Harbor View Inn

Santa Barbara, California

Star rating

North Wing City View King
North Wing City View 2 Double
Resort/City View Room
Resort/City View Room
North Wing City View King
North Wing City View 2 Double
Resort/City View Room
Resort/City View Room

The hotel

You’ll feel relaxed as soon as you walk through the door of the Harbor View Inn, Santa Barbara. Once the friendly staff have welcomed you to their Spanish villa-style retreat, it’s time to really chill out. Head to the oceanfront heated pool where you can relax with a cocktail, or the beach is just over the road if you prefer the ocean waves. Speaking of just over the road, Stearns Wharf is there, which is the oldest working wood wharf in California, and it offers restaurants, shops and even a small aquarium!

Amenities

  • Families
  • Bar
  • Fitness Centre/Gym
  • Hot tub
  • Restaurant
  • Room Service
  • Safety Deposit Box
  • Swimming Pool
  • Close to Beach

Where is it

Centrally located across from West Beach and Stearns Wharf, in Santa Barbara. In easy walking distance of local shops and restaurants.

Hotel information

149 rooms and suites on 3 floors in 3 buildings. All with balcony/terrace, air-conditioning, complimentary WiFi, flat-screen TV, Keurig coffee maker, mini-bar*, safe, iron and ironing board, bathrobes and hairdryer.

Resort/City View Rooms are located in the south or west wings, with either 1 king-size bed or 2 queen-size beds, sleeping maximum 4 adults.

North Wing City Rooms with either 1 king-size bed or 2 queen-size beds, sleeping maximum 2 adults.

Ocean View Rooms are located in the south or west wings of the hotel, with either 1 king-size bed or 2 queen-size beds, sleeping maximum 2 adults.

Pool bar (serving drinks and light bites, seasonal hours).

Outdoor oceanfront swimming pol and jacuzzi. Fitness centre.

Complimentary WiFi access. 24-hour reception. Gift shop/convenience store. Self-parking $32 plus tax per night (payable locally, fee subject to change - parking limited to one space per room).

*Denotes local charge.

Rating summary

  • Location Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Sleep Quality Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Rooms Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Service Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Value Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Cleanliness Image of the Tripadvisor rating

Traveller rating

  • Excellent (964)
  • Very good (578)
  • Average (146)
  • Poor (62)
  • Terrible (74)
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Beware of advanced depost

May 10, 2025 John H

I made a reservation for a stay in April and had to postpone the trip. When I found the new date I called the hotel to change my reservation and instead of handeling it on the phone as any other hotel would have done ( I made the reservation directly with the Hotel Website not a third party) they directed me back to their website with instructions… Read more
I made a reservation for a stay in April and had to postpone the trip. When I found the new date I called the hotel to change my reservation and instead of handeling it on the phone as any other hotel would have done ( I made the reservation directly with the Hotel Website not a third party) they directed me back to their website with instructions which I had thought I had done correcty and apparantly I may have missed a step. They enede up charging me for my new reservation without telling me until I saw my statement and refused to give any consideration to assist me in the transfer of my original deposit over to my new stay as I requested. I have stayed all over the world and have never seen this level of 0 willingness to support me with this. Too bad and I will never be staying there again, so beware.... Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Great Santa Barbara Hotel Value and Location

May 6, 2025 F6438UUjosephc

Reserved a king corner room for a 3-day weekend in SB to celebrate my wife's birthday. The HVI is located across from the beach and wharf, close to both State Street and the Funk Zone, sitting on Mission Creek. Great location. The check-in process was quick, Cameron (front desk) was great in offering options to consider for breakfast and lunch… Read more
Reserved a king corner room for a 3-day weekend in SB to celebrate my wife's birthday. The HVI is located across from the beach and wharf, close to both State Street and the Funk Zone, sitting on Mission Creek. Great location. The check-in process was quick, Cameron (front desk) was great in offering options to consider for breakfast and lunch (we already had dinner plans). Parking was simple. The room was lovely - a corner room, with steps going down to the room floor. The bath had a rain shower and a tub for two. The L'Occitane amenities were welcome. The towels were lush. The environment was clean and calming. The primary room had a wet bar with a mini-fridge, a Keurig with supplies, and other amenities. The king bed was comfortable, with great pillows and sheets. The overhead fan was also quiet. A writing desk and chair, a large sitting chair, and an on-wall flat screen TV (not a smart TV) completed the room. We had a balcony with 2 chairs and small table overlooking the parking lot, Mission Creek, and the businesses on State Street. We did not go to the pool and hot tub (cooler than expected and we had other plans) or to the gym. Both appeared online to be very functional. Overall, we found this property to be a good value in an expensive room rate market. The staff was great, with multiple supervisors checking on our room satisfaction and the frontline staff paying attention to the details. Would recommend the HVI for any future stay. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Great Location!

Apr 28, 2025 saraio998 Sonoma, California

My husband and I stayed 3 nights at The Harbor View Inn. The location is great! It was wonderful to walk on the ocean promenade right across the street from the hotel. We walked to restaurants and to the Arlington Theater. Barbara and Kevin were helpful and courteous staff members. And, the rooms were clean and well maintained, with excellent… Read more
My husband and I stayed 3 nights at The Harbor View Inn. The location is great! It was wonderful to walk on the ocean promenade right across the street from the hotel. We walked to restaurants and to the Arlington Theater. Barbara and Kevin were helpful and courteous staff members. And, the rooms were clean and well maintained, with excellent housekeeping staff. A very enjoyable stay. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Wonderful Hotel - highly recommended!!

Apr 21, 2025 Carol L

We were in Santa Barbara for my nieces wedding. We booked 3 king rooms for 3 nights at Harbor View - I only wish we could have stayed longer!!! Barbara at check in was fantastic! We stayed in the newer North building with a city view. The rooms are newly renovated and spotlessly clean. The decor and design is lovely. Everyone on staff was… Read more
We were in Santa Barbara for my nieces wedding. We booked 3 king rooms for 3 nights at Harbor View - I only wish we could have stayed longer!!! Barbara at check in was fantastic! We stayed in the newer North building with a city view. The rooms are newly renovated and spotlessly clean. The decor and design is lovely. Everyone on staff was friendly and helpful. Housekeeping was quick to provide extra towels and hangers and made sure our room was serviced early before we had to get ready for the wedding. (The beds are hands down the most comfy hotel beds ever) On-site parking is super convenient. The hotel is centrally located which made walking to shops and restaurants so easy. I hope to get back to Santa Barbara again. I will definitely stay at Harbor View!! We looked at other hotels as we walked around. Harbor View is the only place we would stay Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Beautiful, charming hotel

Apr 18, 2025 Valerie Coffey-... R Indio, California

Lovely hotel, quiet room, comfy bed, awesome location. Great service. We went as a couple and thought the hotel room was quite comfortable, roomy and nice. Parking is expensive per day, but we didn't mind too much. We really like to sleep in when we're on vacation, and we were able to do that as the rooms seem to have thick walls, we weren't on a… Read more
Lovely hotel, quiet room, comfy bed, awesome location. Great service. We went as a couple and thought the hotel room was quite comfortable, roomy and nice. Parking is expensive per day, but we didn't mind too much. We really like to sleep in when we're on vacation, and we were able to do that as the rooms seem to have thick walls, we weren't on a busy road, and the curtains are nice and dark. We were booked into room 315, I think it was, which is across a canal in a separate building, about a four-minute walk to the lobby building. We had a distant view from our cute little balcony of some sailboat masts at the marina, and a bit of ocean. I wiped out trying to cross the road on a pedal-assist eBike -- literally I do not recommend these things; they are stupidly heavy. I heard of a young man having the same type of accident as me. I was stopped, trying to lift my bike from grass onto asphalt, and my left foot could no longer touch. I tried to pedal with my right foot over the step of pavement, and fell on my right knee and hand. Back at the hotel, the reception guys got me a first aid kit so we could clean off and bandage my knee. So that's service for ya. We used the hot tub at night until they kicked us out at 10pm. We wanted to check out some TV one evening, but they'd had a power surge and the TV cable connection was knocked out in some of the rooms. Nothing to watch. We got a bottle of wine for the trouble. It was fixed the next morning. Highly recommend this lovely hotel. Read less