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    Hotel Californian

    3.6 (247 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Evaporative cooler left in our first room because the A/C didn't work
    Danville B.

    Hotel Californian is billed as a 5 star hotel but this has to be the lowest 5 star hotel we have ever stayed at. We've stayed at Fairmonts, Ritz-Carltons, Corinthia, Rosewood, and other luxury hotels throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe. This hotel did not compare. We booked two consecutive one-night reservations. Before arrival, the hotel texted my husband asking if we had any requests. He asked if we could stay in the same room both nights, and they assured us we were "locked in" to the same room. At check-in, another couple told the front desk they had to leave their room because the A/C wasn't working and were being moved. A strange coincidence...or so we thought. The front desk also told us we had two $100 resort credits, one for each reservation, which was a pleasant surprise. Our room was in the building across the street. The moment we opened the door, we found a large industrial evaporative cooler sitting in the middle of the room. When my husband called the front desk, the same employee who had checked us in admitted the A/C had been broken but said maintenance had forgotten to remove the cooler after fixing it. Except...the A/C still wasn't fixed. The room was hot, humid, and nowhere near the 65° on the thermostat. Maintenance eventually confirmed it couldn't be repaired. I asked if this was a hotel-wide issue and he replied, "Just this room." It quickly became obvious we had been assigned the exact room the previous guests had just rejected because of the broken A/C. Rather than taking it out of service, the hotel simply checked us into it next. That was incredibly disappointing. We were moved to a larger room in the main building after dinner. The A/C worked perfectly, but the "upgraded" ocean-view room wasn't much of an upgrade. The view was mostly the rooftop of a neighboring commercial building with a small glimpse of the ocean in the distance. After seeing it, I understand why the hotel doesn't show photos of these views on its website. The next morning we were told we would have to move yet again because someone had booked this room, despite being told the night before they would do their best to keep us there. After another conversation with the front desk, management eventually allowed us to stay put, but it was another unnecessary interruption during a short two-night stay. Housekeeping was inconsistent. Our room was booked for four guests but initially had only one washcloth and two bath towels. My husband had to track down housekeeping himself for additional towels, and the second room again only came with two towels for four people. At checkout we learned the second $100 resort credit didn't exist after all. We had specifically confirmed at check-in that we would receive one for each reservation. The front desk acknowledged the employee had made a mistake but initially refused to honor it. After discussing it further, they agreed to cover approximately $50 in drinks my husband had ordered because we were told we had a resort credit. Pros: Beautiful rooms, exceptionally comfortable beds and pillows, and every employee we interacted with was friendly. Cons: We were knowingly assigned a room with broken A/C that another guest had already rejected. Too much of our vacation was spent dealing with the front desk. The advertised ocean-view upgrade was underwhelming. Housekeeping repeatedly failed to stock enough towels for the number of guests. Bathroom fixtures showed noticeable rust and wear, which felt out of place in a luxury hotel. The hotel also charges a $312 incidental hold *per night* and mistakenly authorized one of the nightly holds on both of my credit cards for Sat, plus one for Fri, resulting in three holds for a two night stay, tying up nearly $1,000 on my credit cards. For comparison, Rosewood only held $100 per night. Had we simply received the room we originally booked, I think this could have been a different review. Instead, we spent over $2,500 for two nights and had what was, unfortunately, the worst "5-star" hotel experience we've ever had.

    Kiyo R.

    Such a cute spot and within walking distance to the train station. We took a quick, last minute family trip from Los Angeles. This hotel is central to everything DTSB, where we had no issues finding something to do for our kiddos, food, and even a few locations to enjoy some wine. The hotel was aesthetically pleasing, clean, and everything we needed for a quick weekend trip. We'll be back!

    Humberto E.

    The hotel itself was nice and luxurious. The service from the staff was exceptional and extremely professional, from the cleaning crews to the lobby staff. Other than that, I don't think I got my money's worth. I paid nearly 2k a night. For the amount, I would expect better amenities and free parking. Parking is $60 a night, and it seems like there is no unlimited in-and-outs unless you get the valet. The hotel could do better with the price they charge per night.

    Holly C.

    I was blown away by the stunning rooms at Hotel California, no detail was missed and I stay at a lot of higher, end hotels, and they knocked it out of the park. The decor was trendy, but elegant. The room and bathrooms were extremely roomy. Hotel California has their high end restaurant called The Black Bird GREAT dining experience the wine bar had wine flights like you've never had before and yes the sports bar was top notch on Sunday. The pictures do not do this hotel justice the location is premium. they made my birthday weekend extremely special. This is the perfect place to celebrate. Thank you, Gabriel for going above and beyond. HOLLY

    Fenny C.

    Added some more photos that didn't get uploaded in yelp. Here you go. We enjoyed this beautiful place.

    This hotel is nicely situated within walking distance from the beach and we had an amazing stay. Staff was friendly and welcoming and the room was comfortable with tasteful decor. We were sad that the weather wasn't nice enough to enjoy the rooftop pool but we had a great breakfast at Goat Tree which is owned by the hotel owner. Highly recommend The Society winebar which is also one of their properties. We learned so much about wine and the history of the hotel from Justin. Cannot wait to return here for a fun summer getaway!

    Bathroom
    Clayton B.

    - So for all the men out there here is a weekend getaway Idea for y'all - Take the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from where ever you live Irvine, LA, Oxnard, MoorePark, San Diego, Etc get two business class seats for you and your honey bring a book and some entertainment on the way there - Way better then driving there on the 101 & the 405 This hotel is a 3 min walk from the Train Station and it is amazing how close everything is to this hotel and once we got in we had a great dinner at Santo Mezcal also a 2 min walk from the hotel. The hotel itself is incredible with the amazing tile work in the Lobby and even In The bathrooms. The theme of the hotel is very Modern Moroccan with accents of gold and luxury. It really sets the mood for a romantic getaway and the character of the hotel is amazing with its position within down town Santa Barbara. The rooftop pool and spa are also incredible because the views are spectacular, and when we went we felt like we had the place to our selves. All in all super cool experience lots of wine tasting and restaurants in the hotel and around the hotel and the pier is a 3 min walk. You really don't need a car to get around just get on the train get here then relax. Service was really great the front desk was awesome and made it easy to check in. Also you can grab the bikes and bike anywhere you want in the city which is super nice. Make sure to use the amenities when your there you pay for them ! lol Also Greta bike rides up the warf and next to the beach it's amazing. Everyone made everything super easy to stay there and have a great relaxing time with the wife. Plus you can get a little pre train ride wine for the ride home on the Amtrak.

    Shower
    Annie K.

    Loved our one night stay the day before July 4th. Expensive up price for the busy weekend but booking with amex we were able to check in a little past noon and also got a complimentary room upgrade. The room and building feels lux and they have a nice bar, wine tasting room, brunch, and dinner restaurant as well as food and drinks available at the pool. I thought the bed was comfortable and liked the shampoo and conditioner and body lotion brand provided. They also r stocked with alcohol! Overall enjoyed our stay and hope to be back again next year.

    Pool area

    I've stayed here twice. Make sure you book a room in the same building where the pool is. The hotel's location is very convenient. We had great time walking around the town, shopping, trying local restaurants. I believe blackbird was closed during our staycation but luckily we discovered so many other places to eat.

    Hotel room, best room.

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    The rooms are not clear if they are 5 star hotel clean. I am disappointed and not happy due to spending that much money on the rooms.

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    Ask the Community - Hotel Californian

    I see the hotel is temporarily closed but may open up in February? Was looking to reserve a stay for mid February, would that still be possible to reserve

    Hello Frances C., We would be happy to welcome you to Hotel Californian in February. At this… 

    I see the hotel is temporarily closed. Is there someone I could still contact now to discuss a future event I'd like to plan at the venue?

    Hello Alli, We would be happy to discuss a future event with you. Please contact us at… 

    Is the 4 $$$$ rating worth the accommodations?

    Hello Nina, Thank you for your interest in Hotel Californian. We pride ourselves in delivering… 

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Hotel Californian

    We first headed to Goat Tree for a bite to eat and we were surprised at the quality of pastries that were showcased.

    Mentioned in 15 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Hotel Californian - hotels - Updated September 2026

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