El Encanto opened in 1918 on the Riviera, the residential hillside above the Santa Barbara Mission, and reopened in 2013 after a long restoration. Its 90 rooms are bungalows and suites spread through about seven acres of terraced gardens and old trees. The zero-edge pool, the restaurant terrace and many of the rooms look down over the town and out to the Pacific.
Downtown Santa Barbara is a few minutes away by car. From here you can visit the Mission, walk State Street and the tasting rooms of the Funk Zone, spend a day in the Santa Ynez Valley wine country, or take a boat out to the Channel Islands. The hotel has a spa, a fitness program and bicycles for guests.
El Encanto suits couples and anyone who wants a calm garden hotel close to town rather than on the sand. It is not on the beach, and the paths through the gardens are steep in places. The hotel left the Belmond group in 2025 and is now a member of Leading Hotels of the World; its new owners plan a renovation over the next few years, with the hotel staying open.
El Encanto is a hotel of bungalows and suites on the Riviera, the hillside above Santa Barbara, set in about seven acres of terraced gardens. It opened in 1918, and its pool and terraces look out over the town to the Pacific. It suits couples who want a quiet base close to town.
El Encanto has a wonderful perch above Santa Barbara, and the views are amazing. The main hotel building is beautiful, with a nice spa and great event space. The pool isn't crowded, unlike at some Santa Barbara hotels, so it feels like a real retreat. You're still close to downtown, and the hotel runs a complimentary shuttle.
The one caveat is the rooms, which are due for an update. One is planned soon.
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