El Encanto A Belmond Santa Barbara

We have been to 5 star hotels all over the world and our experience at El Encanto is among the best. El Encanto is in a very serene location and has a spectacular view. The property is beautiful. Casitas are spread out and surrounded by mature eucalyptus trees. The pool was heated to a perfect temperature and lounge chairs easily available. Staff and food are first rate. Expensive but money well spent.

This was truly a luxurious experience. From the personalized check in to the attentive staff to the gorgeous grounds, everything was pretty much perfect. We spent a lot of time lounging on our deck, at the bar, and at the pool and just strolling around. We really appreciated how kind the staff were without being obsequious. They gave us great recommendations for restaurants and things to do. The rooms are really pricey, but everything else, including the food, is normally priced. We stayed on Amex points, but we would definitely pay to go back. 100% worth the price tag. The only very small down side was that the cleaning staff was a bit aggressive. Upon check in they actually went into our bags and unpacked some things, which we thought was odd. They also took away the luggage racks and some pillows mid-stay and kept rearranging our cosmetics. First world complaint though. We can 't wait to go back!

Food and location where great but I wouldn’t feel comfortable coming here for a celebration again after the awful service. Our waitress was nonexistent for the majority of the meal and we wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt when the restaurant was busy but by the time our entree was cleared she only had one other table so no excuse there. Our bread was forgotten, napkins gone, water always empty and wine was poured half a bottle at a time so she didn’t have to come back. We had empty entree plates and glasses for 30 minutes before she came by to check in on us. This was also after she recommended the most expensive white wine on the menu..We had a birthday listed on the reservation and watched at least 6 tables get a dessert for celebrations and if we didn’t remind her after coffee it would have been forgotten as well.

A great place to stay, away from crowded city environments, in Santa Barbara, CA. They offer shuttle service to drop pick-up guests to downtown. All other facilities like complimentary breakfast. The restaurant is great, with live music on weekends.

We had a wonderful 3 night stay at El Encanto. I think it is even more beautiful in person than the pictures on the website show. The staff were so attentive and helpful including the front desk, valet and restaurant. We were also very impressed with the fitness instructors. We attended strength training one day and yoga another day. When we were there 2 classes were offered each morning.