Hideaway Santa Barbara is a fantastic destination to set as home base for a relaxing Santa Barbara Central coast retreat.
This newly renovated boutique hotel is a proud member of The Kirkwood Collection. It was expertly designed and extensively revamped in 2019 to offer a modernized and bright aesthetic.
The inn sits nestled into an unassuming, quiet neighborhood, situated just three blocks from the beach and six blocks from the famed Funk Zone. This hotel offers a beautiful stroll to the harbor and easy access to the excitement of Santa Barbara city life. It’s as if Hideaway’s thoughtfully created name fittingly describes the visitor experience.
This CABBI B&B emits a warm and welcoming vibration immediately as you pull into the parking lot. Instead of arriving at a “hotel,” coming here feels as if you’re arriving at a bright and cheery country inn, hosted by friends who are excited to meet you.
Feels Like Home
The first detail of Hideaway that I noticed upon walking through the front door was the spaciousness of the lobby area and the brightness of the common area space. An abundance of natural light floods this large room, and the walls are decorated in a nautical combination of blues and whites.
My favorite part of arriving was when the woman behind the check-in desk unexpectedly handed me a cold and refreshing flute of sparkling wine. Checking into a new hotel or B&B can be stressful. Most likely when you arrive, you’re worn down and overwhelmed from traveling, and it’s such a nice touch to receive a glass of champagne to soothe the stresses of sitting in freeway traffic. This champagne ensures a relaxing check-in and relaxing time settling into your room…talk about a warm welcome!
Santa Barbara: The American Riviera
Locals and visitors alike affectionately refer to Santa Barbara as the “American Riviera,” in recognition of its stunning coastal beauty. The city offers fabulous shopping choices, an array of delicious eateries, extensive wine tasting opportunities, and a range of art galleries and educational museums (the historic mission is a must-visit) to explore.
Geographically, Santa Barbara is a naturally protected enclave. This makes for calmer waters and more moderate and enjoyable temperatures year-round. The land is surrounded by the gorgeous sights of the towering Santa Ynez mountain range and the oceanfront sandy beaches. It’s the best of both worlds! Here, visitors can enjoy a range of both adventurous (hiking, biking, sailing) and relaxing (spas, wineries, coastal walks) activities. Santa Barbara offers a temperate Mediterranean climate which is ideal for outdoor activities whether it’s January or June.
Living in Los Angeles (90 minutes south of Santa Barbara) and having gone to college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (90 minutes North of Santa Barbara) this city is not unfamiliar to me — in fact it’s one of my favorite “staycation” destinations because I truly feel like it offers everyone a little bit of everything.
There’s Something Here for Everyone
I’m an avid outdoors lover, so I love the hiking, kayaking and biking adventure opportunities in Santa Barbara. But if you’re more of a “shop till you drop” type of traveler, spa enthusiast, or culinary connoisseur — you’ll also find plenty of things to do in this mid-sized city.
Our Overnight Experience
We enjoyed spending the evening in the “Upstairs Luxury Two Double Fireplace Balcony” suite. The room offered two double beds and a fireplace to cozy up. The suite also featured French doors which opened out onto a petite balcony with views of the hills.
The Hideaway was a lovely place to spend a night. I appreciated the newly updated design and amenities, and it just felt like an overall clean and bright room. I also love how each room is slightly different, which makes each overnight stay experience unique. You could stay here every day for a week and be in a different room with different furnishings, and a different (fabulous) view.
Walking up the stairway to our room, we enjoyed gorgeous sites of the cotton candy sky sunset. It just made me think deeper about how much Santa Barbara feels like a little slice of heaven on Earth.
The woman working on-site the next morning made us a healthy and hearty vegetarian dish for breakfast. It was a hearty boiled egg and hummus & pita creation. It hit the spot, and was perfect to fuel up before a day of exploring the Central Coast.
Overall, I really enjoyed the experience spending the night at Hideaway. It was a fantastic getaway from Los Angeles for a quick overnight trip. The property felt like spending time at a warm and welcoming home.
For more details on Hideaway visit the property’s website, here.
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