With luxurious rooms in Spanish Colonial buildings and views of the Channel Islands, the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara epitomizes the grace and beauty of the Central Coast city known as the American Riviera.
This is paradise, California-style: Walk along pathways through 22 acres of lush grounds of stately oaks, flowers, and swaying palm trees. Soak up some sun by the pool at the resort’s art deco Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club, and catch vivid sunsets while strolling Butterfly Beach.
The Biltmore’s vintage 1920s architecture is mighty impressive, too. In the lobby, you will find historic tile details, wood-beamed ceilings, and graceful archways that bring alive the romance of Old Santa Barbara. The fresco behind the main desk even depicts the 16th-century legend that California was an island. The restaurants and lounges all embrace Santa Barbara’s indoor-outdoor elegance, from the organic, Italian cuisine of Bella Vista, which faces Butterfly Beach, to Ty Lounge, with a fire pit on its oceanfront terrace and chandeliers of handblown glass inside. Also not to be missed: the saltwater aquarium bar at Coral Reef Bar.
The 207 rooms feature down duvets, rain showers, deep soaking tubs and the vibe of a refined bungalow. The accommodations also include actual bungalows, like the Fremont, with its own heated plunge pool and fire pit in a jungle garden setting. The Spa, meanwhile, features rooms with their own ocean views, and treatments employing sustainable botanicals, hydro-peptide facials, and even rose quartz gemstone therapy. For an extra-sensory experience, book a “Sound Mind Sound Body” massage, which features singing bowls placed on the body.
