BELMOND EL ENCANTO

About

4.5

Excellent

1,260 reviews

Location

Cleanliness

Service

Value

Certificate of Excellence

Belmond El Encanto, a Forbes Five-Star luxury hotel, has been meticulously restored to capture all the romance and glamour that endeared it to both the local Santa Barbara community and visitors alike. As part of Belmond, this is the company's first excursion to the American west coast. Ninety-two quintessential, California-styled suites and bungalows dot the lush, terraced grounds featuring seven-acres of gloriously landscaped gardens with sweeping views of Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean. Original architectural features have been lovingly restored, including the historic, trellis-lined Arbor and Lily Pond. Modern additions to the expansive outdoor zero-edge pool and a new beautifully appointed boutique spa enhance the journey for today's luxury-seeking guest.

Full view

Property amenities

Parking

Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)

Pool

Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room

Bar / lounge

Babysitting

Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )

Free shuttle or taxi services

Free internet

Wifi

Public wifi

Internet

Outdoor pool

Heated pool

Restaurant

Breakfast available

Shuttle bus service

Business Centre with Internet Access

Conference facilities

Banquet room

Meeting rooms

Spa

Concierge

Non-smoking hotel

Dry cleaning

Laundry service

Room features

Ocean view

Non-smoking rooms

Suites

Air conditioning

Housekeeping

Private balcony

Minibar

Flatscreen TV

Room service

Safe

Good to know

HOTEL CLASS

HOTEL STYLE

Great View

Residential Neighbourhood

Hotel links

Visit hotel website

Hotel deals

Location

Full view

Contact

800 Alvarado Place, Santa Barbara, CA 93103-2176

00 1 805-845-5800

Getting there

Santa Barbara Airport13 kmSee all flights

Car HireSee all Santa Barbara car hire

See all nearby hotels

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Nearby attractions

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2,901 reviews

1.7 kmGovernment Buildings

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2.9 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks

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1,260Reviews9Q+A100Room tips

So Many Annoyances

Our room was great - more traditional than modern style but it works here and was immaculate and spacious, good closet layout... We started off happy. After dinner out on our first night we came back to have a cocktail on the terrace looking out over the lights (not as great in person as in the photos, but it's what they have). Nope. The tables on the front part of the terrace are held for dinner guests, even though it was approaching 10pm and many tables were empty. We found a seat further back without any view and tryied to enjoy the live musician on the patio but clashing piped in music was playing from inside so it all just sounded like noise we couldn't wait to run away from. Day 2 we tried to sit by the pool in the late afternoon and there were no seats available. There's a bare unfurnished and unserviced sloped lawn outside the tiny fenced pool area where I found a lone chair for us to sit outside, but how can a luxury hotel have nowhere to offer its guests to sit outside in the late afternoon in sunny Southern California? Seats on the main restaurant terrace were reserved for afternoon tea service. So you can come from outside and pay like $50 for a seat with a view and tea or $1000 for the night and go sit in your room, which has no view by the way. There was another fiasco the next day at the far-from-special pool when we lucked out and someone got up so we ran to take over their seats filled with dirty towels that the attendant saw and said he'd be right back for. 20 minutes later he finally cleared the towels but ran off before my starving husband could order something to eat. More time went by, frustration followed, and the details don't really matter but our time in Santa Barbara, where we chose to stay at what we thought was a gracious luxury hotel, was a bit of a joke and real disappointment. Every time you open your device the hotel sends a survey asking how they're doing. I responded with details about all these incidents. Eventually, someone called me and gave me a long speech about their historic property and that they hope to add chairs on the lawn, but nothing was offered to make our botched stay more positive, not a glass of wine, not a seat with a view... We would never go back to be treated that way again even if we were paying half price.…

Date of stay: September 2019

Rooms

Cleanliness

Service

Belmond El Encanto is BACK!

We live in Santa Barbara so we've seen the highs and lows of the property going back a long, long time. Several years ago, Santa Barbarans gave up on the El Encanto. What was once one of our favorite spots for dining and a staycation just could not seem to get it together. Locals would joke that we'd love to go there for lunch, but couldn't afford to be away from work for the four hours it would take. We've avoided El Encanto for several years but decided to give a go twice in the last month. WOW! How it's changed. El Encanto hired a man named Todd that totally turned the volume up on service. He upped the client experience by keeping the best servers, creating systems that work and instilling a sense of pride in the staff. We were served by a young man named Peter (among others) who knocked it out of the park. Honestly I cannot express how much better our experience was here than previous. If you're a local that had given up, try the El Encanto again soon! If you're coming to Santa Barbara to visit, you're in for a treat.…

Date of stay: October 2019

Value

Service

SIMPLY THE BEST

There is just no other place to stay in Santa Barbara. The staff is incredible. Every request, no matter how trivial, was met with a yes we can smile and satisfied beyond expectations.The views of the City and the ocean are amazing . The food and restaurant service are also top drawer! …

Review collected in partnership with this hotel

Date of stay: September 2019

Value

Rooms

Location

Cleanliness

Service

Sleep Quality

Trip type: Travelled with friends

Dear Aaron, Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! We are so delighted to hear how much you enjoyed your stay with us here at the beautiful Belmond El Encanto. We are especially proud that you have taken time to recognize the staff. Our team truly enjoys making sure our guests our well taken care of during their visit. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon! Belmond El Encanto Team

Overall this was a lovely hotel in a good, quiet location. Staff in the restaurant were friendly and attentive, especially Hugo, who we enjoyed chatting with in a morning and also Mario. We had breakfast in the restaurant each day and dined here one evening and food was of a high quality. Great views from the restaurant terrace. Front of house staff varied in their welcome or acknowledgment of you at times. There were just two negatives for me, firstly there were 2 different weddings taking place in the 3 days we were there. One was small and quiet but the other was a lot bigger and wedding guests seemed to take over the hotel and restaurant, so it was quite noisy at times. I don't wish to be a killjoy - it wasn't rowdy, but it does change the calm atmosphere of a place quite significantly. I was glad we were eating out on our last 2 nights. My other negative was the hidden resort charge of $40 per day which was added on to our bill at the end. Apparently it was for facilities in the resort such as the pool and fitness room. Well, we were travelling through California for 18 days and staying at several hotels with the same facilities and there were no hidden resort charges at any of the others so it left a bit of negative feel on check out.…

Date of stay: September 2019

Cleanliness

Service

Sleep Quality

Terrible experience

I use to love this hotel. I stay here every time I come to Santa Barbara, this time It was a terrible experience. The service was terrible, so bad that we waited for a bellman for 25 min and they still never came - we carried our stuff down ourselves with a baby and another child.The food was terrible, the steak was butchered so terribly that you could not bite through the veins. It was a very sad experience. …

Review collected in partnership with this hotel

Date of stay: September 2019

Value

Rooms

Location

Cleanliness

Service

Sleep Quality

Trip type: Travelled with family

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I am visiting the weekend of Dec 9th for my wife's birthday/baby-moon. What are the top restaurants in the area to look into for a special dinner?

The hotel restaurant was very nice and great atmosphere. We had two average dinners in downtown Santa Barbara so I would check with the concierge. I think you might have better luck in Montecito. The Four Seasons is very good.

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My husband and I and our daughters are considering your beautiful hotel for a stay in April 2017. I was wondering if you have any senior rates or promotions as we will need two rooms. Thank you.

Good Day GlindaGoodwitch33, Please contact me personally in our Executive Office at 805 770 3701 and we can discuss your needs as we always have different deals and value added opportunities for our guest to take advantage of. I look forward to your email. Cheers, Shaun O'Bryan Resort Manager

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After reviewing the comments from past guests I am quite concerned as to the accommodations and service that my daughter, her new husband and all of their quests will receive at their upcoming nuptials all to be held at the El Encanto. I have been in the service industry for the past 40 years and I do understand that circumstances do arise that will alter pre-conceived expectations. However there does appear to be a pattern. All of our arrangements are in place so I will only pray for the best and trust in the management of El Encanto. Given that, the power of social media is quite the equalizer.

Good afternoon tdamico1, Rest assured we have had numerous events/wedding at Belmond El Encanto that have been flawless with execution and trust yours will be as well. Please contact me directly at 805.845.5800 so that we may discuss your event in detail. Very best! Stella Ahn Executive Assistant Manager

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Just recently returned from a most fantastic trip to Italy and stayed at 2 other Belmond properties in Florence and the Amalfi Coast. Both were top notch spectacular!! We were so impressed with the Belmond style of hospitality that we are seeking out other similar hotels in No. America. We are considering a trip to El Encanto in February, 2016. Can anyone offer input on how the Santa Barbara property compares to the Italy properties? Also, is the weather typically warm enough in SB to swim in the pool or ocean in February? Thank you.

Dear LisanneMB, Delighted you enjoyed our properties in Italy, there is nothing like luxuriating poolside at Hotel Caruso unless you are at Belmond El Encanto. Our pool is a zero-edge pool that is saline based and free of chlorine and heated so anytime of year is a grand time to enjoy the pool and Santa Barbara weather. February can have some rain though, this year we are in a drought so not much rain but we may next year. If there is no rain we typically have 70 degree (Farenheit) weather and sunny skies. While the Italian properties are rich with European history and architectural culture, Santa Barbara is rich with Spanish colonial influences with Mission style buildings featuring white stucco walls and red tiled roofs as well as an homage to early California architecture of the Craftsman style bungalows. All of our units are bungalows that are in the style of a duplex or triplex building and residential in style and feel. Charming and quaint atop the hillside of the American Riviera yet close enough to downtown should adventure spur a desire for some nightlife or perhaps a daytrip to wine country or excitement with watersports like kayaking, paddleboarding or jet skiing. Please feel free to contact me directly if I may be of further assistance. Very best, Stella Ahn Executive Assistant Manager 805.845.5800

Is there beach access from the hotel? If not how far would we need to travel and how? Thank you.

Good evening Carol, The beach is about 5 miles away from the property and you have a few options to make it down to the surf and sand. Option 1: Rent our electric bicycles to get down and use the motor to get back to property. Option 2: Book the guest courtesy vehicle which can drop you off at Leadbetter or East Beach and then call to have them pick you back up. Option 3: If you are driving we can provide directions. Hope this helps and please feel free to contact our concierge department at 805.845.5800. Best wishes, Stella Ahn Executive Assistant Manager

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