Best of the BEST in Santa Barbara. Superb property for a getaway retreat and/or destination wedding. Travel by train for a relaxing arrival and pickup by their MZB van.. If you are unable to chill out here, you are a lost cause.
I am VERY picky about hotels. I’ve stayed in some great ones all over the world. (Recently at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, for some context.). El Encanto is my favorite. I think that says it all.
My wife and I couldn't have had a lovelier time at El Encanto. It was our 3rd wedding anniversary and they made it very special for us. From the young men who handled our car, to the people at the front desk, to the restaurant servers, and even to the hotel service providers, everybody was exceptional. We highly recommend this beautiful hotel.
Throught the Fine Hotel and Resort program, were were upgraded from Premier Terrace king to a one bedroom(1402) but it was no upgrade.Room 1402 felt more like a double wide tucked in the armpit of the building with no privacy. Worse of all, right behind the bed wall, you could here constant loud engine /Hvac noise as well as the neighbors. We asked to be downgraded back to the room category we booked.(2303) was so much better. View, outdoor space,fireplace and most of all, super quiet. Beweare, their receptionists knowledge of the rooms are minimal and incorrect. Also, eventhough the description booking site clearly state view,terrace/outdoor space and they charged extra accordingly, The receptionist told me those things were not guranteed. They why would anyone pay extra for those things...... This hotel needs new management.…
We spent a week at the property. The stay was wonderful. The hotel property beautiful, serene, quiet, private and the hotel staff helpful and welcoming. Minutes away were many fantastic hikes and this was our focus for our stay. A fantastic hotel brekfast, a mornig hike of a few hours and a late lunch in Montecito or other surrounding town.
Lovely property, very comfortable, with better than average service. The food is unremarkable and expensive. I would say dinner in the main dining room was the only disappointment of the stay. The view from the dining room is gorgeous, and it's tastefully decorated.
I usually forget to rate our really great experiences but just thought I'd give this hotel a shout. This past October was out 3rd time visiting El Encanto. A few years back we booked during the mudslides and had to drive 4 hours out of the way to get there....it was totally worth it. You definitely pay for it, but this hotel has the best service - during mudslides, pandemic times, regular times. We've stayed in a few different rooms and I've loved every one. This last time I went, and gosh I wish I could remember his name, but the valet literally walked with me till I found a room I enjoyed since I was a little disappointed in the one they originally had. It sounds so silly but at the time we didn't have a real fireplace at our home and I just really enjoyed having one on my trip away. And their car service to restaurants is amazing after a day of wine tasting. Hands down, the valet guys are just awesome. The bartenders are also so fun! I already can't wait to go back. Thanks for always giving us an amazing weekend away!…
My wife and I spent a fantastic week at the El Encanto. Stacey, the concierge, set up a five day itinerary that included a wine tasting tour, movie night on our porch, horseback riding on the beach, and a sunset sail for two. The staff was so polite and helpful and the room was just perfect! We definitely plan on spending more time here in teh future. Highly recommend it!
El Encanto is our happy place. Whenever we have something important to celebrate, or just need a dose of total tranquility, this resort (and the incredible staff) always exceed our high expectations. The rooms are flawless, the grounds manicured and the people treat you like family. Bravo!
Visited for a special occasion which was my 50th birthday. Hoped to have an exceptional experience but it fell short. Location is excellent. Valets and concierges were first class but the bar and restaurant service were about as good as drive through fast food chain and that’s being unkind to a drive through. We waited to be acknowledged at the bar for lunch service for 25 minutes and when we were finally acknowledged, it took an additional 20 minutes to even get a drink. A wait of nearly an hour for two beers served with a big attitude. Perhaps they thought making us wait that long would make us hungry yet the patio was 1/4 full. We chose to bypass dinner based on the afternoon experience and when we returned later in the day, we decided to have another drink and yet again the evening service was extremely poor, both in timeliness and attitude. Essentially - Shouldn’t encounter this at a luxury resort. Room was very clean and spacious. Very tasteful design. Overall - Amenities were very nice, clean and the pool staff / lady attendant specifically was excellent. Given the location, you are somewhat reliant on the restaurant and bar and by far this was far below expectations, hence my lower rating. Shame as we had hoped for much better -especially given the “occasion” which I also assume many other guests visit for.…
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