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Franciscan Inn the
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5 reviews for Franciscan Inn the
Hmmm...well, hard to say if I'd stay here again. It worked fine, but I there are so many similar properties on Bath St, I think I'd probably see what others were offering.
THE GOOD:
- Location is superb. You can walk to just about anywhere; proximity to the train station is good if that is how you are traveling; Cabrillo Blvd and State are easy short walks.
- Pretty quiet place, which surprised me given the density of lodging and residences in the area.
- Rooms and public areas were pretty clean and seemed maintained to a good standard.
- I always found parking in their lot, which was a plus. Although I noticed the lot was always full at night, so you might end up on the street.
THE BAD:
- Decor in the rooms is funky. Outdated finishes; cheap-ish furnishings.
- Rooms are small.
- Prices are...well, they seem expensive for what you get, but I guess this place is on the cheaper side for SB.
THE WEIRD:
- The hosted continental breakfast is weird. There's a lady standing there telling you that you can have this OR that, and she actually serves you. Yeah, for pastries and coffee. And there's a tip jar for her. I guess it is probably to keep people from pillaging the Costco danishes, but seriously...
If you're planning on spending zero time in your room and enjoying all that SB has to offer, this might be a consideration. However, I would hesitate to come here with kids or if you are planning on spending a lot of time in the rooms, which I will reiterate are funky.
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We have been staying at The Franciscan for the past 25 years, every time we come to Santa Barbara to visit a relative. We have tried many of the rooms, including several different kitchenette/living room suite combos and just plain cheap rooms. All of them have been homey and comfortable, if not a bit on the smallish side, but this is an older building so you just have to take it in stride and it also I think helps keep the prices down. The place is always clean and the staff stays on for a long time here so it is a place we feel very familiar with. I am sorry the best suites are along the Mason St. side due to the fact that on major holiday weekends there can be a lot of traffic passing by on that street until very late. It is not a major inconvenience, I just note it for those who are traffic noise sensitive. Nice pool and hot tub. We enjoy the afternoon hot beverage and cookie bar but have not tried the breakfast as we always walk the block and a half or so to breakfast at Sambo's as it is an old family tradition to go there. The Franciscan is enough off the main drag that traffic per se is not a problem and it is normally quiet at night. Get there by check in for a good parking spot. You can walk to restaurants on State St or on Stearn's Wharf and not have to get your car out at all if you don't want to. The beach is just a block away.
This place is cute & what makes it stand-out from the other Inn's that line Bath St. is they have yummy treats in the lobby @ all times: yes, the usual coffee/tea, BUT there's fresh baked cookies/croissants & fruit.
& don't let the maps fool ya into thinking you're super far from town. Yes, it's close to the beach (1 block away), but we walked to State St. & it took us only 15 minutes!
A decent hotel in a town where the hotels fill up quickly. One of the better priced hotels in the area that has a pool. It is walking distance to town or the beach too.
The wallpaper was something to see. It had this little extra room with wallpaper so crazy that if you sat in there for too long you might have a seizure! There was also a little trouble with parking, as the lot had filled up by the time we got back from going out on the town.
Otherwise no real problems.
The Continental breakfast was a little different as well. it was "hosted" by a woman who served you the food. A little unusual but nice enough anyway.
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We liked it here. My wife and I took the train up with my folks and stayed here for the weekend. We liked that it was close to State St. and the train station. The room was nice, we enjoyed the little kitchenette and big living room/dining room. Very spacious. It was a great trip and a great place to enjoy Santa Barbara for the weekend.
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