Top 8 Santa Barbara hotels: from a Victorian estate with landscaped gardens to a famous boutique with the best roof in town

Santa Barbara, also called the American Riviera, truly resembles Europe's famously chic coastline with its bougainvillea-covered white Spanish Colonial-style homes, warm climate and blue waters. This sunny spot on the central coast attracts tourists like a magnet all year round: temperatures border on the 60-70 degree mark all year round, and getting to this spot is fairly easy - it's only 90 miles from Los Angeles. The popularity of Santa Barbara among travelers has contributed to the appearance here of a good range of hotels for every taste and budget. Choosing the best among them is not easy, as options abound with different atmospheres and aesthetics. You can choose a haven by the beach or hide away among the hills, live in a hotbed of raucous nightlife or choose a quiet place for a vacation with kids. Plus, it's not a bad idea to be near the best attractions, good restaurants and wineries. To help you choose the perfect place to stay in Santa Barbara, here are the top best hotels in the city.

1. Kimpton Canary Hotel

Santa Barbara is a dream destination for many, but even here rooftop pools are a rarity. This makes the Kimpton Canary Hotel easily stand out from the rest of the popular hotels with the largest rooftop pool in Santa Barbara, which, like the terrace on the 6th floor, offers 360-degree views of the city, sea and mountains. It will therefore appeal to city dwellers who prefer an atmospheric vacation by the pool. The hotel is a couple of minutes' walk from famous attractions such as the historic Stearns Wharf and the stores of State Street. The Rooftop is available exclusively to hotel guests, who gather here to sample signature cocktails and light appetizers by the pool or sit by the outdoor fireplace and admire the sunsets. They can also make reservations at the new American cuisine restaurant Finch and Fork and stop by for an evening wine hour. The boutique hotel, despite its downtown location, sets the ambiance of a beach villa vacation. It features luxurious Spanish-style rooms with cozy four-poster beds and Italian Frette linens, hand-painted tiles, hardwood floors and complimentary yoga mats. Travelers looking for good hotels in Santa Barbara to stay with pets can confidently turn to the Kimpton Canary Hotel. Pets are treated with special friendliness here: there are no size restrictions or extra fees, and your furry friend will be provided with bowls and a bed.

2 The Leta Santa Barbara Goleta

One of the best laid-back boutique hotelsin Goleta, about 15 minutes west of Santa Barbara, brings a surfing vibe to the area. It epitomizes the laid-back spirit of Southern California. The section on the website advertising it as a location for photo shoots says it's a place you must see. Its grounds are centered around a sparkling pool with towering palm trees around the perimeter, but if you need even more water, beautiful Goleta Beach is just a 5-minute bike ride away. The hotel is an ultra-stylish hideaway with thoughtful design at every turn, from the gorgeous 1960s-style lobby, cozy surfer houses to the shiny Airstream trailer at the main entrance. The atmosphere by the pool is lively during the day, and gets even more active in the evenings with bands and live music. But if you need more quiet, book a room with a patio view to avoid the extra noise. If you're a music lover and have a vinyl record collection, bring your favorites with you: the rooms have vinyl players. There are also flat-screen TVs and yoga mats, and rooms are decorated with interesting accents like framed state flags, coastal wood furniture, and eccentric textures. The coastal theme continues with the menu at CAYA Restaurant and Bar, which presents a fresh take on California coastal cuisine, and the lively Leta Bar in the cozy lounge.

3. Drift Santa Barbara

In the heart of downtown Santa Barbara is another one of its most stylish hotels on the list that millennials will especially love. It opened in the fall of 2022 on State Street, introducing new style travelers to a modern "tech" hotel. All check-ins are done contactless, nor will you find a concierge behind the counter. Instead, you'll need to send a message to get recommendations for exploring the neighborhood and iconic landmarks, or handle organizational issues like Wi-Fi passwords. Like many other well-known hotels in and near Santa Barbara, it's housed in a 1920s building still retaining its Mediterranean Italianate-style facade. Inside, however, it is more minimalist, and the atmosphere is set by the floor-to-ceiling windows and the concrete, oak, and brass used in the decor. The hotel offers exceptional accommodation options, including suites with balconies, large family rooms and penthouse apartments. The busiest spots on the property are the restaurants Dawn and Dusk, which locals love to stop by as well. Dawn is a coffee shop in the style of SoCal's iconic surf culture, and Dusk is a craft tapas bar with a menu of craft cocktails, mescal and agave, and a Baja-style raw food bar. The hotel doesn't have a pool or fitness center, but guests here are happy to be introduced to the California vibe, with complimentary yoga mats, surfboards (it's only a short walk to the beach), and bikes to explore the city on request.

4. Palihouse

The Palihouse chain's hotels have gained a loyal following for their cozy atmosphere, attentive service and quirky design, and one Santa Barbara-based hotel is no different. It opened in 2021 in the historic Presidio neighborhood, and designers have given its 1920s colonial-style building features that combine vintage preppie style with the coolness of a coastal retreat. The lobby is lined with tables with marble countertops and chairs with plaid cushions, and passing through wide French doors, guests enter a picturesque patio. In the living room is a bar with a tiered pink glass chandelier, where you can have a coffee and croissant in the morning or spend the evening with a glass of Smash whiskey. Later in the day, it's worth moving from here to the cocktail bar tucked away in the courtyard. A garden café with drinks and snacks and a swimming pool with sun loungers and changing cabanas occupy the central part of the courtyard. Rooms are decorated in pastel colors and feature large beds, gas fireplaces and outdoor balconies or patios to enjoy the fresh breezes. The hotel has a total of 24 rooms and suites with Instagram-worthy decor. Other amenities cover a fitness room with Peloton bikes, complimentary bikes for city rides and a neighborhood guide, and a pet program that includes organic pet treats upon arrival, sun loungers, bowls, toys, and dog walking services (for a fee).

5. The Belmond El Encanto

The theme of one of Santa Barbara's most beautiful hotels could be Old World elegance: it's not on the busy coast, but hidden in the quiet hills. It is a secluded historic hilltop hideaway with remarkable views. The hotel was erected in 1918, making it the oldest among Santa Barbara hotels. Not surprisingly, its glamorous 1920s architecture and Spanish Colonial style along with the quiet and secluded surroundings have attracted celebrities. Guests of the hotel at one time included Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Barbra Streisand, Hedy Lamarr and others. The historic hotel has been restored and today presents itself to guests as classic, modernly appointed cottages complemented by an innovative spa and beautifully landscaped pool. Room furnishings with locally carved wooden beds, Persian rugs, marble bathrooms, fireplaces, private terraces and ocean-view patios are commendable. So does the Californian cuisine of The Dining Room restaurant. The advantage of the latter is a terrace with amazing views of the entire coastline - a wonderful location for a romantic candlelit dinner. It is also worth paying attention to the unique offers for guests: outdoor movie nights, literary club with famous authors, mandala reading under the guidance of a personal trainer, etc. The lush seven-acre gardens, with a centuries-old lily pond, living wisteria vine fences, flower beds and hummingbirds flitting among the plants, provide a tranquil retreat from hectic city life.

6. The Ritz-Carlton Bacara

The most luxurious of the hotels near Santa Barbara, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara is a chic Mediterranean-style resort. It spans 78 acres along a long stretch of Goleta's coastline, and this charming vacation spot can be compared to the coast of Italy, with villas lining the beach overlooking Ellwood Pier and the Pacific Ocean. Golfers will especially enjoy this location, as it is adjacent to the Sandpiper course. The hotel provides guests with an extensive range of amenities, from a multi-level spa to a kids' club. A walking path leads to Haskells Beach, which is great for surfing, kayaking and canoeing. The resort has four tennis courts and three landscaped pools, two of which provide ocean views. The hotel features 354 spacious Mediterranean-style rooms with patios or balconies with amazing views, gas or wood-burning fireplaces and marble showers. For lunch, head to the beachfront Angel Oak Restaurant for seafood specialties, steaks and vintage wines on tap, or to O Bar + Kitchen for authentic Latin cuisine and bold cocktails. "The highlight" of the hotel is the 42,000-square-foot luxury spa with full amenities, including a mahogany sauna, steam room and pool. After an active day, pamper yourself with a Hollywood facial featuring innovative Intraceuticals, HydraFacial and NuFace Microcurrent treatments, and rejuvenate in the lounge by the fireplace or on the rooftop terrace.

7. Hotel Milo

Just a block from the beach near Stearns Wharf and a short walk from Santa Barbara's bars and restaurants is one of the city's most vibrant waterfront hotels, a complex of six hacienda-style buildings. This ocean-view retreat is suitable for travelers who plan to spend time on the sand and breezy drinks on State Street. The hotel with colorful rooms is surrounded by lush greenery and sets the scene with two pools with changing cabanas and an on-site hot tub. A continental breakfast is included and there is a daily wine tasting in the evenings. There is an on-site market offering interesting gifts, homemade snacks and wines from local wineries. Milo amenities include a fitness center, bocce court and complimentary Priority Bike beach cruisers that can be used to arrive at the Funk Zone and stroll through the tasting rooms and galleries or ride to the marina to watch Pacific sunsets. The hotel has 121 rooms and suites, all of which exude a comfortable beach atmosphere, with understated design complemented by colonial-style details. When going on a trip, don't deny your pet a stroll along the beautiful beach: the hotel allows pets. Room rates are affordable, but the neighborhood can be noisy.

8. Simpson House Inn

For history buffs, choosing the best hotels in Santa Barbara should definitely end at this Victorian estate, erected in 1874. The vintage building, with its equally rarified décor and wood floors, is surrounded by lush, picturesque landscaped gardens that have been honored with the Santa Barbara Beautiful award. But the historic setting in no way interferes with modern conveniences like a coffeemaker and TV in every room. The hotel has 15 rooms, which are housed in the main manor house, carriage barn and English-style cottages in corners of the garden. They are decorated with a sense of comfortable luxury: inside, guests will find large antique beds, mirrors in massive frames, pedestal baths, gas fireplaces or oriental rugs. The bed and breakfast is five minutes from downtown, and the Arlington Theater is five blocks away. Guests can enjoy a complimentary chef's breakfast each morning on the patio or in the privacy of their room, and attend an evening reception with buffet-style hors d'oeuvres with wine. It also offers bicycle rentals, in-room spa treatments (various massage techniques and classic facials) and coffee and tea in the common area. The boutique hotel only accepts adult guests, offering them a respite from the outside world in one of Santa Barbara's top hotels.