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Harbor View Inn
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
28 W Cabrillo BlvdSanta Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 963-0780
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
About This Business:
Get ready for a flexible, fun-filled day touring the vineyards and tasting liquid treasures crafted by passionate local winemakers. Enjoy daily wine… read more »
60 reviews for Harbor View Inn
Review Highlights
"We had a balcony room overlooking the ocean."
(in 22 reviews)
"Huge Bathroom/Shower."
(in 5 reviews)
"...walking distance from Stearns Wharf and restaurants, just a..."
(in 7 reviews)
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60 reviews in English
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Review from L N.
Torrance, CA
10/19/2011
Location: Great!!! Half a block from the pier, walking distance to happenings on State Street.
Service: Great!!!
Food @ Eladio's: Breakfast is great!!! Guests receive a 20% discount.
Rooms & Baths: New and clean. My bath had separate tub and stall shower. Great patios and pool area.
Parking: Freeee!!!
Spa: Didn't have time to imbibe :-(
Internet: Freeee!!!
Tip: The freebies offered for three or four nights stay are NOT available if you get a discounted rate (e.g., AAA, AARP, etc.) -
Review from Asia B.
Alexandria, VA
12/17/2011
For the type of resort hotel this place appears to be, I think there are a few things they could handle better. But overall, it's not a bad place.
Recently went here, and showed up 15 minutes before check-in time. I was told that my room was not yet ready, but I could come back. When I asked if there was another room available now, since it was only 15 minutes before check-in, I was put in the room next door. So I did notice that housekeeping was not done cleaning my original room until almost 5 pm. And boy were they banging everything in that room around to clean it. The hotel isn't that big that a room assigned to a guest checking in shouldn't be clean by check-in.
I find the hours of the tiny workout room rather inconvenient. They only open at 7 AM, and close at 9. There are very few machines in the room, typical of a hotel, and an incomplete set of weights. Meh.
Room service is decent, but can take a little while in the morning. The breakfast items I tried were all delicious. The pasta items are good. Wish they had soup on the room service menu.
Parking is free. That's nice.
The detergent used on the sheets and towels is also really harsh. I was having a hard time sleeping, and my entire body was itchy.
The location is nice. Across from the water. Near lots of great shopping and restaurants...
Most of the staff, in particular the valets, are very friendly. -
Review from Matilda P.
Campbell, CA
11/10/2011
What a terrible, terrible place. My husband and I went here on our honeymoon (which the staff knew about) and managed to make so many mistakes and then refused to correct them.
1. We checked in at 4:30 and 20 minutes later, housekeeping shows up to turn down the room. Bizarre.
2.) We tried to get into the work out room but the key would not work. Not a big deal except the front desk gave us a really hard time about getting our keys re-done.
3.) The guy at the front desk sent us a mile and a half down the street to go to Longboards. Locals might find this funny because Longboards is DIRECTLY across the street from Harbor View!
4.) We took a shower in the morning only to find that the shower was filthy and had hair plastered all over the wall from the previous guest. I called the front desk and told them to come clean the room immediately. We were out all day and returned at 4pm to find that NOTHING had been cleaned. I called again and they said they'd sent someone at 5 when we left for dinner, but they showed up 5 minutes later as we were getting ready to leave (communication anyone?).
5.) Minutes later we heard a key sound and our door opened without knocking. It was a groundskeeper who looked shocked to see us and then said he wanted to let us know he was going to sweep the porch! WHY did you need to open our door then?
6.) When my husband went to talk to the Shift Supervisor RAMON, he apologized but said that there was really nothing he could do but give us a bottle of champagne. He refused to let us check out without a $100 charge for use of the room for a few extra hours. THEY HADN'T EVEN CLEANED IT YET....IT WASN'T EVEN CLEAN WHEN WE GOT IT! WOW. I went in to join this conversation, but was very upset at this point. This "supervisor" was not making any kind of decision until I told him to call his manager at home. It wasn't until that point that he finally let us leave the reservation without being charged.
We went to the Eagle Inn around the corner and got the honeymoon suite for less than what we were paying here, they had free breakfast delivered in the morning, free beach cruisers to use every day, CLEAN rooms, an awesome staff and homemade cookies every day. WHAT a difference! Take note Harbor View! -
Review from Michelle S.
Los Angeles, CA
2/5/2012
Had to organize a work retreat and needed to find a place close to the beach that also had a private room for meeting, and parking. The Harbor View inn proved to be a great spot! I must admit I was apprehensive because I had read some horrible reviews regarding the unfriendly staff and the loud train noise that could be overheard, but I was happy to find out that the staff was great and I could not hear a trace of the train! The rooms were great--very clean and nice set up. The pool and jacuzzi were also very clean and accessible, and there was free wi-fi for all guests.
The location is great as it is literally across the street from the beach, and it's on State street, which means it's only a few blocks from all the restaurants, bars, and other nightlife.
I would recommend this spot for your group/meeting. The staff really works with you to try to accommodate what you are looking for. Only thing is you've got to make sure to follow up so you know exactly what you are getting. Parking recently changed, so it is no longer free on-site, but there is a free lot behind the inn, where it's first come, first serve. Of course, I would recommend for a couples' getaway, because it looks like it would be a great spot for a romantic weekend. I think I'll come back on my own. -
Review from Terra L.
Frankfort, IL
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
Friendly staff, nice size hotel Great Location. Would stay here again [even though there was food on one of the steps for 2 days]
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Review from A J.
Boulder, CO
2/5/2012
My stay was very comfortable. Had an ocean view - you get to watch sunrises from the bed. Great bathroon w shower and bath tub. The valets are very sweet, but one of the two women (kelsey or brianna) at the front desk was very rude! Th room was not ready and she did nothing to store the luggage (even though she said she would). I even said "okay I guess I will just store this in my car till the room is ready", but she didn't care. That is the one reason I don't give this place 5 stars. Do not bother to eat at the restaurant attached to this place- Very average food (wait staff are all nice, but the food itself is below average). The location of this place is very good. Right in front of west beach, which is not the best beach, but quiet. State st is close as well. Hotel has free parking and free internet. On the whole I would come back (hopefully would not get one of the two women at check in!)
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Review from Sheila D.
San Diego, CA
11/12/2011
One of my favorite hotels in Santa Barbara, being that it is right across the street from the pier, walking distance from the train station and to the State St. trolley. We always take the train from San Diego, so the location is very convenient Their restaurant, Eladios has a delicious breakfast but on holidays there can be a bit of a wait. Definitely get a room with a balcony that looks out to the ocean and pier.
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Review from Alessandra N.
Greenbrae, CA
6/24/2011
This place is higher end. 4.5 stars
The rooms were large, modern, clean and on the beach, save yourself $200. and stay here instead of Four Seasons. The restaurant attached had great breakfast. -
Review from Kellie F.
4/21/2011 1 photo
*I'd really give this place 4.5 stars, knocking off half a star for the "fine but not great room service breakfast". *
(Seriously Yelp, when are you gonna give us a half star option?)
Anyway, this place was really nice. We splurged and got the King Ocean View ($$$$). It had a great view of the ocean (duh) and the pier. Had a nice little balcony where we had our "meh" breakfast, met a one-footed seagull, and relaxing reading books. Ahhhh...
Great location. Front desk people were very nice. Parking was included (notice I say "included" and not "free", because let's be real...). Room was clean and cute, but was that really a king size bed? Me thinks not... Bathroom was really nice. Nice big shower, and big ol' tub (which I didn't have a chance to use, but looked awesome). We told them it was our anniversary, so we had a nice complimentary bottle of champagne waiting for us. Also, the alarm was one of those ipod dock ones, so it was very convenient for charging our phones.
All in all I'd totally recommend staying here if you've got the $$$ to fork over.
Tip: Go visit the spa first. You don't have to have a treatment booked to use it, and you can enjoy their more private hot tub. MOREOVER, you can go get yourself a free bottle of water, rather than paying $2.50 for the bottle in your room, and go get some mouth wash or a brush or razor or anything else you may have forgotten. Because when you're paying THAT much for a hotel room, you save where you can. ;) -
Review from Lane K.
Long Beach, CA
3/15/2011
This is the hotel we spent our honeymoon in and it's my favorite place to stay in Santa Barbara. Yes it's a bit on the pricey side so it's a splurge but it's really nice. I would recommend calling and making your reservation at the front desk instead of using their website because I had problems that way. The staff is pretty good. The guy who checked us in was a bit icy but everyone else was nice.
If you are going to stay here I would recommend an ocean view room. Not only did we have a great view of the beach but the pool area as well, sitting on the balcony watching the waves come in was awesome. Bed was comfortable, room was pretty big. High, vaulted ceiling which I liked. Big bathroom with a tub and separate shower. The pool and spa were great. Not too crowded for a weekend in July and there is a poolside bar open Thurs-Sun. The bartender was really nice. They will also bring your room service out by the pool if you want.
Within walking distance from Stearns Wharf and restaurants, just a really nice place to stay. Since it a little more expensive, we didn't come across many college kids partying or families with small children. Which was nice because we were trying to have a romantic weekend. Definitely recommend. -
Review from Kelley S.
Redondo Beach, CA
11/21/2011
This hotel essentially ruined my honeymoon. They were wildly uncooperative when my husband and I arrived at midnight straight from our wedding and discovered we had forgotten my wallet with Id and credit card. We had our confirmation code but they would not let us stay. My husband was exhausted from lack of sleep for anticipation of the wedding and we were stranded. Luckily hotel Santa Barbera let us stay with just cash deposit as we had card and gifts from the wedding. We had to drive back to L.A. during our 2 day honeymoon to get the purse and check in to the Harbor View Inn the next day. Ultimately they refused to refund our money for our wedding night nor would they let us stay an extra night complimentary. The desk man, Mick, never let my husband speak to the manager that first night. He was exceedingly rude as I stood in tears in my wedding gown.
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Review from D B.
Mountain View, CA
7/7/2011
Amazing oceanfront view from our room. Stayed for the 4th, and it was a real treat to stand on our balcony and watch the fireworks front & center.
The hotel location can't be beat with the ocean/wharfs directly across the street, and then State St. access as well. You really don't have to get in your car to explore the downtown area. There is a bit of street/traffic noise but that is the trade-off for having the views and location, bring ear plugs if you want to sleep in late.The pool area is nice and the grounds are well maintained.
The one main peeve of our stay was lack of housekeeping. When you pay ~$400 a night & return to your room from being gone all day & have to call daily for your room to be cleaned/serviced that is a take-away. This is indeed the main area of improvement for the Harbor View Inn. Beyond this, Harbor View Inn is worth a stay for the premium location. -
Review from Sina F.
Mission Viejo, CA
11/20/2011
Great location, convenient parking, nice rooms, wonderful service.
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Review from Ej F.
2/27/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Location. location. location.
This hotel already has 3 great things going for it! Being at Cabrillo and State St., this place is within walking distance to the wharf and state street shops and restuarants. We didn't get an 'ocean view' room, but we seemed to have a extra long room by having the one at the end of the hallway. There's only three floors and the one elevator we used was fast and functional. First impression of any hotel I walk into is usually the smell. Well, it smelled like a hotel but it didn't smell old or dirty so that was promising. We didn't get a chance to check out the amenities (fitness center, pool) over the weekend, but we enjoyed our stay.
(+) Great location (in case you skipped down to this part of my review)
(+) Complementary and adequate parking
(+) Free Wi-Fi (big positive for me since I bring my laptop on almost every trip and hate having to request/pay for internet at hotels)
(+) 20% discount at Eladio's restaurant and nearby coffee shop
(+) Large room with huge balcony and outdoor chairs
(-) Bed was a bit uncomfortable
(-) Price... but that's expected for Santa Barbara and it's downtown location, at least they give a 10% AAA discount!
Bee-tee-dub, I really liked the hotel shampoo (random, but I felt it's worth mentioning). It's a green tea honey scent and it smells amazing (yes I took the small bottle home). If you stay here, bring me some of that shampoo! -
Review from Libby D.
Austin, TX
9/4/2011
This hotel's website does not do the property justice. We booked a room here as the first night of our honeymoon driving up the PCH. My husband and I were hesitant to stay here because although the reviews on Yelp were good, the pictures on their website were lacking. When we arrived we were upgraded to an Ocean-view suite that overlooked Stearn's Wharf. Not a very modern feel; more comfortable and cozy with modern amenities. The location was great, the view was fantastic and it was a quick walk to all the bars, shops and restaurants in the area. We talked to the concierge about a dinner recommendation and he nailed it. Not at all snooty and a great overall experience.
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Review from Rebecca M.
Los Angeles, CA
1/31/2011
Such a relaxing weekend at Harbor View Inn!!!
We stayed here for the weekend to celebrate our anniversary and were promptly checked in upon arrival. We thought the check-in time would be later (4pm) but they handed us room keys right when we arrived (1:30pm) so we got to settle in early! The concierge also sent up a complimentary bottle of champagne along with a card. The hotel is beautiful and the location is excellent. The bed is so plush and soft that you almost have to force yourself to get out of it. I loved the bathtub! It's huge and allows for two people to fit comfortably in it. Each room comes with its own balcony and chairs to enjoy the beautiful view. You can also request for a late check-out. Room service was very efficient. They came in for turn down service while we were at dinner, replacing all of the towels and adding little mints by our bedside. Wonderful service at this hotel!
When we come back to Santa Barbara, we're definitely going to stay here again! Harbor View Inn, thanks for making our anniversary special!
-RM -
Review from Jonathan G.
Playa Vista, CA
3/14/2011
The best thing this hotel has going for it is the location: just across the street from Stearn's Wharf, it offers easy access to the shopping & night life on State Street and the beaches. Plus, the price was about $200 for an ocean view king. Having said that, I would never come to this hotel were it not for the location / price combination. The room was decorated in Hotel 6 chic and had a somewhat unclean air about it, and the balcony looked out across a very busy street (which kind of spoiled the whole point of being so close to the ocean).
The gym is a bit of a joke, but I guess that's indicative of the size of the hotel. I did appreciate being able to self park very close to the main lobby. Service was friendly, but there was a bit of an issue with having our room ready and we had to wait for a bit in the lobby. -
Review from Tom L.
Clayton, CA
3/13/2011
Great location, easy to get to everything we wanted. Our room had a nice little balcony where you could enjoy some wine and watch the ocean- what's not to like
Rooms are clean and service was great -
Review from cindy c.
Long Beach, CA
3/1/2011
I had the best birthday weekend here with my manfriend. This quaint, cute little spot has THE best location. it was a walk across the street to the ocean and walking distance to the wine trail. it's so romantic too!
they were very accommodating as well. when my manfriend and i got there, my friend wanted to see if there was another available suite, even after we checked in. they showed him another one that was available, but i liked the one we were at.
they had champagne and a card waiting for me in the room already! everything is clean and spacious. there was a living room with a big flat screen, a mini bar, a HUGE bathroom, and a bedroom. it was an impressive suite for such a good deal! we were treated like v.i.ps. it was amazing.
not only that, but when we checked out, they let us keep our car in the parking lot while we walked around dt sb. how nice is that?
if you want to impress your significant other without spending too much, this is it! -
Review from V C.
Upland, CA
We got the resort suite in the middle building facing the corner of State St and Carillo where the pier is. Even though it was a weekday, the rate was over $500 but if you have AAA it's 10% discount. The suite is very large with 2 balconies, a foyer, a living room, 2 TVs, bar area, large bathroom with separate tub and shower. I utilized that deep tub well with the nice Morton Brown bath products. Their bathrobes are soft and thick too. The room was clean and green (with recycling bins). Both husband and I agree we would stay here again. Maybe just a regular room with ocean view for about $100 less. Not worth it if not ocean view. Love the lounging in the chairs on the balcony. We don't mind the hustle and bustle sounds of the street corner or outside patio of the restaurant. There are plenty of windows to let in the cool breeze anyhow. So our suite suited us just fine.
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Review from A Z.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 6/3/2011
2nd stay here. Decided to get the ocean view king....worth every penny!
The view from our room was probably the best view from any hotel in SB.
The front desk staff is great. Jacuzzi/Pool awesome!
Reason for the 4 star....they never re-stocked the mini bar and didn't take our dirty glasses from room service. We were there for 4 days.
Will still come back here!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/26/2010
Location is the best if you want to be near the water and also plan on spending time at Stearns… Read more »
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Review from Scout R.
Burbank, CA
6/5/2011
Came here for a birthday weekend. The room was really nice and that bathroom was amazing. HUGE deep tub and nice marble shower. The bed was okay, but I have trouble sleeping anywhere that's not my own bed. The pool and jacuzzi were great. We had the jacuzzi all to ourselves because it was lightly raining, it was perfect. Flat screen TV in the room and plenty of channels. We were on the 2nd floor, would recommend getting a room on the 3rd floor so you can see more of the ocean. Cons - the ocean-view rooms look out on to Cabrillo street, so you'll hear and see cars if you're out on the balcony.
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Review from Heather s.
San Mateo, CA
10/25/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Fabulous location to enjoy a little weekend in Santa Barbara! Across the street from Stearns Wharf, a quick stroll along the beach to the Harbor, up State St to shopping and resturants, or down Cabrillo to wine tasting -- Location is everything!
Clean updated spacious rooms -- though the bed and pillows were way too soft for our liking. If you like sinking into the bed without back support, you'll love it.
Specified we were celebrating a birthday and they left a bottle of champagne in our room upon check-in. (Anyone can win me over with free stuff!)
Taking off a star for spotty housecleaning services - we left dirty face towels in the tub to the replaced, and they never picked them up, yuck!
We paid $250/night for a city view king -- which I thought was a great deal in the off-season. I imagine the higher prices during primetime could be a little ridiculous and potentially not so worth it? Then again, if its location you're after, this place is perfect! -
Review from Sarah M.
Alhambra, CA
11/1/2010
This place is really nice and it was all about location, location, location! You can walk to the front on Stearns Wharf the pier, or walk behind and go on State Street with its forever line of stores and restaurants. Nearby is also Wheel Fun, where you can rent bikes and quadricycles and other go mobiles.
The beds were soft and there was a huge flat screen TV. We got an OCEAN VIEW KING room and had a great balcony facing the ocean and pier. It can get noisy if you leave the sliding door open. The staff is very helpful and you get free LA Times. Eladio's is their restaurant and does room service from 7am-11pm and...do it! Splurge and get breakfast delivered in the morning from the hanging menu and look at your view and eat. Saves lining up at some brunch place nearby, esp on the weekend.
Their toiletries weren't that great. The shampoo was a combo with a conditioner and it kind of stinks. Bring your own. HUGE bathroom for our room though, on the 2nd floor.
Definitely worth the money if you're willing to pay it for the time saving location and amenities. -
Review from Madhulika G.
Sunnyvale, CA
7/18/2011
We stayed at this hotel over the weekend - great service, loved the pool and hottub - though it gets busy in the evenings.. Its just across the street from the beach - which is just great ! great views- will go and stay their next time we are in Santa Barbara.
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Review from Ingo H.
Oceanside, CA
8/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great location, great hotel, recommend the beach view room!
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Review from Ken K.
Fremont, CA
4/6/2011
Pros:
-good location
-free upgraded room
-friendly staff
-easy parking
Cons:
-the stupid train during the day
- the stupid train at night
- the stupid train in the early morning
This place is a very nice hotel...kinda looks like they remodeled it recently. Very spacious rooms and very clean. The one major problem is that damn train. Holy crap...there's nothing like a speeding train rolling past your room blaring it's horn in the middle of the night. Overall nice hotel with nice staff...definitely recommended...especially if you like trains. -
Review from Erin S.
Santa Ana, CA
11/2/2011
We would give it ZERO stars, if we could. There was nothing but problem after problem here. This hotel is literally the worst hotel we have ever stayed at... do not stay here unless you want to be treated horribly by the GENERAL MANAGER OF THE HOTEL. 7 months prior to our wedding day, we reserved a block of rooms for our wedding party and out of town guests and were very excited to stay at such a beautiful hotel. About 2 months before the wedding, everyone started calling to book their rooms. We had 10 rooms that we were obligated to reserve at a group rate discount and after the 10 rooms filled, the hotel was all of a sudden "completely booked" when additional guests called. Turns out... if someone called and DID NOT mention our wedding, the hotel would have rooms. If someone called and mentioned our wedding, the hotel was "sold out." All in all, we ended up with over 15 rooms booked here with our wedding party and in order for the 5 additional rooms to get the group discount, I had to take the time to e-mail someone with the guest names so that she could apply the discount. The entire process was frustrating as many guests had to stay at other hotels because they were told this one was sold out which was not actually the case. We ignored this issue and brushed it off hoping everything would work out. I figured that this would be the perfect hotel for our out of town guests... come to find out- it was the worst hotel we could have stayed at due to poor management and customer service. Upon arrival, we were greeted by front desk staff informing us of construction that we were promised would not impact our stay. As the bride and groom, we were hoping to stay in a relaxing enviroment and all we got was a room with an unusable balcony. We called the front desk hoping to move rooms and were told there was nothing they could do for us. We asked to speak with the manager of the hotel and were appaulhed to find out that the manager would do nothing but threaten us. He yelled at us and said he couldn't do anything for us because then he would have to do something for everyone else. Then he told us that we could just leave and stay somewhere else if we were unhappy. We have personally never been treated so poorly at any hotel... even a motel, for that matter, has better customer service. We asked to speak to someone higher than him and found out that his father owns the hotel. So, of course, we could not get anyone to help us in a more professional manner. We were treated very poorly and could not believe that the manager of the hotel would not help us out at all... and treated us with absolutely no respect. This was, by far, the worst hotel experience we have ever had. We would never stay here again, nor recommend it to anyone... as former Santa Barbara residents, I am embarassed to tell anyone that we even stayed at such a poorly run establishment. There are many wonderful hotels to stay at in Santa Barbara... this is NOT one of them.
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Review from neil c.
San Francisco, CA
12/18/2007
Every time I've gone to Santa Barbara and not stayed here, I've regretted it.
The room are fantastic. Clean, spacious, great bathrooms. Some of them have good views. But even those that don't, you know that you are right by the pier. And the staff is exceedingly nice. It's not cheap, but there really is something to that old saying "you get what you pay for." -
Review from Annie C.
Los Angeles, CA
1/22/2007 3 photos
Beautiful rooms and you can't get any closer to the pier! It was my first trip to Santa Barbara and I was spoiled by this hotel.
We had a huge room with a flat panel tv, a huge king bed, a balcony with a partial view of the ocean and a huge bathroom! The sweetest part about the hotel service was that H. let them know it was my birthday and they left us complimentary champagne with a birthday greeting in the room!!
It is walking distance to the bars, shops, restaurants on state street and just across the street from the pier (the oldest in CA according to H.). You should look into this place if you're planning a trip to SB...and you'll get the best rates off season.Listed in: Weekend Getaway to Santa…
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Review from Morgan T.
San Diego, CA
6/1/2010
My boyfriend paid for our weekend at the Harbor View Inn and hid the receipt from me, so my review doesn't take into account a cost-to-service/amenities analysis, but...
Third floor room with a balcony was fab-u-lous. Personally, I think the rooms facing the parking lot (with an indirect view of the ocean) are preferable to those facing the ocean. The rooms that overlook the ocean also overlook the busy street and could be noisy. In my room I had no problems with noise from other rooms or the outside.
The room was large, well kept, with high ceilings, a big flat-screen TV and two sliding glass doors to a balcony. Our toilet was easily clogged, which can really put a damper on things. It seems that it might be a hotel-wide problem as I overheard that there was also trouble with the toilet in the lobby.
Fitness center was okay, but not great. I didn't take a dip in the pool myself, but it looked good with a nice poolside area.
I really liked this hotel and would gladly stay again, even though I don't think there was anything special that set the hotel apart. -
Review from Kazu S.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2011
Based on the great reviews on a couple of sites, I reserved a room at the Harbor View Inn last year. Boy, was I in for a surprise. I planned to come down from San Francisco to run the Santa Barbara marathon. I invited my little brother to run it with me, and as an early Christmas present, I offered to pay his entry fee and for the hotel room. Shortly before the marathon, however, I caught the flu, and the day before, I decided that I was still too sick to run. My little brother still wanted to run, however, so I called the Harbor View Inn to confirm that they should simply charge the room to the credit card that I used for the reservation.
Katie at the front desk told me that I would have to come in and physically sign the receipt. I explained my situation and that I was in San Francisco, and I asked her to send me whatever authorization form they needed me to sign. She refused. She stated that the only way I could pay for the room without being physically present would be to send a check before arrival, which if it cleared in advance, would be deemed acceptable. I pointed out that since my reservation was for the next day, this was not going to work.
After 30 minutes of back-and-forth with her and her supervisor, Nate, I offered to wire transfer the funds. She refused. I asked her why the hotel would not accept a credit card over the phone, even with a faxed, signed authorization form from me. She stated that it was for "my protection."
I then asked what would happen if I cancelled the reservation. She stated that at this point, she would charge my credit card for the room. I pointed out that if she was willing to charge my credit card if I cancelled the reservation, then it seemed silly to refuse to charge my credit card for the stay, particularly if I faxed her a signed authorization to do so. She refused to budge. As a result, I had to have my little brother charge the room to his credit card, and then I sent him a check. Merry Christmas.
If you look at the reviews marked "terrible" and "poor" on other sites like Trip Advisor, you will see that they consistently point to poor service and/or management when a problem arises. Based on my experience, I must agree. My brother confirmed the reviews that state that that the hotel itself is beautiful, and I think it's easy to be customer friendly when everything goes as planned. However, I believe that the true test of customer service is how you handle a problem when it arises.
If I were to going to spend $300 to $400 a night in Santa Barbara in the future, I will try the Inn of the Spanish Garden or the Canary Hotel Santa Barbara. That way, I would not have to deal with the staff of the Harbor View Inn if anything goes wrong. -
Review from jane f.
San Francisco, CA
2/13/2008
I think I died and went to Santa Barbara heaven when I found this place. I had originally booked a "reasonable" hotel through Expedia and after I went to my room I walked right out, saw the sign at the Harbor View Inn and called to see if they had a vacancy - they had a room available - thank god. I marched back to the dirty hotels front desk and returned my key (luckily I got a refund from Expedia).
Anyway - back to the Harbor View Inn - the rate I got was about half of what it normally is and I got upgraded to a room with a better view. (It was late February, so it was off peak). I stay in a lot of hotels - mainly for business, so they are usually your standard chains. I have to say that this is the best hotel I have stayed at in a really long time. My room was huge - it had a very nice tile hallway with a jacuzzi tub and the actual room was almost the size of the loft that I live in. The
The staff was friendly and the room was very clean. The best part was the balcony off of my room that had a partial ocean view. I will definitely stay there again - maybe even if I have to pay full price -
Review from Rob G.
San Jose, CA
7/26/2009
Wow what a great place to stay!! My girlfriend and I decided to take a little vacation down to SB and we actually didn't know where to stay. I hadn't really planned out where to stay because i had never been to SB before. Thank god i didn't book anything or else i may not have found this place!
First off, they had a super special deal on a balcony room over looking the ocean and no joke 20 yards from the Sterns Pier. I booked without hesitating! Normally the rates seem pretty expensive but the deal we got could not be passed up. Location, Amenities, Pool, Staff! This place was a 4 diamond hotel and it did not disappoint. First off the room was HUGE!! it had two balconies, a small living room, huge king bed, a separate sink from the bathroom, then inside the bathroom, a marble sink and decent size shower and bath tub.
The convenience to be able to walk to the pier and beach was priceless. The pool was super clean, and the Jacuzzi was nice and hot. I had a blast at this hotel and if i had more time i would have spent more time!!! Thumbs up!Listed in: Hotels
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Review from Lisa C.
Bay Area, CA
9/19/2009
We loved our recent stay here!
The hotel is located right across the street from West Beach and Stearn's Wharf. And, it is on the corner of State Street which is Santa Barbara's "downtown" area. We just parked our car at the hotel and didn't need it until we checked out. I'd have to say that the location is one of the best things about the hotel.
We had a balcony room overlooking the ocean. The views were great! The plantation shutters in the room let just the right amount of sunlight in. The room is quite spacious - we also had a small sofa and coffee table to relax in. The bathroom and entry floors had Spanish tiles - very pretty design. A really comfortable room overall. Plus, it was quiet in the room - we couldn't hear any traffic noise or people in the other rooms next to us.
We walked along Cabrillo Blvd, and I couldn't help comparing other hotels we saw with the Harbor View Inn. Definitely, this is one of the best hotels we saw. The hotel is well kept, beautiful flowers on the grounds.
The restaurant at the hotel, Eladio's, makes pretty good food. We had breakfast via room service - huge portions, quite tasty. We had dinner there also - it's a casual place which was also good for our toddler. (Of course, we went early at 5:30pm!)
A charming hotel in a wonderful location! -
Review from Robert L.
Orange County, CA
5/26/2009
Pros:
Perfect ocean view.
Walking distance from the pier.
HUGE/comfortable king size bed.
HUGE bathroom/shower. (walk-in shower, and a tub)
HUGE flat screen TV.
Walking distance from State St.
Nice little restaurant within the hotel.
Friendly staff.
Cons:
The place is actually MUCH nicer in person versus the pictures you see online. =D -
Review from Lauren O.
Long Beach, CA
4/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Beautiful hotel! We first checked into View Harbor Hotel (really a motel) and were so disgusted that we got out of our reservation and moved to this hotel. It was a 1000% improvement. My only complaint is that there were some ants in the bathroom.
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Review from Christine K.
Greater Los Angeles, CA
2/22/2010
I stayed here back in 04/05 and then once again in 07.
Location is prime since the beach is right across the street and State st is right around the corner.
Their ocean views are perfect.
Rooms are spacious with a living room and balcony.
It's not cheap here, but the location makes it worth it.
The only thing I didn't like about this place was the children.
There are many families who stay here and I don't like waking up to kids rowdiness.
The ocean view comes with a pool view, hence you will hear kids loud and clear. -
Review from K M.
Huntington Beach, CA
4/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
I loved this hotel. It is in an awesome location. It's directly across for the beach and pier as well as off State Street where all the restaurants and bars are located. The rooms, bathrooms, and beds are nice. I'd love to stay here again.
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Review from Kenny C.
Oakland, CA
4/14/2009
This place was OK, its in a great location but other then that there is not much to rave about. The room was clean, and l like the fact they have a frig and microwave in the room. The lady at the front desk wasn't rude, but she was not nice either. One cool thing about this place they have an extensive DVD collection, so you can enjoy a good movie while your relaxing.
They have a complimentary breakfast which consist of juice, cereal, and different breads, so don't think your are going to get full. If I stay in Santa Barbara again I doubt I would stay here.
