The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Santa Barbara

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Santa Barbara

The Santa Barbara Courthouse The Santa Barbara Courthouse

If it's your first trip to Santa Barbara, California for the activities and sightseeing, then you're in for a treat. But the biggest question is often where to stay for a first time visitor to Santa Barbara. With so many amazing hotels to choose from, it can be tough to make a decision to make the most of your first trip here. That's where we come in! In this comprehensive guide, we'll help you find the best hotels for first-timers in Santa Barbara. After analyzing all of the hotels based on price, location, amenities, ratings, and more, we have come up with our list of the best hotels in Santa Barbara for first time visitors. We'll cover everything you need to know about these hotels, including the amenities, location, prices and ratings. So, whether you're traveling solo, with family, or as a couple on a romantic getaway, you'll find the perfect hotel if you've never visited Santa Barbara beofre. So check out these terrific hotels, many of which have sparkling swimming pools, delicious restaurants, and top-notch amenities, along with the perfect balance of comfort, location, and affordability. So, let's get to it and discover the best hotels in Santa Barbara for your first trip!

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

Harbor View Inn

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $365 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Santa Barbara
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

Located at 28 West Cabrillo Boulevard, Harbor View Inn has great rooms from $365 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center. It has a terrific 8.80 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 0.8 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love a bar, parking, laundry services, city views, and a hot tub at this relaxing hotel. Getting room service delivered is always a nice luxury.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
  • Child pool
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop


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Coast Village Inn

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $200 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Coast Village Inn which has nice rooms starting at $200. Offering an outdoor pool, a restaurant, snorkeling, a bar, and parking, it also has a great guest rating of 8.50 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 1188 Coast Village Road. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers hiking, city views, bicycle rental, family rooms, and a heated pool which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 3 miles from the city center. You'll love relaxing in the heated pool after a busy day exploring. It's also less than the average price for first time trip hotels, so it's a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Tennis
  • Refrigerator


Kimpton Canary Hotel By IHG

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $425 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

We found Kimpton Canary Hotel By IHG to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $425. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 31 West Carrillo Street. You'll also find snorkeling, a bar, parking, child care, and laundry services which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 0.3 miles from the center of town. The pool here was very nice, relaxing, and fun.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator


El Encanto Santa Barbara

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $836 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Santa Barbara
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

With terrific rooms from $836, El Encanto Santa Barbara, at 800 Alvarado Place provides an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. Its terrific guest rating is 9.00 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers parking, hiking, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, and laundry services. It's located just 1.3 miles from the city center, too. The service at the restaurant is terrific, and so is the food.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Kitchen
  • Spa
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Saltwater pool


Hotel Californian

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $472 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 5-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Hotel Californian has a great guest rating of 8.70 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. The great rooms here start at $472 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 36 State Street. Furthermore, it also offers parking, hiking, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, and a hot tub, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 0.7 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. You'll enjoy unwinding in the hot tub, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Best Western Plus Santa Barbara

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $203 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Santa Barbara
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Heated pool

The great guest rating of Best Western Plus Santa Barbara is 8.20 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $203, and it's located at 2220 Bath Street. We also love the rooms with kitchens, laundry services, a hot tub, a spa, and free parking which are great for visitors. And since it's just 1.5 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too. We always love being able to cook meals in a hotel room, and the kitchen here was a nice touch. The price of this hotel is less than average for first time trip hotels, which makes it a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Kitchen
  • Spa
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Brisas Del Mar Inn at the Beach

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $286 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

A cool place is Brisas Del Mar Inn at the Beach because it has great rooms that start at $286. It has an outdoor pool, a fitness center, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, and laundry services, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.90 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 223 Castillo Street. Only 0.7 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love a hot tub, free parking, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, and a heated pool at this convenient hotel. We always love being able to prepare simple meals in a hotel room, and the kitchenette here was teriffic.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Kitchen
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Palihouse Santa Barbara

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $572 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Santa Barbara
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Palihouse Santa Barbara offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $572 (before taxes). It's located at 915 Garden Street and has earned a guest rating of 8.80/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers parking, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, and laundry facilities which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.2 miles from the city center.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator


Santa Barbara Inn

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $268 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Heated pool

Located at 901 East Cabrillo Boulevard, Santa Barbara Inn has great rooms from $268 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. It has a terrific 8.70 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find parking, child care, laundry services, family rooms, and a heated pool which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 1.5 miles from the center of town. It's a great value, as the price is less than the average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator


Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $184 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara which has nice rooms starting at $184. Offering an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, snorkeling, and laundry services, it also has a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 4770 Calle Real. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers golf, a hot tub, a spa, free parking, and laundry facilities. It's located just 5.4 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 first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Snorkeling
  • Spa
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool


Also, take a look at the first time trip hotels in nearby destinations: Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Bakersfield, Pismo Beach, and Solvang.

For more terrific hotel ideas in Santa Barbara, make sure you also see Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Santa Barbara, Best Luxury Hotels in Santa Barbara, Best Pet-Friendly Hotels 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, Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in Santa Barbara, or Best Business Hotels in Santa Barbara.


How much do hotels for first-time visitors cost in Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$286

After analyzing 37 first time trip hotels in Santa Barbara, California, we found the average first time trip hotel price to be a remarkably economical $286. Naturally, this destination has many fantastic first time trip 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 first time trip hotels by star rating:

  • 5-star hotels: $654
  • 4-star hotels: $341
  • 3-star hotels: $255
  • 2-star hotels: $188


Budget Your Trip
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. On this website you can also find travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
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