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Belmond El Encanto is a luxury hotel in Santa Barbara that overlooks the Channel Islands. It’s roughly a 90-minute drive from LA and 10-minutes from Santa Barbara. The centre of Santa Barbara is a short walk away. The hotel is in a quiet, tranquil setting. You’ll see the Pacific Ocean as you step into the lobby.
There’s a decent gym, an infinity pool, a spa with seven treatment rooms and all the amenities you’d expect. Belmond El Encanto is something of a historic hotel and it’s welcomed some very illustrious guests, including FDR and Clark Gable.
It’s proximity to Tinseltown made it an inevitable favourite among the Holywood elite. The aesthetic of the hotel combines Spanish colonial style with a Californian twist.
Belmond El Encanto opened in 1918 and it’s been a California favourite ever since. You could imagine parties worthy of The Great Gatsby taking place here.
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- Historic Santa Barbara hotel
- Overlooks The Pacific
- Central Santa Barbara is easily accessible
Accommodation
Rooms
There are 92 rooms are suites spread out over manicured gardens. Each bungalow is private – some come with private gardens and some with direct ocean views.
The decor is chic and done in a fairly timeless style. Rooms are furnished with cream green and beige colors.
Suites And Bungalows
The suited and bungalows make for the ideal retreat. All have king-sized beds and a separate living area with a fireplace. An ideal place to unwind after you’ve spent the day exploring Santa Barbara.
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Food And Drink
The restaurant has a large terrace. The food is excellent – seafood is the speciality. Sweeping views of the American Rivera make for a very satisfying dining experience.
Executive Chef Johan Denizot presides over a tight ship. Sometimes he hosts The Wine Masters Dinner Series and serves food sourced from local producers and wine from a local winery.
Wellness
The Spa at El Encanto is a boutique full-service spa, with treatments running from deep-tissue massage and facials to aromatherapy and hydrotherapy. There is a 24-hour fitness centre and a separate studio with daily classes, including yoga, plus a sauna. The centerpiece is the zero-edge outdoor pool, which looks out over the Pacific from the hillside, with sun loungers and a staffed poolside bar. Much of the wellness here is simply the garden setting and the quiet.
Activities
The hotel is set less than a mile above downtown Santa Barbara, so the city and coast are close. A fleet of electric bikes is free for guests, and the team arranges horseback riding, private sailing charters, and whale-watching. Santa Barbara’s wine country, from the Urban Wine Trail to the Santa Ynez Valley, is an easy day out, and there is golf at Sandpiper and Glen Annie, tennis through the Santa Barbara Tennis Club, and hiking from the hills.
Our Experts
Jaike Rowe
Luxury Travel Expert"The thing about the USA is that it's just so diverse. It doesn't matter what you're looking for, you can find it in the USA. I personally love San Francisco because it's hotels are arty and luxurious at the same time."
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Maria Gardner
Luxury Travel Expert"There's nowhere quite like New York for an ultra-lux city break. I always recommend visiting in December for the dream Christmas experience, complete with high-end shopping, Broadway shows and walks in Central Park. "
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