El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel

Love this hotel. Great staff. But restaurant can be iffy. Friends attended New Year Eve dinner with us . Was ridiculously overpriced. $195.00! Without wine or service tip. So meal for 4 was $1000-for a bad dinner? And the meal-two menus only...was terrible. Vegetarian was bland while regular menu was ok but small servings and some dishes were not warm. Sad because hotel is great.

Went for a 2 day getaway the place is charming and the staff is 5 star and they are extremely dog friendly which is great for us as we love to travel with our pets.

My recent three-night respite at El Encanto (Belmond) in Santa Barbara was a welcome revelation. Arrived early evening to a swift yet gracious checkin, then assisted to my suite by a personable young man. Perks were acknowledged. Suite 703 is spacious, uncluttered with attractive comfortable furniture, fireplace, large bathroom with separate shower (rain) and tub, two sinks, toilet in alcove. AND (pièce de résistance) two terraces with comfy chairs. Because the grounds are gorgeously gardened and the Spanish-style bungalows so charming, the terraces delight, even in December. The venue is comprised of white bungalows with Spanish tile roofs, some 27 of them connected by smooth brick walkways and a few small stair sets. Many bungalows feature terraces and there is other outdoor seating. The pool is attractively fenced off, surrounded by seating and big shade umbrellas. The lobby building houses reception/concierge desk, bar, indoor/outdoor restaurant, assorted function rooms. F&B is quite good although very pricey. Sophisticated offerings as well as basic stuff. The fish & chips, and steak tacos were excellent as were my breakfasts of perfectly scrambled eggs, hash browns, toast, OJ, large rectangular muffin thing. Service, including prompt room service, was outstanding and then some. Courteous, engaging, super competent. It’s rare to experience service of this fine caliber in the States. Already planning my return, probably in February or March.

The rooms, the architecture, the amenities, the ambience and the amazing view were all spectacular, however the staff - every single one we encountered - were what made our stay. They all seemed sincerely happy to work there and sincere in wanting the guests to have the best stay possible. We highly recommend this hotel whether enjoying a meal, a massage but hope you all choose to stay the night too. You won’t be disappointed.

This was a repeat visit. I’m super frugal and this is a splurge. This is what I expect to pay for if I want a local getaway and feel like I’m really on vacation. The staff feels like family members and the entire property feels like a home. The views are magical and I cannot wait to return to this property. The highlight of this trip was seeing my son’s excitement when we walked into our room and he found his paw patrol bed! He didn’t want to leave!