Pacific Crest Hotel Santa Barbara

We loved how large the room and kitchen were, among the biggest rooms I've stayed in, and the location near the beach was great. The breakfast muffins weren't prepackaged, which we appreciated. A few things could be better: the air-conditioning wasn't very cool, and the oven wouldn't go above 100 degrees. There were no shower shelves or hooks for loofahs, so we had to leave our supplies on the floor. Also, we weren't told by guest services about a planned power outage. Guests should be notified ahead of time and offered things like flashlights or lamps so they can charge phones and make other plans. And please provide more fresh-squeezed OJ.

We picked the Pacific Crest Hotel for two nights because we used to live in Santa Barbara, wanted a low price, and hoped the heated pool would suit our kids. The location between the SB Zoo and the beach is compact, surrounded mostly by other hotels. Driving there is tight, as you'd expect in SB, and I was glad for the off-street parking even though the spaces are cozy. It's a renovated motel, two floors of exterior-entry rooms around a central pool. There are a few very helpful EV chargers. Our room had an efficiency kitchen with dishware, a few pans, and utensils, as good as an AirBnB kitchen setup. The pool wasn't heated, at least not to the 80 degrees stated on the website. The bedroom had just one light, a table lamp between the beds, so overhead lighting would've helped in the evening. The kitchen window had no shade and looked onto the back parking area. Since we were on the first floor, someone could have walked right up and looked in. The shower grout had pink mildew and mold, likely because there's no bathroom fan, which would be an easy addition. The spacious closet needs a light too, and smelled like animal pee. That didn't surprise me if the hotel is pet-friendly.

The room was spacious, the location was excellent, and every staff member we met was friendly and helpful. We had a wonderful stay at the Pacific Crest Hotel. After checking out, we realized we'd left something behind. Naomi and Caro went above and beyond when we called, tracking it down and arranging to ship it back. We really appreciate their kindness and outstanding service.

BEWARE!! I booked based on the website pictures, expecting a desk area because I needed to work during the day. There was no work area, no air conditioning, and I had to keep the windows open. The place was noisy and old, and my room was dirty, smelled like bleach, and had bugs. As a woman traveling alone, it wasn't for me. I stayed one hour, packed up, and went to the front desk. The woman said they couldn't refund me, didn't offer another room, and told me I'd be charged. They ended up charging half the stay even after I raised my concerns. What a joke. This could be fine depending on what you expect, especially if you don't care much about the room and want to be near the beach. It's next to a Motel 6. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Do better and put realistic photos on your website.