Drift Santa Barbara — Hotel in Santa Barbara

Exploring hotels during Santa Barbara stretch, the Drift looked interesting so decided to check it out. What looked promising turned pretty quick when the check-in process was remote, required a selfie/app, and other data transmitted in uncertain mechanisms (never put anything in email, its the equivalent of a postcard through USPS security wise). It didn't make sense to me, but decided to roll with it. ||Further complicating, flying out of SFO is always a wild card, and with a delayed flight I did not arrive at property until nearly 1AM day of checkout. ||Lyft dropped me off and a short walk down the mall (the street is blocked off to vehicles) and past a bar which must have been karaoke night with the version of "Still haven't found what I'm looking for" which hey, "A" for effort and passion!!! ||One thing that was not clear, is the hotel is minimally staffed, and as I would be arriving late, security would have to let me in to check my ID since I would not upload via the app, then I would recieve text a code for the doors and my room. It was just to Orwellian for me. Society is isolated as it is, and social interaction is a basic human need, why create a humanless interaction for travelers? Its like some whacked out predictive programming towards a dystopian future where robots and automation replace human interaction. Right out of the gate it was a "well, tried it once" kinda deal, the security guard was friendly and professional and what else are you going to do at 1AM? ||Once I did get to the room it was nice, but not. Nice in the context of I had a room tastefully decorated overlooking the street and what was left of people wandering home from bars and such, not because there was a bed and shower and literally no other furniture. No water, no ability to get water nearby, and just a general sense of isolation and emptiness. There was no chair or desk, and the only place to sit was the bed. There may have been hooks on wall where could hang stuff, it gets blurry even though zero libations were involved. Bed was really comfortable, which was nice but in general the vibe was just off. ||Silver lining is the coffee shop and bar 1st floor street level. Barista's are super friendly and coffee is good, and the bar, though I did not visit when open had a cool vibe and definitely looked interesting. No shortage of options and for the price this place charges, the novelty of no human interaction leaves little value beyond the coffee shop, which, I walk to when staying at the property in Santa Barbara I enjoyed most... a short walk around...

Stepping into the Drift Hotel in Santa Barbara is like stumbling upon a delightful secret you'll want to keep, yet can't resist sharing. From the moment you arrive, the hotel's attentive staff makes you feel welcomed and valued, reflecting the high level of service you can expect throughout your stay.

The Drift Hotel is an establishment that manages to strike the perfect balance between modernity and coziness. As you enter the property, the tranquility is almost palpable, an essential quality for a true getaway. The hotel offers a host of amenities that cater to a variety of needs, such as family rooms, free WiFi, and an on-site restaurant and bar.

The location of Drift Hotel is a major highlight. Nestled comfortably within an 11-minute walk from East Beach and just under a mile from the city center, it provides guests the convenience of exploration without the hassle of commuting. Popular attractions such as West Beach, Antioch College, and Amtrak Station Santa Barbara are within a stone's throw from the property, making it an excellent choice for both leisure and business travelers.

The hotel features two on-site dining options: the family-friendly and traditionally modern Dawn Café + Market, and the Dusk Craft Bar. These eateries provide a delightful culinary experience without having to leave the property. For those with a penchant for adventure, the hotel offers bicycle rental and bike tours, adding a unique dimension to your exploration of Santa Barbara.

The rooms at the Drift Hotel are tastefully designed, offering a soothing ambiance coupled with comfortable and clean facilities. One recent guest praised the super comfortable bed and the quietness of the room, adding that the hotel's location allows for an easy walk to local restaurants. The hotel has a range of rooms of different sizes to cater to varying needs, as mentioned by the General Manager, Nick Gillio. After touring the various rooms, I found even just the entry-level room to be nice and cozy.

As a testament to their commitment to guest safety, the Drift Hotel has implemented additional health and hygiene measures. Along with 24-hour security, they have private check-in/out and express check-in/out services for convenience and privacy.

Drift Hotel is a charming establishment that succeeds in delivering a memorable and comfortable stay. Whether you're traveling alone, with a partner, or with family, it offers a fantastic base from which to explore and appreciate the beauty of...

The good:

The coffee shop downstairs has killer pastries and a decent flat white. It’s right smack at the end of State Street, which is a fun enough location in SB. The building has decent interior design, the toiletries are fancy and smell like santal and copal and driftwood or whatever, and the space is clean and well managed. The vibes seem lifted out of the #BohoChic Instagram hashtag if you like that sort of thing.

The bad:

I would not call this a boutique hotel. Unless you use “boutique” to mean “not a chain.”

This is essentially a bar/coffee shop with rooms you can rent upstairs. There are no common areas (unless you count said bar or coffee shop).

When we arrived at around 9 at night, we had to get the attention of the bar patrons who were blocking our path to get inside the front door so that we could make our way to the elevator with our suitcases. The bargoers were friendly, tipsy folks, so not a problem per se, but a less than ideal welcome when you show up with your roller bag hoping for a warm landing after a long drive.

There is no reception desk. Your room key is a code received via smart phone that opens your room. You have to text the hotel staff for anything you need. Which, while sort of novel, felt much more like communicating with an AirBnB host than staying in a “boutique” hotel. You can apparently ask the bartender or folks staffing the coffee shop for things, but that feels kind of awkward given that they’re busy being bartenders, etc.

The elevator that took us up to our room was very office-building-esque, and so were the hallways. Did this building used to house office spaces? Unclear.

The room was so tiny I felt like I was in Japan. Or a 150 sq ft Manhattan micro-apartment. There was no closet. No chair. Nowhere to put your luggage aside from at the foot of the bed. A luggage rack appeared (quite quickly, to their credit) when we texted to ask for one, but there wasn’t really a good place to put it.

Our “mountain view” was a view of a public parking lot. And lots of the parking lot, at that. The mountains are, of course, visible on the horizon bc Santa Barbara is flanked by mountains. But “mountain view” felt like poetic license, to be sure.

All of this cost me six hundred dollars a night, by the way.

If you want this bare minimum level of service and thoughtfulness put into your sleeping accommodations, you’re better off...