1918 hillside hotel above Santa Barbara — 92 rooms and suites with ocean views, restored in 2013 under Belmond.
BrandBelmond
DestinationSanta Barbara
RegionNorth America
Price TierTier 2 ($2k-$5k)
SettingHillside luxury hotel with ocean views
Best ForCouples on California coastal trips, repeat Santa Barbara visitors seeking hillside luxury over beachfront scale, Belmond loyalists collecting North American properties.
PrivacyHigh
ServicePersonalized luxury service
ButlerHigh level of service with warm greetings
Private PoolNo
Built1918
Renovated2013
Belmond El Encanto opened in 1918 on the hillside above Santa Barbara and underwent a full restoration in 2013 when it joined the Belmond collection. The 92 rooms and suites spread across the hillside property with ocean views toward the Pacific. The design follows California coastal luxury vernacul
Key Features
Infinity pool with ocean views
Spa and wellness center
Fine dining restaurant
Stylish guest rooms and suites
Beautifully landscaped gardens
Dining
The Dining Room at El Encanto
Signature Experience
Sundowners at the infinity pool — the hillside elevation gives unobstructed Pacific views that the beachfront properties can't match from ground level.
Hillside setting above Santa Barbara with ocean views at smaller scale than the city's beachfront resort options. The 1918 bones give the property a residential character that newer builds lack.
Best time: April through June and September through November offer Santa Barbara's finest luxury conditions, with the famous June Solstice Festival, the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay harvests in September and October, and the Pacific Coast Highway at its most scenic.
Demand: Santa Barbara maintains consistent California luxury demand as the American Riviera, with its combination of wine country, beach luxury, and cultural heritage driving year-round occupancy at the finest properties. Summer months see maximum coastal leisure demand.
Pricing: Ultra-luxury Santa Barbara properties command California premium pricing year-round, with summer peak season seeing full occupancy at the finest Mission-adjacent and coastal addresses. Wine harvest season in October creates meaningful additional demand at the finest wine country properties.
Insider tip: Arrange a private early harvest tour at a Santa Ynez Valley estate followed by a barrel tasting with the winemaker and a private picnic among the vines at sunset — an experience available exclusively through the finest Santa Barbara properties with genuine wine country relationships.
Avoid: Avoid the brief heat wave periods that can occur in September and October when offshore Santa Ana winds create extreme heat conditions that temporarily affect outdoor coastal experiences.
