The Best Hotels in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara - 2026 Updated Prices

Aerial view of Santa Barbara historic city center with Santa Ynez Mountains at the background, from top of the clock tower of Santa Barbara County Courthouse, California CA, USA.

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Compare popular hotels in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara

Property	Property class	Guest rating
Hotel Santa Barbara	3.0 star property	9.4 Exceptional 1,413 reviews	View
The Upham Hotel	4.0 star property	9.0 Wonderful 1,008 reviews	View
Haley Hotel	3.5 star property	8.8 Excellent 657 reviews	View
Kimpton Canary Hotel by IHG	4.0 star property	8.8 Excellent 1,002 reviews	View
Hotel Virginia Santa Barbara, Tapestry Collection by Hilton	4.0 star property	8.6 Excellent 1,001 reviews	View

Where to stay in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara

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

Santa Barbara Aerial Panorama. Scenic shot of Pier and beach

Santa Barbara Beach

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

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Butterfly beach along Channel Drive in Santa Barbara, California., Shutterstock ID 23776711, SF SSA Case with Manager Approval: Case 07151371, Job: Prepay credit, Client/Licensee: , Other:

Montecito

The pristine beaches and ample dining options are top of the list for many visitors to Montecito. A stop by Miramar Beach or Butterfly Beach might round out your trip.

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urban landscape of the city of Santa Barbara, California ; Shutterstock ID 398939668

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 Lobero Theater or Presidio Santa Barbara might round out your trip.

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West Beach

If you're spending some time in West Beach, Santa Barbara Harbor and West Beach are top sights worth seeing.

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

East Beach

East Beach is beloved for its stunning beaches. Take some time to explore sights in the area like East Beach and Santa Barbara Zoo.

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Top Historic Downtown Santa Barbara Hotel Reviews

Hotel Santa Barbara

10/10 Excellent

"I love the style of the style of a hotel which I understand was recently redone. It would've been nice to have somewhere to have something to eat like a restaurant or room service in the morning or morning coffee. Of course stay straight is right out front but it's nice to be able to go directly to the lobby."

Avania Inn of Santa Barbara

10/10 Excellent

"We stayed for 2 nights before heading North. As soon as I walked through the front doors I could tell it was a clean hotel. The lobby was nicely decorated, felt homely, and smelled freshly cleaned. The front desk clerk was super sweet and respectful. She had lots of suggestions for things to do in the area. Our room was exactly like the pictures. Clean and comfortable with everything we needed for our stay. Only thing that would be nice, would be a mini microwave in the room. Thanks for a great stay."

Sandpiper Lodge

10/10 Excellent

"Friendly help at the desk for check in and check out. Quiet, comfortable room. Was just there for the night and did some work in the PM and AM, so I didn't use the facilities. Had some fruit I brought along for breakfast, so didn't sample offering. But a shopping center less that a block away for anyone that wants to walk to dinner or other meal. Just a short drive to the beach and downtown area for more stuff to do. Recommend Helena Ave Bakery for an excellent scone (is that scone with an "o" like 'alone' or like the "o" in 'dog'?) I would stay there again. And probably use the pool, exercise room and sample the breakfast. Hope you will."

Frequently asked questions

What is Historic Downtown Santa Barbara like?

Travellers love the Historic Downtown Santa Barbara neighbourhood for its beautiful beaches, array of dining options and major shopping area. Are you looking for Historic Downtown Santa Barbara travel tips? Make sure that you visit Lobero Theater and Paseo Nuevo Mall while you're in the neighbourhood.

What's a favourite place to stay in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara?

Based on our traveller 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 centre and free WiFi. Other good options for your stay in the neighbourhood include The Upham Hotel and Kimpton Canary Hotel by IHG.

How many hotels are there in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara?

Expedia has 25 hotels and other accommodation options 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! You'll find that most hotel bookings are refundable provided that you cancel prior to the hotel's cancellation deadline, which is often 24 or 48 hours before the scheduled arrival. If you have a reservation that's non-refundable, you might be able to cancel it and be given a refund within a 24-hour period of booking. Enter your dates, click on "Search", then use the filter option "fully refundable" to get the top deals on offer in Historic Downtown Santa Barbara.

What is there to do in this Santa Barbara neighbourhood?

Sights like Lobero Theater, Granada Theatre and Arlington Theater 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 neighbourhood. A few places to visit in the area around Historic Downtown Santa Barbara include Hill-Carrillo Adobe, Susan Quinlan Doll and Teddy Bear Museum and Casa de la Guerra. While you're out sightseeing, De la Guerra Plaza and Presidio Santa Barbara are a couple of additional sights to visit in Santa Barbara.

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Our top choices for Historic Downtown Santa Barbara hotels

Hotel Santa Barbara

The Upham Hotel

Haley Hotel

Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

Kimpton Canary Hotel by IHG

Hotel Virginia Santa Barbara, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

Vagabond Inn Santa Barbara - Carpinteria South

Cliff House Inn On The Ocean

The Craft House Inn

Casa Iglesia

Vagabond Inn Santa Barbara - Carpinteria North

Inn on Summer Hill

Best Western Plus Carpinteria Inn

Coast Village Inn - Santa Barbara

Montecito Inn

El Encanto Santa Barbara

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Carpinteria by IHG

The Inn at East Beach

Rancho Oso RV & Camping Resort

Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort

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

Hotel Santa Barbara

Frequently asked questions

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