The Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Santa Barbara

Where to Stay for a Family Vacation with Kids in Santa Barbara

The Santa Barbara Courthouse The Santa Barbara Courthouse

Santa Barbara, California is a great family-oriented vacation destination, so if you're looking for kid friendly hotels, we've got plenty of suggestions. After comparing many of the hotels in the area, below is our list of the best family-friendly hotels in Santa Barbara for your next vacation based on amenities, previous guest ratings, location, activities, and price. So, even if you're traveling as a family of 4, a family of 5, or even a large family, you can find the best hotel that meets your needs. After all, when traveling with children, you're probably looking for kid-friendly features such as swimming pools, game rooms, kid's activities, and extra space. Of course, it also helps to have a kitchen so you can cook some family friendly meals, and extra bedrooms if you have a larger family. Many of the top family friendly hotels and resorts in Santa Barbara will offer some of these features, so you're in luck. If you're looking for where to stay as a family in Santa Barbara, here are the best family hotels.

The city has some nice family-friendly activities including a zoo, some cool museums, and even whale watching. There are also many beautiful beaches where everyone can run around and play, as well as parks and other outdoor settings. For animal-lovers, there are wildlife centers and sea life opportunities.

(Prices are listed in U.S. Dollars.)

Hotel Milo Santa Barbara

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $247 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Terrific for a Family Vacation to Santa Barbara
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for family-friendly hotels.
  • Beach
  • Outdoor pool
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool

Located at 202 W Cabrillo Boulevard, Hotel Milo Santa Barbara has great rooms from $247 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a pool bar, a fitness center, snorkeling, and parking. It has a terrific 7.80 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 0.8 miles from the city center, families will especially love hiking, child care, laundry services, golf, and pet-friendly rooms at this family-friendly hotel. It's always nice having a heated pool to relax in. The price of this hotel is less than average for family-friendly hotels, which makes it a great value.

Family-Friendly Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Laundry facilities
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Tennis
  • Picnic area
  • Beach


Montecito Inn

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $225 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Kid-Friendly Hotel in Santa Barbara
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Beach
  • Outdoor pool
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Montecito Inn which has nice rooms starting at $225. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and parking, it also has a great guest rating of 8.20 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 1295 Coast Village Road. This kid-friendly hotel is also nice because it offers hiking, mountain views, rooms with kitchens, child care, and laundry services which families with kids will enjoy. Also, it's just 3.3 miles from the city center. Nothing says relaxation like having room service delivered. It's also less than the average price for family-friendly hotels, so it's a great value.

Family-Friendly Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Kitchen
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Laundry facilities
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Room service
  • Restaurant
  • Parking
  • Microwave
  • Beach


Belmond El Encanto

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $851 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Top Family-Friendly Hotel
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Outdoor pool
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool

We found Belmond El Encanto to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $851. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 9.10 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 800 Alvarado Place. You'll also find hiking, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, and pet-friendly rooms which visitors with kids will love. And this family hotel is just 1.3 miles from the center of town. The pool here was very nice, relaxing, and fun.

Family-Friendly Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Kitchen
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Laundry facilities
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator
  • Saltwater pool
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Room service
  • Restaurant
  • Microwave


The Eagle Inn

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $250 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Terrific Place to Stay with Kids in Santa Barbara
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for family-friendly hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family rooms

With terrific rooms from $250, The Eagle Inn, at 232 Natoma Avenue provides room service, scuba diving, breakfast, hiking, and rooms with kitchenettes. Its terrific guest rating is 9.10 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. Travelers will really like this fun hotel which also offers laundry services, a free breakfast, a hot tub, free parking, and horse riding. It's located just 0.7 miles from the city center, too. We love relaxing in a hot tub after a long day, and the one here is really nice. It's a great value, as the price is less than the average for family-friendly hotels.

Family-Friendly Hotel Amenities
  • Breakfast included
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Free breakfast
  • Laundry facilities
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Room service
  • Microwave
  • Picnic area
  • Beach


Brisas Del Mar Inn at the Beach

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $342 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Recommended for Families
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Outdoor pool
  • Heated pool

Brisas Del Mar Inn at the Beach has a great guest rating of 8.90 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a kid-friendly buffet, breakfast, and rooms with kitchens. The great rooms here start at $342 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 223 Castillo St.. Furthermore, it also offers laundry services, a free breakfast, a hot tub, free parking, and laundry facilities, which is nice for families. Just 0.8 miles from the city center, this relaxing hotel is a terrific choice. Having a kitchen in the room is a great way to make meals and save money, too.

Family-Friendly Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Breakfast included
  • Kitchen
  • Laundry service
  • Free breakfast
  • Laundry facilities
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Microwave
  • Beach


Harbor View Inn Santa Barbara

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $307 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Great Hotel for Family Fun
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Outdoor pool
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool

The great guest rating of Harbor View Inn Santa Barbara is 8.90 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $307, and it's located at 28 West Cabrillo Boulevard. We also love the a bar, parking, laundry services, city views, and a hot tub which are great for families with kids. And since it's just 0.8 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too. The restaurant serves delicious food, too.

Family-Friendly Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Laundry service
  • Laundry facilities
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Room service
  • Restaurant
  • Parking
  • Child pool
  • Beach


Secret Garden Inn & Cottages

Bed & Breakfast with prices starting at $256 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for a Family Getaway to Santa Barbara
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for family-friendly hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

A cool place is Secret Garden Inn & Cottages because it has great rooms that start at $256. It has room service, breakfast, hiking, rooms with kitchens, and a free breakfast, it also earned a great guest rating of 9.10 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 1908 Bath St.. Only 1.2 miles from the city center, visitors with kids will especially love pet-friendly rooms, a hot tub, a spa, free parking, and kids meals at this family-friendly hotel. It's also less than the average price for family-friendly hotels, so it's a great value.

Family-Friendly Hotel Amenities
  • Breakfast included
  • Kitchen
  • Free breakfast
  • Kids meals
  • Refrigerator
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Room service
  • Microwave
  • Picnic area
  • Beach


Lavender Inn by the Sea

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $291 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Hotels for a Family Trip
  • Beach
  • Outdoor pool
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool

Lavender Inn by the Sea offers an outdoor pool, a fitness center, breakfast, laundry services, and a free breakfast which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $291 (before taxes). It's located at 206 Castillo St. And has earned a guest rating of 8.50/10. This kid-friendly hotel is also nice because it offers a hot tub, free parking, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, and family rooms which travelers will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.8 miles from the city center.

Family-Friendly Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Breakfast included
  • Laundry service
  • Free breakfast
  • Laundry facilities
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Beach


Inn by the Harbor

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $217 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Perfect Hotel for a Trip with Kids to Santa Barbara
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Beach
  • Outdoor pool
  • Family rooms

Located at 433 W. Montecito St., Inn by the Harbor has great rooms from $217 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a fitness center, breakfast, rooms with kitchens, and rooms with kitchenettes. It has a terrific 8.40 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find laundry services, a free breakfast, a hot tub, free parking, and laundry facilities which families will love. And this family hotel is just 0.7 miles from the center of town. Being able to prepare food in the room is also very convenient. It's a great value, as the price is less than the average for family-friendly hotels.

Family-Friendly Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Breakfast included
  • Kitchen
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Free breakfast
  • Laundry facilities
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Microwave
  • Beach


Lemon Tree Inn Santa Barbara

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $145 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Great Hotel for Children
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Outdoor pool
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Lemon Tree Inn Santa Barbara which has nice rooms starting at $145. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a bar, and laundry services, it also has a great guest rating of 7.70 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 2819 State Street. Families with kids will really like this fun hotel which also offers a hot tub, free parking, family rooms, a heated pool, and a private pool. It's located just 2 miles from the city center, too. We found the price of this hotel to be a great value because the price is less than average for family-friendly hotels.

Family-Friendly Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Laundry service
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Room service
  • Restaurant
  • Picnic area


For more terrific hotel ideas in Santa Barbara, make sure you also see Best Beach Hotels in Santa Barbara, Best Luxury Hotels in Santa Barbara, Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Santa Barbara, Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Santa Barbara, Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in Santa Barbara, Best Hotels for One Week in Santa Barbara, Best Hotels for One Night in Santa Barbara, or Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in Santa Barbara.


How much do family-friendly hotels cost in Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara Average Family-Friendly Hotel Price
$280

After analyzing 22 family-friendly hotels in Santa Barbara, California, we found the average family-friendly hotel price to be a remarkably economical $280. Naturally, this destination has many fantastic family-friendly accommodation options with a variety of prices. The price will vary by the hotel's amenities, available dates, and the general location. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Santa Barbara.

The average prices of our suggested family-friendly hotels by star rating:

  • 5-star hotels: $851
  • 4-star hotels: $318
  • 3-star hotels: $242


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