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| El Encanto Hotel and Garden Villas |
El Encanto Hotel and Garden Villas in Santa Barbara, California |
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El Encanto Hotel and Garden Villas
1900 Lasuen Rd
Santa Barbara, California 93103
Call Expedia at: 1-800-551-2409 |
| This historic hotel overlooks the Pacific Ocean from Santa Barbara's Riviera district, an exclusive residential area. Winding paths lead to Craftsman- or Spanish Revival-style cottages with fireplaces, hardwood floors, patios and balconies. A solar-heated swimming pool is offered onsite. Golf, hiking, horseback riding, and wineries are nearby.
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Amenities | Recreation | Features | Reviews
El Encanto Hotel and Garden Villas Amenities
Located within three miles of Stearns Wharf, El Paseo shopping, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, this Mediterranean-inspired hotel offers 10 acres of lush gardens, a lily pond, and a wishing well. Recreation options include an outdoor splash pool. Guests also receive discounted access to a health club three miles away. Popular with locals, the hotel's lobby lounge serves appetizers, martinis, and regional wines with a backdrop of live piano music and sweeping ocean views. El Encanto restaurant specializes in California and Continental cuisine for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday champagne brunch. The hotel offers four salons and outdoor garden spaces for meetings and events; catering services and audiovisual equipment are available. Valet parking is complimentary.
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Recreation
The concierge provides complimentary maps for self-guided tours through the hotel's 10 acres of gardens. Wide-leafed banana trees separate an outdoor splash pool from the guest bungalows. Guests receive discounted access to a health club three miles away that offers exercise classes, yoga, Pilates, lap swimming, squash, free weights, and cardio equipment. Nearby 18-hole golf courses include the Santa Barbara Golf Course (2.5 miles away) and the Sandpiper Golf Course (11.5 miles). The 40-mile Santa Ynez Vineyards Trail begins five miles from the city, and the hotel provides complimentary winery-tour maps. The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or near the hotel; fees may apply.
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Features
What to expect: Built in 1912 in Santa Barbara's Riviera residential district, the hotel attracts couples and leisure travelers with its lush gardens and ocean views. A small lobby and fireside sitting room provide upholstered chairs and loveseats; historic polo trophies and original paintings of 1930s and 1940s celebrity guests are displayed around the hearth.
Amenity highlights: Vine-draped walkways wind through gardens to the hotel's lily pond, wishing well, and outdoor splash pool patio. Self-guided nature-walk and wine-country tour maps are complimentary. The hotel's lobby lounge offers regional wines, martinis, and signature spicy pecans. Picture windows provide sweeping city and ocean views.
Insider tip: Three miles from the hotel, Santa Barbara's Sunday Arts and Crafts Show stretches from Stearns Wharf along Cabrillo Boulevard. Established in 1965 by local artists, the sidewalk fair features 250 artists selling paintings, photography, ceramics, crafts, and other artwork every week.
El Encanto Restaurant - Fine-dining restaurant warmly lit by small lamps on tables covered with white tablecloths. Picture windows provide sweeping views of city, mountains, and ocean. Seasonal California and Continental menu includes artistically prepared soups and salads, caviar and blinis, poultry, steak, and seafood. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday champagne brunch. Lobby Lounge - Romantically lit, dark-wood bar has low tables and upholstered loveseats and chairs. Outdoor cigar patio has wrought-iron tables, cushioned chairs, and city, mountain, and ocean views. Serving regional wines, single-malt scotches, martinis, and appetizers. Weekday happy-hour specials and live jazz piano on weekend nights. Open from mid-afternoon until late evening.
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El Encanto Hotel and Garden Villas Reviews
| Traveler Ratings Summary for El Encanto Hotel and Garden Villas
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Overall: 4.13 |
Service
4.38 |
Condition
4.13 |
Cleanliness
4.25 |
Comfort
4.13 |
Recommend
100 % |
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| nice hotel |
Overall: 3 |
Service
4 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
3 |
Recommend
Yes |
| We stayed at this hotel for our honeymoon. The staff were very friendly and the hotel has free parking with valet service. The hotel staff were very friendly. The condition of the room itself was good. The furniture was a little uncomfortable and the internet access did not work. We mentioned this to the hotel front desk a number of times and they said they would look into it, but never got back to us. The view of Santa Barbara and the quietness of the surroundings made the hotel a very romantic place. The downside was the price. The hotel is currently undergoing some renovations so maybe the rooms will be more comfortable in the future.
Reviewed by traveler from long beach california on May 31, 2006 |
| Quiet and beautiful surroundings |
Overall: 5 |
Service
5 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| The hotel grounds are beautiful and peaceful. My only complaint is that the room looked nothing like the pictures they showed on the website.
Reviewed by traveler from Van Nuys, CA on May 24, 2006 |
| would go again but try a garden room |
Overall: 3 |
Service
4 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
3 |
Recommend
Yes |
| We had a hillside suite room and the furniture in the living room was VERY uncomfortable. The queen size bed was very comfortable, however, we had requested a king, but upon arrival we were given the queen.
Reviewed by traveler from Ventura County, CA on May 10, 2006 |
| Great Setting |
Overall: 4 |
Service
5 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| It is a beautiful old style California hotel located in a lush garden setting. It was peaceful and very relaxing. Get a room with a fireplace. We loved room 318. I would got out to eat. The restaurant falls a little short in the food department.
Reviewed by traveler from San Diego on May 10, 2006 |
| El Encanto |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
3 |
Cleanliness
4 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| The hotel was great. In it's current condition, it is along the lines of a 3 out of 5 star hotel. However, the grounds are beautiful and more than make up for the condition of the room. I found myself outside of the room nearly the whole time. Didn't try out the pool, but it looked ok. A bit far from State Street, but the views are well worth it. In short, for the money, this is where I would stay if I go back.
Reviewed by traveler from Nashville, TN on April 26, 2006 |
| The way it used to be |
Overall: 4 |
Service
4 |
Condition
4 |
Cleanliness
3 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| I felt as if I stepped back in time. They have perfectly restored this hotel to feel the same way it must have been back in the early 1900's. The architecture and ambiance is impecable. The front desk staff and housekeeping was perfect. Room service was delicious but forgot the little things like creamer, butter for the bread and milk for granola. Especially for the dollar amountthey should not have skipped a beat, but they skipped a few. Either way the staff was very nice and professional. There was a very homey and rustic feeling up in the beautiful lush green hills of Santa Barbara. We will definately return again someday.
Reviewed by traveler from Temecula. CA on April 18, 2006 |
| Style rest and relaxation |
Overall: 5 |
Service
5 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| A great place to stay! From fantastic views and grounds to the fireplace in your room. We plan on going back every year.
Reviewed by traveler from Corona, Ca. on December 10, 2005 |
| Beautiful hotel and grounds |
Overall: 5 |
Service
4 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
4 |
Recommend
Yes |
| I thought this was a wonderful hotel with one exception - the mattress was too soft. Otherwise, the rooms were nice and the views and grounds lovely. I enjoyed the fireplace. I would return.
Reviewed by traveler from Seattle, WA on October 19, 2005 |
| Can't recommend it enough |
Overall: 5 |
Service
5 |
Condition
5 |
Cleanliness
5 |
Comfort
5 |
Recommend
Yes |
| We loved the mission style charm of the El Encanto. It was very private. the rooms were spacious, charming and comfortable. The staff was exceptional. Room service food left a little to be desired but the restaurant was pretty good. The views from the hotel are wonderful. the reflection pond is a must see. We are looking forward to our next stay there.
Reviewed by traveler from Kansas on August 10, 2005 |
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