1. The Genevieve

1. The Genevieve

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Santa Ynez, CA

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The Genevieve

4.6 (197 reviews)
Open Open 24 hours

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Wine in the parlor
Vida K.

You step back in time when you enter this seemingly hundred-plus year old small bed and breakfast. The decor is charmingly fin de siècle, boasting a parlor where a delicious made-to-order breakfast is served in the morning and in the evening wine and charcuterie are served; this room always has a cheery fire blazing. The rooms vary in size, but all have fireplaces and are very comfortable. We love the Couture King suite that boasted a huge room with comfortable seating, a whirlpool tub surrounding by windows with electronic shades and a heated floor. The bathroom was very large with two sinks, heated floors and a enormous steam shower. Everyone who works here is so nice. Esme the manager is very friendly and always has a smile. A noteworthy plus is the wine passport where you have two free tastings at at least ten wineries!

View from our balcony
Ken B.

Stayed here on a Monday as it's quite pricey (between $500-$700) on the weekend. Had a nice room upstairs with a balcony (room 204) and a fireplace. Just under $400 total. Comes with breakfast and wine and cheese hour and a dessert hour which was more like coffee and a cookie hour but still better than nothing. Grounds are very nice and several fire pits and fireplaces to sit in front. Breakfast was good quality but half self serve half delivered. Food options were limited but it was part of the cost. We also had a card from several wine tastings if you are into that. Also part of the price of admission. An overall value during the week when under $400 but not so much when Uber that number. Rooms are a skosh dates and seem to favor the over 50 crowd tastes. Bathroom was large but the sink area was far too small for a huge space and the shower was showing considerable signs of wear. This is more like a 4.5 stars but the location is also excellent. The front desk could be a little more friendly and outgoing.

Hotel Genevieve

The best hotel ‼ beautiful and relaxing and love Santa Ynez People do friendly , beds so comfortable and it felt as if I was staying with someone's beautiful

Nice balcony
Marina A.

One of The most incredibly beautiful and immaculate hotels! As you walk in you transform into Victorian French Decor era that is absolutely magnificent! French music and chocolate candies are welcoming you with the nicest staff. The rooms are large, ours had a fireplace and a balcony, the beds are comfortable with the silky whitest sheets, fluffy towels, big bathroom, beautifully decorated. This is the place to stay if you are visiting a wine country. The bonus you get a wine passport to many local wineries and a great breakfast! Loved our stay! Will be back!

Drink from Victors
Robin S.

This is a quaint small hotel ! We spent 1 night here ! Checked in about 9pm after wine tasting. Spent some time at victors next door for drink then made our way over to Maverick bar where they had live music and good old country fun ! We had the best time. The hotel is clean and staff is very friendly. Breakfast was included ! Would definitely come back for 1 night of fun again. Thanks for a great time !!!

Beautiful, spacious rooms
Amanda K.

Literally my favorite hotel I've ever stayed at. We have been staying here for years and it has never disappointed. The moment you walk through the charming doors, you are taken to a peaceful, relaxing and elegant place and time. The details are what always blow me away here. Each room is slightly different which is super fun. Each room we've stayed in has a beautiful tub and shower. Beds are big. Music is played through the hotel, even in the rooms. There's a volume knob so you can turn up or down/ off as you please. Free breakfast, wine hour with cheese and crackers, and dessert hour (although we didn't make it to that one). Price has gone up significantly in the past few years, but we are still happy to pay for the quality and beauty you get here. If you're looking for a place to stay while visiting Santa Ynez, look no further. Thank you for such amazing memories here. I look forward to our next stay!

Mary K.

Still a five. An amazing little respite in the Santa Ynez valley. Maybe there's been a little downsizing in the extra offerings but this is still the place to stay. Comfortable, clean, luxurious, spacious and quiet rooms with many additional food and wine offerings. Free wine valley passport. And a most gracious and friendly staff! Saying what I said two years ago, this place is amazing with the best staff and we will be back again! And recommend highly to everyone!

Reception
Steve A.

This beautiful property offers spacious rooms with traditional (and posh) decor in a very convenient location. The decor incorporates fine woodwork and beautiful tile and mosaic floors into a blending of modern floorplans and colonial ambiance. Prepared to order breakfast, evening wine, and nighttime desserts are included in the room price. The staff are friendly hosts, and you feel as if they are inviting you into their home. While this imparts a bed and breakfast feel, the service level is what you would expect from a five-star resort. Many good restaurants are within easy walking distance, and dozens of wineries and tasting rooms are just a few minutes away by car.

an email i received that my wedding wire review is being disputed.

Do not get married here if Pam and Kristopher are in charge of events. They are trying to hide my reviews on other websites (see screenshot), so I anticipate the same will be done here. Pam actively tried to ruin our wedding, caused me to miss so much work to fix all the promises they backslid on and argued with us the entire time. Our tent vendor, wedding coordinator and design vendor all apologized to us and said venues are rarely this difficult and said they would not work with this venue again. They told us we could use their parlor for an after party and then changed their mind (we had to pay for the bar next door instead). They went back on a rain plan that was previously approved, suggested we scramble to rent an incredibly expensive tent and then rejected the tent company's proposal so they could not set up. They approved us moving our ceremony to the Parlor due to rain, then tried to charge us more money closer to our event and said the ceremony could be standing room only. I had to email a video of a recent wedding where they allowed someone else to use chairs. Standing room only for 87 people in an inn where we were required to rent every single room. Insane. They also took down our twinkle lights and chiffon decor that bella vista designs was setting up, which had been previously approved and when asked about it Pam shirked any responsibility. The power went out while our guests were arriving and their backup generator was broken so there were no lights or ability for people to check in. There was a ladder to the attic open in the middle of the hallway while my guests were arriving (pictured below). Overall Pam's attitude in particular was awful, she argued the entire time, couldn't keep details straight and never took responsibility even when we told her she was ruining our wedding. There are so many beautiful places to get married, don't do it here.

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2 years ago

Absolutely a most amazing place. Ginormous room and bathroom. Perfect in every way! Don't miss the evening wine tasting.

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5 years ago

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The Genevieve Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - The Genevieve

Is this hotel dog friendly? 🐶

Yes we are a pet friendly hotel, we do harge a one time fee of $75 and dogs cannot be left unnatended.

View All 2 Questions

Review Highlights - The Genevieve

My fiancé's family has been staying at this hotel for decades, back when it was still the Santa Ynez Inn.

Mentioned in 48 reviews

Read more highlights

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The Polo House and Bungalows

The Polo House and Bungalows

(148 reviews)

We came here for a long weekend and the bungalows are very nice. I highly recommend staying in the…read morebungalows. The entire staff that we meet, Venessa and Carolyn, are super friendly and welcoming. If you have an EV, make sure you ask for one of the bungalows that has an EV charger.

First, the positives: the inn itself is charming, and the front desk staff were genuinely kind and…read morehelpful throughout our stay. Unfortunately, the experience with management completely undermined that. My husband and I originally booked a Valentine's Day weekend at FriendsInn but had to cancel last minute due to COVID. We were told we'd receive a credit and were helped over the phone the next day to rebook for April. During that call, we agreed to a small price increase (under $100) to stay at the inn, and I have a voicemail confirming that conversation. Two days before our trip, I called to confirm - only to be told they'd need to call me back. That's when we learned we were not booked at the inn at all, but instead in an ADA unit at the Bungalow, at an additional $400 cost. This was the first time we were told about either the location change or the significant price increase. We were also never informed that the inn was under construction. When I spoke with the manager, he admitted (somewhat reluctantly) that our reservation had only been entered into the system three days prior. However, because we didn't have an email confirmation, he refused to acknowledge or take responsibility for the fact that they failed to properly book what was agreed to over the phone. Instead, we were offered a 10% discount, which did little to offset a 150% price increase - and were told we had effectively been "upgraded" to a more expensive room, without our consent or prior notice. The entire situation felt dismissive and evasive. Rather than owning a clear mistake, management deflected responsibility and left us paying for it. It's disappointing, because the property itself is lovely - but based on this experience, we won't be returning.

Hotel Ynez - Grounds

Hotel Ynez

(56 reviews)

Me, my partner, and our pup Enzo had the best time at Hotel Ynez. We booked it to celebrate our…read moreanniversary and left feeling so relaxed and happy. We stayed in the Garden Suite, which was a corner room with its own private outdoor space -- a soaking tub, dining patio, and fire pit. Unfortunately, the fire pit didn't work during our stay, but there are plenty of communal fire pits sprinkled throughout the beautiful central courtyard, so it wasn't a big loss. This renovated motel‑style hotel is a hidden gem, and I'm so grateful we found it. They are extremely dog‑friendly. There's a lovely grassy field with doggy bags and a trash can right outside the room, plus tons of seating areas, bocce ball, a pool with great lounge chairs, and a little shop with cute items like books, wine, home goods, and more. The lobby opens into a charming living‑room‑style space and a cozy coffee/tea room that feels like being in someone's beautifully curated home. You can really see the attention to detail -- the art, the books, the sculptures, everything feels intentional. One thing I have to highlight is the incredible oak tree that creates the most magical shade canopy during the day and a dreamy "roof" under the night sky. It's stunning and made me so happy every time I walked by. The grounds are peaceful and perfect for relaxing. I appreciated that the pool area is 18+ -- such a nice touch for a couples' getaway. It would be lovely to have a bar or restaurant on‑site, especially for the pool area, but it wasn't a problem. We grabbed what we needed from the market next door. They made our anniversary feel special, and the room itself was quiet with a very comfortable bed. The local small‑business toiletries (lotion, hand wash, shampoo, conditioner) added a luxurious touch. The AC worked well but was extremely loud when it kicked on, so keep that in mind if you're a light sleeper -- we didn't need it much thanks to the perfect weather. I also loved the great music playing throughout the property and the sweet front porches with hammocks. The perfect getaway for couples -- we'd absolutely return.

I was astonished by how beautiful the grounds are here. And the hotel is very well-run, with rooms…read morethat are pleasant, stylish and nicely maintained. The real show stoppers are the public spaces, inside and out. The more you look, the more you see....it's a real gem. Fun facts: The back of the property fronts on a residential street. There, the hotel looks like a single-family ranch home. Super cool. And the property is flanked on either side by two very small and tidy churches. In other words, the Hotel Ynez is a random mix of ingredients that come together to create something unique and special. All in all, the bang for the buck is quite good and I would definitely stay here again. For me, the following are NOT deal breakers, but good to know ahead of time: The staff is hands-off but always available. Personally, I prefer it this way. But this is not high-touch hospitality. This place is very close to lots of great restaurants and attractions that are NOT walkable. This is a true roadside motel (albeit a very high-end-one). We were here midweek and it was super quiet and peaceful. But I can easily see this place being overrun by a block of wedding guests or worse yet, a bachelorette group, and becoming an entirely different scene. We slept great, but you will hear cars whizzing by on the road. I consider this a normal part of the motel experience, but for people who don't want it, it's there. It's not loud to me, but it does create constant white noise. It's almost like staying at the ocean. Getting a room further away from the street helps. Perhaps this is related to above. Music is played over an outdoor sound system. The music was fine, and it's not loud, but it was definitely there. Pet peeve: I don't need to hear anyone's canned setlist before noon. My life does not need your soundtrack. And I'd turn down the volume a notch or two. There are no freebies here except complementary (bad) brewed coffee and tea in the morning. No free bottled water or welcome snacks. It's not a big deal, but I don't think two free half liters of Arrowhead is too much to expect. The (complementary!) toiletries are green but not at all luxurious. Kinda meh.

Chumash Casino Resort - Their rooms are great. My only issue is the pillows are terrible. Bring your own. :-) 6/10/25

Chumash Casino Resort

(1k reviews)

$$

Stayed for a night. The elevator in the parking garage didn't work. Arrived at when check in was…read more"supposed" to be at 4pm. However, the room was not ready and when asked we were told they couldn't give a time and that they'd call. They were able to take our bags while we walked around. I had to ask, it wasn't volunteered. When I overheard another customer complain that their room was not ready, they were told that check in times are not guaranteed. Anyway, back to the room. We checked back at 5:45pm and they said it was ready. No call or notification. The room was nice enough with a great view of the top of the parking structure. Also, welcoming was a sign listing the prices if you used or took anything in the room--right down to the pen and paper. The casino was smoke filled, but to be expected I suppose. There was a smallish non-smoking room in on the side. Beneficial info that would have been good to know: there are EV parking spots. Not to say there isn't any signage saying do, I just didn't notice any. If you are a hotel guest, valet is complimentary. The sign for that is in the lobby. To be seen after you've parked your car. The sports bar was probably the best feature of the casino. Customer service not so great.

My boyfriend and I frequent Chumash fairly often. The main reason being the customer service. There…read moreare a few people whose names I remember and I apologize to those that I don't at the moment. At the front desk Omar and Richie are wonderful!! We were there a few weeks ago hoping to go to pool early. When we got there the pool was closed for maintenance. I was definitely upset about it but it happens. Although, about 10 minutes after we got to our room, Richie called personally to let us know the pool was reopening because he realized how sad I was about it being closed. All I can say is he absolutely made my day brighter!!! Thank you!! Everyone at the front desk has always been more than kind!! In the sports bar Rosemary and Zachary are always wonderful!! They come by to say hello even if we aren't at their table. And Stephanie seems to always remember us and even knows what tables we enjoy. Although, again; everyone is always very kind. At the pool, Liz and Rachel are who we most often encounter and they are always so sweet. As are the others that work there. All I can really say is the main reason we come back as often as we can is because of the people that work there. You have an amazing staff and I am always grateful for all of them.

Ballard Inn - Happy hour charcuterie and wine

Ballard Inn

(169 reviews)

$$$

We were genuinely so disappointed with the inexcusable neglect of our room. The public areas are…read morerenovated and inviting, but that's where the hospitality ended. A unusable shower due to mold, rusted out shower head and faucet, rusted drains and broken tiles. Ive never seen a hotel bathroom this bad, and this room was about $700. per night in what is advertised as a 4 star hotel. Wrong! There was an open hole above the bed that exposed whatever is above the ceiling. Creepy and gross. Window blinds were broken and the room wasn't clean. This is the first time I've ever written a bad review but really think people deserve to know what they are paying for. I do not recommend staying here!

*ATTENTION YELPERS* if you've made reservations to this place, please cancel it. It is NOT worth…read morethe 400, 800 dollars ur paying. Especially if you're coming here expecting the old Ballard Inn. This is not the same Ballard Inn of yore. EVERYTHING has changed! -first of all they used to welcome you with a whole spread of charcuterie board with both meats and cheeses. And a whole line up of many different wines. Now, they only have one small plate of a few cheeses and fruits and a couple of wines that are not even checked on frequently to replace. Also, the welcome champagne is only given to you if you specifically ask for it. -instead of the usual chocolate chip cookie that's placed on your bed to welcome you. It is now just in a jar in the lobby. -They used to turn down the bed for you when you got back to your room at night. The only thing turned down now is their neglectful hospitality. -and don't get me started on the breakfast. It used to be that you would get a menu with a whole bunch of items on it, and you can order as many items as you want and it's all included. Now all you get is a small selection of continental items. And they give you one hot item which is the same for everyone, and it was a very mediocre breakfast sandwich. I am appalled that a place that charges SO much treats you this way. What are you paying for? Just the ambiance and to sleep there? They killed 3/4ths of the Ballard experience. But wait, there's more. Their fine dining restaurant isn't there anymore, and you have to have dinner elsewhere. I am so glad I paid the weekly deal and didn't pay the obscene amount of money they charge for the holidays. This was so not worth the money I paid. I miss the old Ballard Inn! If anyone knows of a similar place to the old one please shoot me a message with the name. Thank you!

The Genevieve - hotels - Updated July 2026

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