El Encanto, Santa Barbara — Hotel in Santa Barbara

For a hotel that has rooms for $600 a night (Valentines day 2020 weekend), I was definitely expecting a better experience at their restaurant. My Husband and I were celebrating my birthday and valentines day this weekend. He wanted to take me to some really great restaurants in the area, and this was supposed to be one of them. For the price and the quality of not only the food but the staff as well... you can for sure skip this place. Our reservation was at 7:15 pm last night. We were seated at a really great table by the ledge of the deck overlooking Santa Barbara. The restaurant was fairly quiet and most people left due to finishing dinner so our experience was somewhat private. The view was spectacular, but that's where the spectacularness ended. We were greeted by an older woman who was going to be our server for the night. We had brought our own bottle of wine ($45 corkage which was absolutely fine) due to us visiting multiple wineries in the area over the weekend. She asked what water we wanted and we asked her to open our wine. She took 20 mins to come open our wine (which was unfortunate because I wanted it to breathe a little before our enjoyment) and was pretty snobbish about us bringing our wine anyway. Let me add, the wine list here is not impressive. They are selling $20 wines for 5x+... like selling duck horn for $230- are you guys nuts? We moved onto ordering our food. We ordered: The Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Diver Scallops and Hope Ranch Mussels. My husband and I often split dinners, and do a lot of family style sharing. The waitress didn't seem too thrilled about that. The Yellowfin Tuna with soy truffle vinaigrette, lime, daikon, taroroot: Was really great. Its a super small portion compared to others I've had, but it was very fresh and I thought the flavors were great. Heirloom Tomato Salad with scallions, olives, feta, piquillo peppers, lemon, California olive oil, fresh herbs: Not so much. In the photo you will actually see how unripe the salad was. We could hardly cut into it, it didn't taste great but it also didn't look great. We sent it back, the chef sent his apologies and the waitress could only talk about how this chef was French and was sooooo great. Well it doesn't take a really great chef to understand that the Tomatoes weren't ripe, and that he should not have sent that out. Instead we got the Little Gem Lettuce with walnut vinaigrette, ricotta salata, tomatoes, radishes, herbs. I was actually expecting the Gem lettuce to be smaller, this was like a full on heart of romaine. There wasn't enough salad dressing on it, and the chef didn't even core the romaine heart. It was like gem lettuce on steroids and without any flavor. Diver Scallops with squid ink fried rice, bok choy, sea asparagus, kingcrabfritter, yuzu-ginger reduction: The scallops were cooked perfectly, surprisingly. You could actually cut it with your fork (which often times places overcook these delicate scallops) and they were nice and buttery. The flavoring was ok, nothing to really rave about but they were good. The squid ink fried rice was the one thing we were really excited about because we love squid ink. Sadly it did not have much flavor and left us a little disappointed. Hope Ranch Mussels with grilled octopus, fennel seeds, preservedlemon, herbs: Sadly another dish we were not so impressed with. The mussels were tough, and overcooked. The reason I know they were over cooked is because they fell out of their shells and as we pulled out shells expecting Mussels in them, we had to dig to the bottom of the dish. The grilled octopus was also tough, normally this is served tender as well. The flavor of the dish was pretty good, but the fact that it was over done was disappointing. We ended up putting the squid ink rice in the sauce of this dish to make our experience a little better. The truffle fries included like 0 parm, we got a side of parm chunks lol. Besides the food, our dining...

The one thing we love about Santa Barbara are the pet-friendly luxury hotels. For years, we've brought our dog with us for a Thanksgiving &/or Christmas stay in Santa Barbara or Montecito. Christmas 2022 marked our first visit to El Encanto. We were excited to visit. We had canceled our 2020 reservations due to the pandemic, so we were ready for the El Encanto experience.

Let's start with what we loved:

The location. It's nestled in the hills of the American Riviera. The ocean views were magnificent. We loved our daily walks to see all the beautiful homes and views. It was a 5-10 minute drive to town.

The hotel grounds and room. Everything was absolutely lovely. We stayed in a garden bungalow and couldn't have been more delighted.

The valet team. They were always on top of it. They were very efficient and friendly - and they loved our dog.

What we didn't like:

Pet-friendly or pet-discriminatory? We indicated that we would be bringing our dog. As a result, our bungalow was set up with food & water bowls and a toy when we arrived. We also brought a crate for our dog because she's timid and her favorite safe place is her crate. She also prefers to sleep in her crate at night. If we left her in the room alone (which was very rare), we kept her in the crate.

Every morning, around 10AM, I would call the front desk and request that our car be pulled up and the room be cleaned. I also told them our dog would heading out with us. On 2 different mornings, we came back 2-3 hours later, only to find our room untouched. I had to call for maid service again, and then wait outside for 30 minutes while the room was cleaned.

We never got turndown service, even though we'd call and request it when we headed out with our dog. We'd come back to find the room untouched.

When I checked out, I shared these concerns with the front desk. They explained that because we had a dog, they were being cautious. I reminded them that every time we left, I told them we were taking the dog with us. The valet team could vouch for us. They all knew our dog very well, as we went to town 1-2 times a day.

Overall, I'm giving this experience an average rating of 3. They get a 5+ for location, hotel grounds, and the room. But they get a 0-1 for being "pet-friendly." They're not. We also had a poor dining experience, but I'll write about that in a separate review for The Dining Room.

Since we always travel with our dog to Santa Barbara, we won't be...

My recent stay at El Encanto Hotel in Santa Barbara was nothing short of magical. Nestled in the picturesque hills of the city, this luxurious retreat provided the perfect backdrop for a wedding party that I was a part of. Although the wedding itself took place at the stunning Santa Barbara Courthouse, the entire wedding party found a home away from home at this elegant and serene hotel.

From the moment we arrived, the warm and attentive staff made us feel welcome and pampered. They went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and made every effort to accommodate our needs as part of the wedding party. This level of service was truly exceptional and contributed to the unforgettable experience.

The rooms at El Encanto were beyond five-star luxurious. Our beautifully-appointed suite boasted modern amenities and a breathtaking view of the ocean and lush gardens. The attention to detail, from the plush linens to the exquisite furnishings, made our stay all the more special.

The hotel's lush and impeccably-maintained grounds were perfect for pre-wedding gatherings and photo opportunities. The serene atmosphere was a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of wedding preparations, allowing us to unwind and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

Dining at El Encanto's on-site restaurant was a gastronomic delight. The culinary team created a variety of delectable dishes using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients that catered to every palate. The sophisticated ambiance and exceptional service only added to the overall dining experience.

The hotel's location in the heart of Santa Barbara also provided easy access to the city's charming downtown, where we explored shops, galleries, and nearby attractions during our downtime.

In conclusion, our stay at El Encanto Hotel was nothing short of a dream. The luxurious accommodations, attentive service, and idyllic location all contributed to an unforgettable wedding experience. I wholeheartedly recommend El Encanto Hotel for anyone looking for an exceptional getaway, be it for a wedding or any other special occasion. This enchanting gem will leave you with memories to cherish...