Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

For our weekend in Santa Barbara for the SB Half Marathon, the hotel did meet our needs. I booked the Mountain View Premium Room nearly five months ahead at almost $600 a night, though, and expected something comfortable, clean, and spacious for two. The room’s large windows covered two walls, and the king bed was pushed against one of them. There was no nightstand on that side, so my husband had to climb over me or scoot to the foot of the bed to get out. The TV was on a side wall in an awkward spot. The sink was outside the bathroom in the main room, with poor lighting, and was the first thing you saw when you entered. There was no closet, just a couple of hangers on hooks by the door. Housekeeping had to be requested 24 hours ahead, and there weren’t really amenities beyond the cafe and bar downstairs. On the plus side, the State St location was great for walking to restaurants, and the beach was 15-20 minutes away, though bars made it loud late at night. The view was beautiful, check-in by text was simple, and staff replied promptly even without a front desk. Our toilet wouldn’t flush on the first morning. Maintenance fixed it after a couple of hours, with regular updates by text. I enjoyed Santa Barbara and the location, but the price didn’t feel justified by the room size or lack of service and amenities.

Michael and Daisy greeted us like old friends and even got our room ready early. Every staff member was warm and attentive, and the service was the best I’ve experienced. The location made it easy to walk to the beach, train stations, restaurants, and bars. The building has a lot of charm, with Dusk on one side for cocktails and the best oysters we’ve had, and Dawn on the other for coffee and morning bites. Our room felt unlike any other hotel room I’ve had, in a good way. The decor was lovely, the bed was incredibly comfortable, and thoughtful touches included robes, earplugs, and water. At the bar, the bartender noticed us waiting and came over right away. Later, a staff member walked us to our room with water, which made us feel safe and cared for. I don’t understand the negative reviews. This is unique, welcoming, and better than a typical hotel. Easily five stars, and I can’t wait to return.

The “premium room with a balcony” has no bathroom door, a detail the website really should mention. The toilet is about ten feet from whoever you’re staying with, so be ready for that. The hotel won’t offer compensation either. It’s otherwise a nice hotel, but I wouldn’t knowingly pay this much for such an intimate setup. The curtain in the photo is for the balcony. It doesn’t screen off the bathroom.

The room was cool, comfortable, and very clean, and the staff were great. The concept makes smart use of the space. You can’t beat the location, right on the pedestrian section of State, near the beach. Highly recommend Drift!