Where to Stay in Santa Barbara: We Tested 4 Luxury Hotels So You Don't Have To

We have stayed at Mar Monte, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Hotel Californian, and El Encanto, and they each fit a different version of a Santa Barbara trip.

If value matters most, Mar Monte is the best value of the group, but it is also the least nice. Hotel Californian is by far the best location even if the price is high. Ritz-Carlton Bacara is a nice property, but it is in Goleta rather than Santa Barbara proper, which changes the feel of the stay. El Encanto was the nicest of all four, but the price has climbed so much that it no longer feels realistic for us.

Mar Monte works if you want the cheapest reasonable stay and do not mind giving up some polish. Bacara feels more like a separate resort trip than a Santa Barbara trip because of the Goleta location.

Hotel Californian makes the strongest case if your goal is to actually enjoy Santa Barbara itself. Despite the price, the location is hard to beat. El Encanto was the most impressive overall, but at current pricing it feels more aspirational than practical.

Bouchon has been a great meal for us, and Jeannine's Restaurant & Bakery was excellent for brunch. The Santa Barbara Zoo is also a fun stop and did not feel overly crowded, which makes it especially easy with kids.

In general, Santa Barbara works best when the pace stays light. Good meals, a little walking, and one or two easy outings are enough.

If we were optimizing for value, we would still consider Mar Monte. If we wanted the best in-town base, Hotel Californian would be the choice. If price were irrelevant, El Encanto was the nicest stay of the four.

The biggest thing we would keep in mind is that Bacara is not really a Santa Barbara location in the same way, even if the resort itself is appealing.