Stay at Hotel Californian in Santa Barbara, featuring Moroccan-style rooms, a spa, and nearby attractions like Stearns Wharf and Old Mission Santa Barbara.
Guests highlight the hotel’s excellent location near beach, dining, and cultural attractions, alongside standout service and elegant, well-designed rooms offering a mix of luxury and Moroccan-inspired style.
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Rooms, shared spaces, dining and exterior — grouped so you can skim quickly.
Located at 36 State Street in Santa Barbara, Hotel Californian offers a blend of Moroccan-inspired design and coastal elegance. This high-end hotel features rooms that range from cozy to spacious, with some accommodations boasting ocean views. Guests appreciate the stylish architecture and thoughtfully curated interiors, though room sizes vary, as noted by some feedback.
The property includes a posh spa for relaxation and wellness, adding a quiet retreat within the urban setting. On-site amenities also include Djinn, a cocktail bar praised for its atmosphere, and a Tesla Destination Charger, catering to guests with electric vehicles. The hotel welcomes a diverse crowd and is recognized as LGBTQ+ friendly, contributing to an inclusive and welcoming environment.
Its prime location places visitors within easy walking distance of Santa Barbara’s beaches, Stearns Wharf, and the vibrant Funk Zone, known for its restaurants, tasting rooms, and shops. Nearby attractions such as the Old Mission Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Zoo offer cultural and family activities, enhancing the area’s appeal. The hotel’s proximity to Santa Barbara Airport also benefits travelers seeking convenient access.
Guest reviews highlight attentive service and the helpfulness of staff, particularly the reservations team, contributing to memorable stays. While most guests commend the hotel’s ambiance and location, some have noted variability in room comfort and size. Overall, the hotel suits visitors looking for a combination of stylish lodging, local culture, and easy access to popular Santa Barbara destinations.
The short version: what's available day-to-day, and the key practical details most travelers search for.
Reviews from travelers who stayed here in the last 12 months, grouped to help you spot the pattern quickly.
Incredible stay here! Absolutely perfect location. Service was extraordinary! Would order room service and would receive a call about 30 mins later to see if everything met our expectations and if we needed anything. Beautiful building and immaculate rooms. Highly recommend. We stayed three nights and this was a highlight! You won't regret your stay here.
Hotel Californian is in convenient location, making it a place to park and walk to lots of great places, the pier, beach, restaurants (so many to chose from) shopping, harbor and more. Second stay here, first time we had a great room, this time we were in a very small room and it was cramped. Will not stay in that small of a size room again...plus our a/c went out and it was very uncomfortable. It did finally get fixed so we could sleep that night. All employees were very friendly and helpful.
This was our third stay at Hotel Californian. The property is beautiful, and location is excellent on State street, right by the beach and pier. Above all, the service, especially during our recent stay was memorable. Special thanks to reservations manager, Amy Maguire. We had a family emergency that threatened our arrival date and Amy was so helpful in working with us, providing flexibility so that we were able to make our visit. Amy also assisted us with an issue with Expedia as we had accidently made the reservation through them and then canceled it due to the emergency (a word of caution: Expedia can come off as the hotel directly). Amy is not only professional, she is caring and totally customer focused. Hotel Californian is SO lucky to have her! Thank you, Amy. We look forward to seeing you and the whole service team at Hotel Californian soon!
In the world, US hotels typically fall short, including some of the high ends. SB hotels are overpriced and not great. Not so for the Californian. Service was top notch - from the valets, to the front desk, to housekeeping. Brian , Danny, Cooper - really great valets. They brightened our stay. The rooms were gorgeous and comfortable. And pet-friendly! Small touches like motion sensing lighting in the corridors, beautiful bathrooms with soft but clear lighting, hair-catching drains, clean shower construction.
Hotel Californian is a beautiful blend of coastal elegance and modern luxury. The location is unbeatable—steps from the beach and surrounded by great dining and shopping. The design is sophisticated yet relaxed, and the service was attentive and welcoming throughout our stay. From the rooms to the common spaces, everything feels thoughtfully curated. A wonderful place to unwind and enjoy Santa Barbara.
I spent two night at the Hotel Californian on my own and could not have had a better stay. The property is gorgeous and feels like quintessential Santa Barbara! The hotel is one block from the beach and in the heart of the Funk Zone steps away from tons of great restaurants, coffee shops and bars. The team was very welcoming and made me feel very comfortable (especially important when traveling on your own). The room was extremely spacious and updated. When I arrived, I headed straight to The Society: State and Mason for one wine tasting and light bites. The team was so friendly and make me feel so comfortable. The wine were excellent! The following day, I had an amazing massage at the Majorelle Spa. The masseuse nailed the technique. The spa is small but has all the essentials you need — a sitting/relaxation area, steam room, hot team and light snacks. Overall I had a lovely stay and would absolutely come back! Highly recommend!
Beautiful design and architecture as well as accommodating staff. Fantastic location to pier and funk zone as well as State street shopping. You must spend time on the roof pool and lounge area- best view of all Santa Barbara and harbor. Absolutely wonderful place!!
Location is great, has views from the rooftop of one of the buildings to the pier which is nice during christmas time. They also have a shuttle to bring you closer to downtown if you want to venture up state street. I proposed to my GF in Santa Barbara and the staff was very accommodating and helpful. The location in the "funk zone" is close to a few tasting rooms and breweries along with plenty of restaurants nearby. Would definitely recommend.
Global dining hub with the Santa Barbara Farmers Market & technology displays at the MOXI museum.
Curated spots travelers usually pair with a stay in California. Distances are rough real-world times, not straight-line.
5,277 reviews 2201 Laguna St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, United States
10,139 reviews 217 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States
6,782 reviews 500 Ninos Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, United States
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