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Hotel Californian
Santa Barbara, United States
Hotel Californian
Santa Barbara, United States
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2024 Forbes Travel Guide Award

Santa Barbara Beach Escape Where the Ocean Meets the City

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L.V.X.
2024 Forbes Travel Guide Award

Featuring Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and modern Moorish themed interior décor from celebrity designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, the Hotel Californian is the new center of the Santa Barbara waterfront. Incorporating the façade of the original 1925 Hotel Californian, this 121-room seaside destination features a rooftop pool and event deck providing panoramic views of the coastline and the Santa Ynez Mountains. Located steps from the beach, one block from Santa Barbara Amtrak Station, and in the middle of Santa Barbara's vibrant Funk Zone, the Hotel Californian includes a luxurious Moroccan-inspired spa with hand-painted Moroccan tile, a fashion boutique, fresh and distinctive dining options, together with a best-in-class ballroom, event lawns and decks, and unique meeting spaces for weddings and group events.

  • Named on the Condé Nast Traveler Hot List and Travel + Leisure The It List
  • Stay in the re-imagined 1925 hotel with its unique Moroccan-inspired design
  • Choose from breathtaking Pacific Ocean, Santa Ynez Mountains, or intricately designed courtyard views from your private balcony
  • 121 uniquely styled guestrooms created by acclaimed Los Angeles designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard
  • Indulge in personalized treatments at the Moroccan-influenced Majorelle Spa
  • Dine at Blackbird with exquisite Mediterranean-influenced, locally sourced, and hyper-seasonal cuisine or experience Goat Tree, a café marketplace with al fresco seating offering fresh, local fare, including delicious pastries and baked goods, cold-pressed juices and coffee
  • Gaze into the sunset and sip libations at Tan-Tan, the rooftop pool at Hotel Californian

Hotel Amenities

Event Space
Event Space
Fitness Center
Gym
Accessible
Accessible
Non-Smoking Rooms
Non-Smoking
On-Site Parking
Parking
Pool
Pool
Spa
Spa
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
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Accommodations

Three buildings combine to form 121 unique rooms designed by celebrity designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard to ensure no two rooms are alike. Thoughtful touches bring a unique sense of luxury — tufted headboards, in-room cocktail bars, and leather benches — in Moroccan-themed décor with cool tiles lifted by pops of color. Choose a deluxe corner room for a dual balcony and roaring open fire, or the impressive presidential Alcazar Suite for the ultimate Santa Barbara retreat.

Beyond your room, find tranquility in the blue-and-white Moroccan-style Majorelle spa or get active at the fitness center. The library is ideal for peaceful contemplation over a coffee and cake — or a sophisticated cocktail. If you are in town for business, the deluxe ballroom makes an exceptional impression, and the modern meeting rooms ensure efficient and inspiring corporate events.

Hotel Californian Guestroom
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Offers

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Dining

Hotel Californian’s Goat Tree gourmet café exudes relaxed vibes, and the Mediterranean-inspired Blackbird restaurant emphasizes locally sourced, hyper-seasonal ingredients.

Hotel Californian Dining

Goat Tree – With views of the wharf and a patio for alfresco dining, Goat Tree makes the most of local produce to conjure up diverse and exciting breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. Start the day with the almond croissant, flavorsome smoked salmon, or your favorite smoothie. Arrange for a seasonally-curated picnic basket at lunchtime and head for the wine-tasting trail or to the beach. Pop by for healthy on-the-go snacks, cold-pressed juices, and fresh coffee. When the sun fades, discover Mediterranean flavors before taking a sunset stroll along the boulevard.

Blackbird – In the Mason building, with its vibrant mix of classic-meets-contemporary style, Hotel Californian’s signature restaurant showcases the pick of Santa Barbara ingredients with a Mediterranean twist. Choose from the freshest sustainable seafood and succulent locally produced chicken and beef, and finish with delicate desserts. Beautifully positioned, the restaurant has the Pacific Ocean and the lively Funk Zone in its sights.

Activities at Hotel Californian

Hotel Californian Activities

Take in the views of the ocean and the Santa Ynez mountains from the rooftop pool or soothe your mind, body, and soul in the exotic Moroccan-inspired spa with its four treatment rooms, fitness center, and private courtyard.

Santa Barbara’s science museum Moxi is also just a few yards from the front door. Make time to explore Santa Barbara’s boutiques, a wealth of wine-tasting rooms, and highly acclaimed restaurants — many are just a few steps away in the hip Funk Zone and Presidio areas. For something more active, hit the beach for water sports, conquer one of the area’s many golf courses, or head to the Santa Ynez mountains for bike and hiking trails. Go whale-watching, deep-sea fishing, or hop on board a boat for a trip to the Channel Islands National Park.

Location

Between the Pacific Ocean and downtown Santa Barbara, on a prime beachfront stretch, Hotel Californian is next to the vibrant Funk Zone with its boutique tasting venues, restaurants, and galleries, and within walking distance of Stearns Wharf, a 145-year-old wooden pier packed with shops and restaurants.

marker

Address

36 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA, United States


Transportation

  • Airport
    • Santa Barbara Airport is 11 mi / 18 km, 15 minutes away
  • Train
    • Santa Barbara Amtrak train station is just a block away


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Reviews

4.5Trip Advisor Rating

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TripAdvisor Rating 5

Santa Barbara escape!

Fri Mar 14 2025 00:50:30 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Kathy C

A lovely place to stay in Santa Barbara! With wonderful views, great vibe and welcoming staff! We all loved it! A super friendly staff who help us with the details of our stay. It was perfect and much appreciated! We look forward to returning often.

TripAdvisor Rating 5

Fabulous stay

Mon Feb 24 2025 20:50:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Angela S

It is a beautiful hotel. The rooms are all so unique and very well kept. The valet staff is the absolute best! They make the experience incredible. The location of the hotel is also perfect! You couldn't ask for a better spot being close to the pier and all of the Santa Barbara restaurants, bars and shops.

TripAdvisor Rating 2

Overwhelmed Staff - couldn’t meet expectations

Tue Feb 18 2025 17:58:29 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by CobesLA

Very underwhelming experience, given the price tag. The hotel restaurant, Goat Tree, was incredibly unorganized and chaotic. Location was prime and most staff were friendly (restaurant staff was rude) but overall experience left a lot to be desired.

TripAdvisor Rating 5

Just perfect

Mon Feb 03 2025 10:46:53 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Pedro D

Beautiful room and great location. Within very easy reach to some of the best areas of Santa Barbara including the beach and the Wharf. Their restaurant Blackbird is one of the best in town with great food and a great bar. Definitely recommend this hotel for your weekend getaway or business travel.

TripAdvisor Rating 5

Loved our stay

Tue Jan 21 2025 14:50:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Shannon R

We loved our stay at the hotel. Its in a perfect location in Santa Barbara Funk Zone. Staff was amazing at checkin helping get us reservations for dinner. We were staying for our Anniversary and they sent us a bottle of champagne and a lovely card. Would love to stay again!