Hotelaholic

Santa Barbara · California

El Encanto Santa Barbara

800 Alvarado Place, Santa Barbara, California, 93103

9.1 Wonderful262 guest reviews

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Check-in
Dec 3, 2026
Check-out
Dec 5, 2026
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HAPPI EXPERIENCE

The stay, in detail

  • Wellness & relaxation

    Nestled within lush gardens and a fertile hillside, El Encanto offers a serene retreat from the rhythm of city life. Terracotta rooftops peek through palms, winding pathways beckon quiet exploration, and each vantage point reveals a new horizon of sea and sky. Discover enduring California elegance: each room embraces seaside tranquility through luminous, flowing materials and regionally handcrafted pieces that mirror the peace beyond your windows. Radiant floor heating and crackling fireplaces provide warmth during cooler months, and marble bathing chambers offer luxurious relaxation.

When spring arrives, swing wide your oceanfront doors and savor salt air from your private outdoor sanctuary.

HAPPI HIGHLIGHTS

  • Beautiful, well‑maintained property and gardens

  • Exceptional, attentive staff and personalized service

  • Excellent spa, pool and relaxing amenities (steam room, fire pits)

At the hotel

Popular amenities

97 listed
  • 24-hour front desk
  • 24-hour security
  • Access to health care professionals
  • Accessible parking
  • Aerobics
  • Air conditioning
  • Allergy-free room
  • Babysitting/child services
  • Bar
  • Beauty Services
View all amenities

Pools & wellness

  • Fence around pool
  • Fitness/spa locker rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Manicure
  • Massage services
  • Outdoor pool
  • Pedicure
  • Salt-water pool
  • Sauna
  • Spa/wellness center
  • Spa/wellness center services

Dining & drinks

  • Breakfast available (surcharge)
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Breakfast takeaway containers
  • Delivered food - securely covered
  • Food delivered to guest room
  • Fruits
  • Physical distancing in dining areas
  • Restaurant
  • Sanitized tableware & silverware
  • Special diet menus - on request
  • Wine/champagne

Fitness & outdoors

  • Bike tours
  • Broadcast Live sport events
  • Cycling
  • Fitness center
  • Fitness classes
  • Garden
  • Hiking
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Personal trainer
  • Sun loungers or beach chairs
  • Sun terrace
  • Terrace
  • Yoga classes

Rooms & comfort

  • CCTV in common areas
  • Heating

Safety & cleanliness

  • Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
  • Contactless check-in/check-out
  • Dry cleaning
  • Fire extinguishers
  • First aid kit available
  • Guest room sealed after cleaning
  • Guest rooms disinfected between stays
  • Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
  • Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
  • Physical distancing rules followed
  • Process in place to check health of guests
  • Property cleaned by professional cleaning companies
  • Safety deposit box
  • Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
  • Shared stationery like menus, pens are removed
  • Smoke alarms
  • Staff adhere to local safety protocols

Getting around & access

  • Facilities for disabled guests
  • Private parking
  • Valet parking

Guest services

  • Concierge service
  • Express check-in/check-out
  • Fax/photocopying
  • Invoice provided
  • Ironing service
  • Laundry washed per local authority guidelines
  • Luggage storage
  • Meeting/banquet facilities
  • Pet basket
  • Pet bowls
  • Pets allowed
  • Private check-in/check-out
  • Tour desk
  • Walking tours

Services & essentials

  • Board games/puzzles
  • Car hire
  • Cashless payment available
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Electric vehicle charging station
  • Evening entertainment
  • Face masks for guests available
  • Family rooms
  • Free WiFi
  • Key access
  • Key card access
  • Live music/performance
  • Non-smoking throughout
  • Picnic area
  • Room service
  • Thermometers for guests provided by property

Review in focus

262 reviews
4/ 10
Location
Lucelle · solo traveller · 2026-10-29

The guest experience

9.1out of 10
262 verified reviews

Loved most

  • Beautiful, well‑maintained property and gardens
  • Exceptional, attentive staff and personalized service
  • Excellent spa, pool and relaxing amenities (steam room, fire pits)
  • Charming, comfortable rooms with thoughtful touches
  • Convenient, scenic location near Santa Barbara

Worth knowing — Perceived as overpriced / value for money concerns · Inconsistent rooms (one report of mold) for some guests · Gym refurbishment led to subpar substitute facility · Occasional slow dining service and mixed comments on food · Pool can be crowded on summer weekends

How guests scored the stay

  • Service10.0

    Consistently praised across reviews — friendly, helpful and attentive staff; multiple guests named specific employees who went above and beyond, and service is repeatedly highlighted as a standout.

  • Overall Experience9.9

    Multiple glowing, enthusiastic reviews (e.g., 'Exceptional', 'Perfection', 'One of my favorite places on earth') and repeated statements of wanting to return indicate an exceptional overall guest experience, with only minor negatives.

  • Location9.8

    Described as lovely and peaceful up in the hills yet conveniently close to State Street; the setting and gardens contribute strongly to the guest experience.

  • Amenities9.4

    Spa, pool, steam room, gardens, fire pits and on‑site leisure offerings receive high praise; gym refurbishment and a temporary substitute facility drew criticism but overall amenities are viewed as excellent.

  • Room Quality8.9

    Rooms are described as charming, luxurious (fireplace, deep tub, thoughtful amenities) though a few guests mentioned inconsistency between rooms and one mold incident, indicating mostly excellent but not flawless room quality.

  • Food and Beverage8.8

    Mixed but generally positive: many guests praised fresh, well‑prepared dishes and good service, while a few reported slow dining service and one review called the food subpar — overall solid with some inconsistencies.

  • Cleanliness8.6

    Generally described as clean and well maintained (clean rooms mentioned), though one guest reported a room that smelled of mold, so minor cleanliness inconsistencies were noted.

  • Value for Money7.4

    Several guests called the property overpriced (explicit comment: 'definitely overpriced'); despite high quality, value is perceived as below the otherwise excellent experience.

Live guest feedback

Guest reviews

Consistent

85% of 13 recent stays rated 8+

9.1262 reviews

  • Nice hotel , not worth the money

    4/10

    Lucelle · solo traveller · 2026-10-29

    “Location”

  • Guest review

    7/10

    BRIAN · couple · 2026-09-19

    “Beautiful place.”

  • Loved it!

    10/10

    Beth · couple · 2026-09-17

    “Gorgeous property. It feels very exclusive.”

  • Lovely

    9/10

    Steve · extended group · 2026-08-21

    “Thomas helped us a lot Linda, the server was excellent”

  • Exceptional birthday extravagance! One of my favorite places on earth.

    10/10

    Lisa · couple · 2026-08-17

    “Exceptional birthday extravagance! One of my favorite places on earth.”

  • Book week days if possible. Pool can be a bit crowded weekends in the summer

    10/10

    Gracieruns · Couples · 2026-08-07

    “Our 4 days could not have been more perfect. The transfer from a Belmond property seems to have been a positive move. Upgraded gardens, same warm helpful staff. Still an excellent spa experience, glad to see the same faces there. We can’t wait to return.”

  • Perfection

    10/10

    wildirishrose53 · Family · 2026-08-06

    “The hotel is well named: ours was an enchanting and luxurious two day experience, with every thoughtful amenity considered. The friendly check in staff offered us a chilled lavender/lemon cocktail or mocktail on arrival, then proceeded to show us to our beautiful room, which was ready early. A bowl of sweet ripe peaches awaited us, along with a handwritten greeting. The next morning we needed more coffee pods, which arrived within two minutes. The room was charming, complete with fireplace and a deep tub for relaxing with bath salts. We spent one day lounging by the pool, waited on by an attentive staff member. Dined that night on the terrace and enjoyed perfectly prepared halibut and salmon. Loved the oversized chess and checkers games laid out on the grounds, as well as the romantic fire pits. The steam room is available to all guests, not just those using spa services, and it's a revelation! Don't miss this experience. We came here to relax, and relax we did, enjoying the sumptuous gardens, the view, and the friendly staff. We even threw a penny in the wishing well, and wished to return again. Soon. Well done, El Encanto. Simply superb.”

  • Despite its shortcomings with the subpar food and inconsistent rooms, the staff is lovely and this feels like a special

    9/10

    Stephanie · couple · 2026-08-02

    “Helpful staff!”

  • Small luxury gateway.

    10/10

    Svetlana · family with children · 2026-07-18

    “Clean rooms, comfortable beds, nice pool, great service.”

  • Beautiful property with great amenities and amazing staff

    10/10

    Explore790806 · Couples · 2026-07-03

    “Amazing! The property is beautiful, sprawling, with modern, clean, and comfortable rooms. Hard to find a boutique hotel in this day and age that is maintained with so much love and care. The staff are amazing - friendly, helpful, kind, and resourceful. The food is great, really fresh with good service. Located conveniently in the middle of Santa Barbara and easy to get around. It’s a comfortable atmosphere to hang out and relax between the pool, lobby, patio, and fire pits. New ownership is great and renovating the property in real time. We will be back!”

  • Exceptional Stay at El Encanto

    10/10

    P1982APboh · Family · 2026-06-28

    “Our stay at El Encanto was absolutely wonderful. The property is stunning, the atmosphere is peaceful, and every detail exceeded our expectations. A special thank you to Michael Noone, who went above and beyond to take care of our family during our stay. His kindness, professionalism, and genuine hospitality made us feel truly welcomed and made our experience even more memorable. Michael’s attention to detail and dedication to guest service are what make El Encanto such a special place. We highly recommend El Encanto to anyone visiting Santa Barbara and look forward to returning in the future. Five stars all around! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”

  • Gorgeous old world retreat

    10/10

    310rajv · Couples · 2026-06-28

    “Beautiful hotel and grounds. Feels a million miles away yet only 12 minutes from State Street up in the hills. Amazing service from all staff including front desk, valet, and restaurants. Romantic and relaxing- an absolute treat. Thank you for making our anniversary so special!”

  • Tout simplement magique

    9/10

    Maxime · couple · 2026-06-20

View all guest reviews

Hotel info and reviews come from third-party sources.