry bag that i had put my dirty cloths in…$1500 per night of stay and i cant have a laundry bag?

2026-08-21 • via Nuitee
H
Happiness59743357340 • NONE • Palm Desert, Greater Palm Springs, California
10
Well Worth the Splurge for a Special Santa Barbara Experience!
Pros:

This beautiful hotel is ideally located near the Funk Zone, the wharf and the beach. The 4 buildings affiliated with the hotel have been renovated and maintained to a top-notch standard. The design is chic, modern, and the guest rooms are extremely clean, comfortable and quiet. While we did not have an ocean view, we did have a lovely little patio. Best of all here is the service, which is very high level from the front desk to housekeeping to the bars/dining establishments. Not a cheap place to stay, but well worth the splurge if your budget permits!

2026-08-19 • via Tripadvisor
E
Erika • couple • mx
10
2026-08-18 • via Nuitee
M
Marc • family_with_children • ch
9
2026-08-13 • via Nuitee
M
Mark_in_Mass • NONE • Marblehead, Massachusetts
4
A night in the club?
Pros:

Room was comfortable, but our premium category room was right under the rooftop, where loud club music played for four hours on a Sunday night.

Others may love that, but not at all what I am looking for.

2026-08-11 • via Tripadvisor
B
briannV3629BS • NONE
2
Overrated
Pros:

Only positives -- near the beach and Funk Zone.

Insanely loud with trains, traffic and deliveries at all hours. The pool is meant for about 20 people and looks NOTHING like the pics. Rooms are ok but not remarkable. If you want a quiet, luxurious getaway, avoid it. Not what you would want or expect from a supposed 4/5 star hotel.

2026-08-10 • via Tripadvisor
3
341tanyaa • NONE
4
No air conditioning
Pros:

From the start this was a less than luxurious welcome - I called on our way to see if my room might be ready an hour early and was told that nothing could be guaranteed. I had to request that the person check my specific room. In my experience usually someone will do this first and even say they would check in with housekeeping, prior to saying no. We were warmly welcomed by Lorenzo and Emily at the front desk who were the only staff we interacted with the entire stay. They were lovely. On arriving to our $2000 suite we found the air conditioning to be broken – on a hot weekend in August. We left the room to cool off and enjoy our welcome drink and requested to have someone come look at it. On our return we were told that the air conditioning could not be repaired but they left three fans in the room and the window opened. It was very hot. I had to then go to the front desk who kindly offered the room complementary. It was still rather hot. Although Lorenzo and Emily were absolutely wonderful to work with, I am surprised that there was no further outreach. I would have let this go entirely but found out that I was still charged a resort fee which seems inapparopriate given the situation. I filled out my survey on-line and haven’t heard back so I am wondering if a more public survey might result in some outreach from the hotel.

2026-08-05 • via Tripadvisor
H
Heike • family_with_children • gb
9
Brilliant location
Pros:

location was amazing, probably best about the hotel
room and bathroom were both lovely
staff was very nice

Cons:

lack of nice breakfast option inside the hotel but there was a good restaurant nearby that served great breakfast

2026-08-04 • via Nuitee
C
Chi • family_with_children • us
9
2026-08-04 • via Nuitee