Pacific Crest Hotel — Hotel in Santa Barbara

First of all, I want to add my two cents about some of the negative reviews. This is a 20-room property owned and operated by a husband and wife. It's not realistic to expect that they'd keep the front desk and office open 24/7, and they provide a phone number at check-in which you can text anytime day or night if you need something. It's not a corporation with hundreds of locations that can absorb the cost of a late cancellation. The rooms are charming and comfortable, but some of them are simply not large enough to safely accommodate additional guests. The rules about noise and smoking/vaping are clearly stated when you check in. The stuff people are complaining about on here is obviously either because they didn't do their research and were expecting something else, or they didn't follow the rules and then got mad when they were held accountable. And it bothers me that they're leaving bad reviews, because this place is truly one of a kind.

The look of the exterior and pool is right out of a movie from the 1960's, yet the rooms are bright and modern. I originally walked in planning to stay a single night as I drove up the coast, but the owners, Jennifer and Greg, were so kind and welcoming that I stayed four more nights. I started each morning with a cup of the strong local coffee and Jennifer's homemade treats (the granola is amazing) spent my days either driving to nearby attractions (Madonna Inn is fascinating!) or exploring Santa Barbara (Chaucer's Bookstore is great; if you're an animal lover, check out Cat Therapy and the zoo!) In the evenings, I enjoyed dinner at one of the many excellent restaurants in town, then curled up in the incredibly comfortable bed with a book. I was happy with every detail. My queen room was tastefully decorated and very clean. The modern wall AC/heat unit was quiet and worked great. The BeeKind bath amenities are lovely, and I thought it was really cool to see the manufacturer donates to the UC Davis Honey Bee Research Program. The pool was warm and always spotlessly clean. As a solo traveler, I appreciated how well-lit the parking lot and common areas were at night. All in all, it was a very peaceful stay, and I can honestly say the Pacific Crest was exactly what I didn't...

I don’t usually leave negative reviews, but this was a truly disappointing experience. Despite its high ratings (9/10 on Hotels.com and 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor), this hotel fell far short of expectations. It’s advertised as a 3-star property, but in reality, it’s more like a poorly maintained motel. Here’s what we encountered:| • Dirty and Unsanitary Conditions: The floors were filthy, and the room felt unclean overall. The kettle was full of mold, and when we requested a replacement, nothing was done. The bathroom had broken tiles and mold around the tub, which was off-putting. I didn’t feel comfortable using anything in the room.| • Functional Issues: The bathtub didn’t drain, the TV wasn’t connected to the internet, and there was almost no cell service or usable WiFi. Key cards stopped working midway through our stay.| • Noisy and Uncomfortable: There’s an active train track nearby, and it’s very loud. You can also hear noise from neighboring rooms due to poor soundproofing.| • Unwelcoming Amenities: The parking is extremely tight, first come, first serve, and not guaranteed. There are no elevators, so if you’re on the upper floor, you’ll need to lug your bags up exterior stairs. There’s no restaurant, bar, gym, meeting rooms, or room service.| • Construction Mess: The parking area (not a lot) was partially taken up by rubble and work trucks from ongoing construction, which didn’t seem to be active during our stay.||The heated pool was one of the main reasons we booked, but given the state of cleanliness in the room, we didn’t feel comfortable using it.||While the location is convenient—walking distance to the beach and zoo—that’s about the only positive. This was a very low-quality experience for a premium price. We spent $500 for two nights over a holiday weekend and would have changed hotels if it weren’t for the cost and limited availability.||Save yourself the frustration and stay elsewhere. Even the Motel 6 next door seems like a...

I don’t usually leave negative reviews, but this was a truly disappointing experience. Despite its high ratings (9/10 on Hotels.com and 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor), this hotel fell far short of expectations. It’s advertised as a 3-star property, but in reality, it’s more like a poorly maintained motel. Here’s what we encountered:| • Dirty and Unsanitary Conditions: The floors were filthy, and the room felt unclean overall. The kettle was full of mold, and when we requested a replacement, nothing was done. The bathroom had broken tiles and mold around the tub, which was off-putting. I didn’t feel comfortable using anything in the room.| • Functional Issues: The bathtub didn’t drain, the TV wasn’t connected to the internet, and there was almost no cell service or usable WiFi. Key cards stopped working midway through our stay.| • Noisy and Uncomfortable: There’s an active train track nearby, and it’s very loud. You can also hear noise from neighboring rooms due to poor soundproofing.| • Unwelcoming Amenities: The parking is extremely tight, first come, first serve, and not guaranteed. There are no elevators, so if you’re on the upper floor, you’ll need to lug your bags up exterior stairs. There’s no restaurant, bar, gym, meeting rooms, or room service.| • Construction Mess: The parking area (not a lot) was partially taken up by rubble and work trucks from ongoing construction, which didn’t seem to be active during our stay.||The heated pool was one of the main reasons we booked, but given the state of cleanliness in the room, we didn’t feel comfortable using it.||While the location is convenient—walking distance to the beach and zoo—that’s about the only positive. This was a very low-quality experience for a premium price. We spent $500 for two nights over a holiday weekend and would have changed hotels if it weren’t for the cost and limited availability.||Save yourself the frustration and stay elsewhere. Even the Motel 6 next door seems like a...