Top Historic Downtown Santa Barbara Hotels

A coastal town with red-tiled roofs, palm trees, and mountains in the background.

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Compare popular hotels in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara

Property	Property class	Guest rating
Hotel Santa Barbara	4.0 star property	9.4 Exceptional 1,461 reviews	View
The Upham Hotel	4.0 star property	9.2 Wonderful 1,006 reviews	View
Haley Hotel	3.5 star property	8.8 Excellent 676 reviews	View
Hotel Virginia Santa Barbara, Tapestry Collection by Hilton	4.0 star property	8.6 Excellent 1,001 reviews	View
Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels	3.5 star property	8.4 Very Good 475 reviews	View

Where to stay in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara

Find the best Historic Downtown Santa Barbara areas and neighborhoods for the activities you enjoy most.

A coastal town with a pier extending into the ocean, a beach, and a mix of residential and commercial buildings.

Santa Barbara Beach

Santa Barbara Beach is known for its stunning beaches, and you can see some sights in the area like Stearns Wharf and West Beach.

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A coastal beach with palm trees, a sandy shore, and a clear blue sky.

Montecito

Celebrity-favored Montecito offers backcountry hiking trails and attractions like Lotusland and El Fureidis. Easily accessible via State Route 192 and the U.S. 101 Freeway, it's well-connected to Santa Barbara County.

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A coastal town with a prominent white building with a red roof, palm trees, and mountains in the background.

Downtown Santa Barbara

The pristine beaches and ample dining options are top of the list for many visitors to Downtown Santa Barbara. A stop by Presidio Santa Barbara or Arlington Theater might round out your trip.

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A marina with multiple boats docked, calm water, and a clear sky.

West Beach

While visiting West Beach, you might make a stop by sights like Santa Barbara Harbor and West Beach.

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A beach with palm trees, a pier, and the ocean at sunset.

East Beach

East Beach is known for its stunning beaches, and you can see some sights in the area like Santa Barbara Zoo and East Beach.

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Top Historic Downtown Santa Barbara Hotel Reviews

Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort

8/10 Good

"Upon arrival, we waited 1 hour to check in and then they gave us the wrong room. If it wasn’t for Rick, the bellman, I would have waited another hour to speak to somebody at the front desk about the room situation. Raffy Helou was also extremely helpful and accommodating making sure that our stay was memorable."

Hotel Santa Barbara

10/10 Excellent

"We had a wonderful stay for our mini-honeymoon! The room is very comfortable with a great location near many restaurants, coffee shops, and places to drink wine. The staff were all friendly and very, very helpful! There is a mild amount of noise being near State street but nothing that diminishes the stay at all. Would definitely recommend to anyone staying in Santa Barbara."

Hotel Californian

8/10 Good

"check in was chaotic . She gave us a quick overview of the property, which is more of a compound and not super easy to figure out, but failed to provide the map. The biggest issues was the room wasn't ready till well after 4:00. They were supposed to update us, with a call and they didn't. We were left waiting in reception for a half hour and kept having to wait in line for reception."

Vagabond Inn Santa Barbara - Carpinteria North

10/10 Excellent

"The motel was very reasonable. Staff was very nice. It wasn’t a fancy place, but it was still clean. If you just need a place to stay, and not worried about how fancy it’s not, then this is a good place for that if you don’t wanna spend a lot of money."

Sandpiper Lodge

8/10 Good

"The breakfast was a huge let down. Coffee was good. And there were previously frozen croissants pre-sliced and a conveyor toaster for them. With a little butter and a packet of jam which were fine. But that’s about it. For the price and the advertising I surely expected a bit more of a spread for the Continental Breakfast. You should have seen the faces of surprised dismay on the many tourists who came in after me. They also expected something more."

Frequently asked questions

What is Historic Downtown Santa Barbara like?

Travelers love the Historic Downtown Santa Barbara neighborhood for its beautiful beaches, array of dining options, and major shopping area. Are you looking for Historic Downtown Santa Barbara travel tips? Be sure to check out Arlington Theater and Lobero Theater while you're in the neighborhood.

What's the best accommodation in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara?

Based on our traveler data, Hotel Santa Barbara is one of the top choices for your stay in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara. This hotel is a short 13-minute walk from Santa Barbara County Courthouse, and it offers a 24-hour fitness center and free WiFi. Other good options for your stay in the neighborhood include The Upham Hotel and Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels.

How many hotels will I be able to find in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara?

Expedia has 25 hotels and other accommodations in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara to choose from, making this an ideal home base for exploring the greater Santa Barbara area.

If I need to cancel my hotel reservation in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara, will I receive a refund?

Yes! The majority of hotel room reservations are fully refundable if you cancel before the hotel's cancellation deadline, which in most cases is within 24 or 48 hours of your scheduled arrival. If you have a reservation that's non-refundable, it might still be possible to cancel it and receive a refund within a 24-hour period of booking. Put your dates in and click on "Search", then use the "fully refundable" filter to view top deals in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara.

Where can I learn more about changing or cancelling my trip to Historic Downtown Santa Barbara?

For more details about rescheduling or cancelling your trip to Historic Downtown Santa Barbara, head over to our customer service page.

What is there to do in this Santa Barbara neighborhood?

Sights like Arlington Theater, Lobero Theater, and Santa Barbara Museum of Art can be part of your cultural tour of Historic Downtown Santa Barbara. Paseo Nuevo Mall and La Arcada are also a couple of places to visit in the neighborhood. A few places to visit in the area around Historic Downtown Santa Barbara include Stearns Wharf, Hill-Carrillo Adobe, and Susan Quinlan Doll and Teddy Bear Museum. While you're out sightseeing, Casa de la Guerra and De la Guerra Plaza are a couple of additional sights to visit in Santa Barbara.

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Our top choices for Historic Downtown Santa Barbara hotels

1. The Upham Hotel

2. Hotel Santa Barbara

3. Kimpton Canary Hotel by IHG

4. Haley Hotel

5. Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

6. Hotel Virginia Santa Barbara, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

7. Casa Riviera

8. Lavender Inn by the Sea

9. Casa Jardin

10. Inn By The Harbor

11. Avania Inn of Santa Barbara

12. Casa De La Vina

13. Palihouse Santa Barbara

14. Brisas del Mar, Inn at the Beach

15. Marina Beach Hotel

16. La Playa Inn

17. West Beach Inn, a Coast Hotel

18. Best Western Plus Santa Barbara

19. Simpson House Inn

20. Hideaway Santa Barbara, A Kirkwood Collection Property

Compare popular hotels in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara

Where to stay in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Beach

Montecito

Downtown Santa Barbara

West Beach

East Beach

Top Historic Downtown Santa Barbara Hotel Reviews

Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort

Frequently asked questions

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