6 Things To Know About The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara

The author stayed as an invited guest of The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara. All opinions are the author’s own, and The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, had no input in any part of this review.

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, is one of the nicest hotels in the Santa Barbara region, and I enjoyed my October 2024 stay. The property is well worth redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for and is a luxurious option if you want to get away at the “American Riviera.” However, knowing a few of my insider tips before booking may help set the expectations for your stay.

1. The Hotel Isn’t Located Downtown

One of the most important things to understand about The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, is that it isn’t in downtown Santa Barbara. That’s both good and bad. The hotel is approximately 25 minutes north of the downtown Santa Barbara area and about a 10-minute drive from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), the region’s main airport.

Because of this, you will not be able to walk from the hotel to Santa Barbara itself. Many walking paths are in and around the hotel, but most only lead to scenic overlooks or onto the beach. If you’re looking to head to restaurants or shopping, you’ll need a car or need to utilize a ride-share to take you to Goleta or Santa Barbara.

That said, because this hotel isn’t located downtown, it’s a very picturesque and quiet place to stay. You won’t have to deal with any college students or other rowdiness you may typically find downtown, and you’re far removed from the hustle and bustle.

Transportation is relatively easy if you stay in downtown Santa Barbara (or along the water). For example, I frequent the Mar Monte Hotel a fair amount and usually take the train up from Los Angeles, where I can walk to the hotel. It’s about a mile along the beach but easily walkable.

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, essentially requires you to have a car, as that’s the best method to get around since there are no public transit options or a house car to take you anywhere. You can easily rent a car from the airport. I usually take Amtrak, but I opted to fly into Santa Barbara for this trip to the hotel. I chose a flight, knowing it would put me at the rental car facility where I could easily pick up a car and drive to the hotel.

2. There Are Great Aesthetics and Views

The property of The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, is simply stunning. It’s well-manicured, and many of the rooms offer fantastic views of the ocean.

There are over 300 rooms, but only a handful have sweeping views of the water. If you’re interested in securing such a view, you’ll want to ensure you book that specific room type. Ritz-Carlton hotels only offer upgrades to Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite members, so lower-tier elites should be especially cautious when booking.

The hotel is on a cliff overlooking the water, so there are wonderful views if you walk towards the edge. Unfortunately, beach erosion has caused some trail damage along the water, so the hotel has had to block off some of these paths, but you can get your steps in on some alternate pathways.

3. Golf Carts Abound

While not huge from end to end of the main guest areas, the property is a bit hilly. From the front desk towards the pool, the walk is primarily downhill. Coming back is another story; The hills may be too much for folks with mobility impairments.

Not to fret, as the hotel has a golf cart shuttle system that will take you anywhere you want to go. You can request a golf cart on demand as you need one or wait by any marked shuttle signs where a golf cart makes regular rounds to pick you up and take you to where you need to go.

4. There’s a Paid Club Lounge

This hotel has a Ritz-Carlton Club just down a set of stairs and a path from the main lobby building. However, you won’t be able to use elite status to gain access. The lounge is only accessible to those who purchase it with their rooms, and rates start at $150 per person per night. Because of this, capacity is limited to approximately 30 guests a day.

That $150 stretches pretty far, and you could cover your daily meals with it:

• Breakfast features several hot dishes, yogurts, breads, pastries, oatmeal, and fruits.
• A “light lunch” features wraps, sandwiches, small burgers, a salad station, and some small plates.
• Afternoon tea includes scones, tea sandwiches, small cakes, and cheese.
• Evening appetizers feature soup, skewers, small hot plates, cheese, a salad station, vegetables, and more.
• Dessert offers a rotating selection of small cakes and treats.

Throughout the day, there’s a selection of complimentary nonalcoholic beverages, wine, beer, and cocktails. Considering you get 4 “meals” a day plus unlimited beverages, this can be well worth your while, though it’s worth noting that the price goes up during higher seasons.

One nice thing about this club lounge is the outdoor seating area, where you can relax by a fire pit, sip a glass of wine, and enjoy the Santa Barbara sunshine.

5. Exercise Is Easily Accessible

This hotel is well-suited if you’re ready to work up a sweat. The hotel has a huge gym in the main building featuring traditional weights and machines. If you’re looking for something more outdoorsy, there’s a tennis center a short walk away from the main hotel property and several nearby walking and running trails.

If that isn’t enough, you can walk down onto the beach and walk for miles in either direction, especially at low tide.

Some of the trails have started to erode due to storms and other natural impacts, so the hotel has had to close them for safety. However, the goal is to somehow rework them to provide a continuous outdoor experience (with great views).

6. Parking Is Expensive

This hotel charges $70 a night for valet parking, and there is no self-parking option. This parking fee is extreme, and considering the stay as a whole, it would be the main drawback of choosing this property in the future.

To pay $70 for parking is absurd, especially when there is a large open lot next to the main building that you could easily self-park in, except for the barriers the hotel has installed to prevent this. This parking fee is clearly a money grab, as most guests will likely have a car since no public transit options are nearby. Combined with the $55 per night resort fee (which does include numerous free classes and tours), you’d pay over $125 per night in added fees, an outrageous amount for this specific hotel, let alone any other hotel.

In online reviews and forums, the hotel notes that its parking fee is in line with other resorts in the area, but this parking fee doesn’t make sense for the property, especially when there’s enough room to self-park in the nearby lots if the hotel would allow it.

Downsides of the Hotel

While the hotel is undoubtedly beautiful, and I’d return, there are a couple of things worth noting.

I found Wi-Fi from my room in building 4 incredibly slow, so much so that I was dropped from a Zoom call I was on 4 different times. Other parts of the hotel had a fast connection, but my assigned room had a very poor signal.

The check-in experience was a little odd. Normally, when I’ve stayed at Ritz-Carlton hotels, the bell person asks your name when you pull up or walk in and prepares the front desk for your arrival. Here, I almost felt like I was at a regular hotel. When I approached an available agent, she got sidetracked while helping me by assisting other guests at the same time. I thought that was incredibly odd for such a high-end property. It didn’t seem to be the polished Ritz-Carlton experience I’ve come to think of, but it may have been a fluke of my stay.

Final Thoughts

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, is a stunning property on a picturesque cliff overlooking the ocean below. The hotel has many great amenities that will keep you occupied, but it is a bit of a drive to downtown Santa Barbara, making it difficult to dine out in nearby restaurants or shop if you don’t have a car.

The parking fee is outrageous, and it would be the single thing that would keep me from coming here again. However, if you’re okay with ride-sharing from the airport and don’t wish to visit the surrounding area by car, the hotel is a perfect place to stay in Santa Barbara.