The Best Hotels in Waterfront, Santa Barbara - 2026 Updated Prices

A river with rocks, palm trees, and mountains in the background.

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Compare popular hotels in Waterfront

Property	Property class	Guest rating
Harbor View Inn	3.5 star property	9.2 Wonderful 1,004 reviews	View
Hotel Santa Barbara	4.0 star property	9.4 Exceptional 1,544 reviews	View
West Beach Inn, a Coast Hotel	3.0 star property	9.4 Exceptional 1,121 reviews	View
Marina Beach Hotel	3.0 star property	9.8 Exceptional 1,200 reviews	View
La Playa Inn	2.5 star property	9.6 Exceptional 1,011 reviews	View

Hotels recommended for families in Waterfront

A sunny outdoor seating area with tables and chairs, surrounded by lush tropical plants and flowers.

Marina Beach Hotel

Santa Barbara Beach

Rp3.075.731 total

includes taxes & fees

28 Oct - 29 Oct

Where to stay in Waterfront

Find the best Waterfront areas 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 area like Stearns Wharf and West Beach.

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A beach with a pier, buildings, and mountains in the background.

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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A white colonial building with a bell tower, surrounded by palm trees and a clear blue sky.

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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A beach with a pier extending into the water, mountains in the background, and several flags on the pier.

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 Waterfront Hotel Reviews

Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara

10/10 Excellent

"Clean room"

The Franciscan Hotel

8/10 Good

"This is a nice hotel that is close to the beach, the pier, stores and several excellent restaurants. The king bed was very comfortable, but the chairs were uncomfortable and the counter space was small. The air conditioning was noisy and turned on and off during the night. The staff is friendly and helpful. The breakfast was very good with waffles, eggs bacon and sausage, bagels, pastries and muffins. The balcony is really a small patio enclosed by a five foot fence with a small table and two chairs. Overall, it is a good place to stay."

Brisas del Mar, Inn at the Beach

8/10 Good

"Friendly staff and clean room with good overall location walkable to main Santa Barbara tourist locations, however directly next to a gas station. The room and property are dated but generally well maintained. Between the decent complimentary breakfast and the pool/jacuzzi area, the stay felt worth the $. Plentiful, complimentary parking is also a plus."

Best Western Plus Carpinteria Inn

10/10 Excellent

"This was a great stay for our weekend at Palm Tree Music Festival! The room was clean and comfortable and they have great vending machines for late-night snacks. The staff was super nice and it was relatively close to where we wanted to be. The only thing we were bummed about was the pool needing a little maintenance but we just dipped our feet in instead of taking a swim. Parking is also free which is so uncommon nowadays! Overall great stay!"

Frequently asked questions

What is Waterfront like?

Travellers to the Waterfront neighbourhood in Santa Barbara will be sure to enjoy their stay. Make sure that you visit West Beach and East Beach as part of your Waterfront travel plans.

If I need to cancel my hotel reservation in Waterfront, will I receive a refund?

Yes! The majority of hotel reservations are fully refundable as long as you cancel before the accommodation's cancellation deadline, which is often 24 or 48 hours before your check-in date. If you booked a non-refundable reservation, it may still be possible to cancel it and get a refund within a 24-hour period of your booking. Put your dates in and click on "Search", then you can filter by "fully refundable" to view top deals in Waterfront.

What is there to do around this Santa Barbara neighbourhood?

West Beach, East Beach and Leadbetter Beach are great spots if you want to spend some time by the water during your stay in Waterfront. You could also plan a visit to Santa Barbara Harbor or Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center while you're in the neighbourhood. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center, Stearns Wharf and Santa Barbara Art Foundry are just a few of the places to visit in and around Waterfront. MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation and Reagan Ranch Center are also worth a visit when you're out sightseeing in Santa Barbara.

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Our top choices for Waterfront hotels

1. Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort

2. Harbor View Inn

3. West Beach Inn, a Coast Hotel

4. Hotel Santa Barbara

5. Santa Barbara Inn

6. The Milo

7. Hotel Virginia Santa Barbara, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

8. Avania Inn of Santa Barbara

9. Brisas del Mar, Inn at the Beach

10. La Playa Inn

11. The Franciscan Hotel

12. Mar Monte Hotel, in The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

13. Riviera Beach House

14. Marina Beach Hotel

15. Beachside Inn

16. Lavender Inn by the Sea

17. Mason Beach Inn

18. Inn By The Harbor

19. Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

20. Castillo Inn at the Beach

Compare popular hotels in Waterfront

Hotels recommended for families in Waterfront

Marina Beach Hotel

Where to stay in Waterfront

Santa Barbara Beach

Montecito

Downtown Santa Barbara

West Beach

East Beach

Top Waterfront Hotel Reviews

Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara

Frequently asked questions

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