ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel — Hotel in Santa Barbara

I had held off on staying at the ITH SB Hostel ‘cause they have gendered dorms and I don’t really fit into either of the binary categories. I decided to give it a go because I was working several 12-hour shifts in a row nearby and at the time booking the private double room was cheaper than most of the motel options between Goleta and Santa Barbara. When I arrived a newer staff member greeted me and helped me get checked in. I was in a little bit of a hurry ‘cause I had to get to work. They gave me a quick tour and I put my stuff away and headed to work. When I came back my key wasn’t working on the front door but another staff member fixed it for me right away. I was too tired to prep anything to eat but they have a lovely kitchen with a really nice Viking stove, just like at a restaurant! The refrigerator and freezer are huge too and they have sticky labels you can use to label your food, as well as a communal shelf so if you happen to only use, say, half your onion; you can leave the other half for someone else to use. You can also leave extras when you go if you don’t have a way to take them with you. Some other reviewers mentioned the heat. I stayed in December so that was a non-issue. The room I stayed in had a window that opened and a fan. There was a TV too, but I didn’t really care enough to turn it on. The bedding was soft and warm, but not too hot. I tend to run hot so YMMV. The bathrooms are gendered. There’s one that isn’t gendered but there is no shower, so if you’re non-binary you kinda just have to flip a coin and hope no one in the bathroom at that time gets mad at you. Since my schedule is atypical I didn’t run into too many people when I was taking showers. I got one confused/upset look but no one really bothered me. There are washing machines and dryers. I didn’t see any drying racks. That would be nice to save some money and energy in the warmer months. They have bicycles you can rent and lots of little extras you might need like towels, locks for the lockers, snacks, soap for laundry, etc. It is a very functional and cute space. I don’t know if I will stay again. It will really depend on costs and whether or not I feel up to navigating the binary dorms and bathrooms, or if the private rooms are affordable at the time I plan to stay. Overall, though, the hostel is a really nice place...

I view all hostels through the lens of an energetic old budget traveler who discovered hosteling in NZ in 1981 and has never lost my appreciation for the unique experience they offer. Well located, welcoming shelters with a simple bed to sleep in, an assumed trust in your fellow travelers and a common space to bond by sharing one’s daily discoveries with others.

ITH Santa Barbara Beach Hostel checks all the boxes with considerable added enhancements. The location directly adjacent the a major Amtrak/Greyhound transit center means immediate relief from the burden of the backpack. Let the fun begin.

Even before my delayed arrival I got a sense of the welcoming and flexible staff. While my continually delayed train disrupted my schedule, my requests for date changes were satisfied without hesitation. When I finally arrived they knew me and my story and gave me a hero’s welcome 😉🤣

The proximity to the beach, pubs, restaurants, museums, entertainment and shopping could not have been more centrally located.

The accommodation were modern, clean and featured those little details that 21st century travelers have come to expect. In- bunk reading light, power source and storage shelf for charging devices and privacy curtains on all bunks.

The layout of the common space encouraged interaction among the guests. The spacious garden with lawn furniture allowed guest to take full advantage of the beautiful weather. The comfortable seatings near reception formed a natural chat space. The community guitars encourage interaction of the musical kind.

While the hostel succeeded in creating the space to encouraged engagement, they were powerless to discourage the now common tendancies of guests to bury their faces in their phones and laptops…just a sad sign of the times.

A+ for the Pancake Center…my Sweet...

It has recently been updated I'm told. Kitchen is to small more than 3 people inside and no room to move around safely with hot pans. Insufficient mugs at breakfast. It lists bananas as fruit supplied but none seen for three days. Cheap cutlery that bends when used. It says it has family rooms but these appear to be located by reception so if you want your kids to get some sleep you will have to wait until 11pm until the noise subsides from the guests and staff. There is an old skool bus out front used for smoking and the smell of cannabis is over whelming even in the front garden. People next morning then drive their cars. Its not a place I would want to bring children especially on a Wednesday it appears that guests gets an invite from a member of staff to visit the bus. There are a lot of members of staff who use the bus and those that get a job helping so they can stay. The security of the premises is an issue as the rooms are all on the ground floor next to a public path. The windows remain wide open all day and night with no concerns towards burglary theft or worse for girls rooms. The last night I was there the reception girl let in a homeless person and put them in a dorm. The stench was horrific and people had to be moved rooms late into the night meaning lack of sleep for persons driving the next day. The hostel is adjacent to the amtrak railway station so with all the windows open your first alarm call is around 650am by the station announcer followed about 7am by the train arriving blasting its horns very loudly.. I've given it two stars because its storage lockers in the hallway are big and take a lot of luggage as well as the locker under some of the beds not all. It's the cheapest place in town and we'll located for the pier and...