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Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

3.5 star property

Photo gallery for Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

Enjoy a restful night's sleep in this stylish bedroom with a large bed and cityscape views.
Relax in a serene space with a large arched window, comfortable chair, and natural decor.
Guests can enjoy a balcony with potted plants and outdoor seating areas with tables and chairs.
Relax in a serene space with a large bed, bedside table, and comfortable seating area.
Indulge in specialty coffee and baked goods at this urban coffee shop, where a menu of options is always available.

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Breakfast available
  • Parking available
  • Air conditioning
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

Map
524 State St, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
  • Santa Barbara County Courthouse
    ‪13 min walk‬
  • Santa Barbara Harbor
    ‪15 min walk‬
  • Stearns Wharf
    ‪16 min walk‬
  • Santa Barbara, CA (SBA-Santa Barbara Municipal)
    ‪13 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Room, City View (Cozy)

1 bedroom, premium bedding, in-room safe, individually decorated

Room, City View (Cozy)

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Premium Tree House, View (State Street View)

1 bedroom, premium bedding, in-room safe, individually decorated

Premium Tree House, View (State Street View)

  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Room (Cozy)

City view

Room (Cozy)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(2 reviews)
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Premium Room, Mountain View

Mountain view

Premium Room, Mountain View

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(2 reviews)
  • Mountain view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Premium Penthouse (Drift)

1 bedroom, premium bedding, in-room safe, individually decorated

Premium Penthouse (Drift)

  • City view
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 King Beds

View all photos for Penthouse (Drift)

1 bedroom, premium bedding, in-room safe, individually decorated

Penthouse (Drift)

  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Room (Bunk Room)

Property amenity

Room (Bunk Room)

  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Double Beds

View all photos for Premium Room, Balcony, City View

1 bedroom, premium bedding, in-room safe, individually decorated

Premium Room, Balcony, City View

  • Mountain view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Similar properties

Welcome to the Neal Callahan Bldg, featuring an ornate facade with an arched doorway and elegant windows.

Hotel Santa Barbara

  • Pet-friendly
  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Gym
4.5 out of 5, Wonderful, (1004)
The price is NZ$900
for 1 room
includes taxes & fees
16 Aug - 17 Aug
Hotel Santa Barbara

About the area

Santa Barbara

With a stay at Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels in Santa Barbara (Downtown Santa Barbara), you'll be within a 5-minute drive of Santa Barbara Bowl and Santa Barbara Zoo. .This hotel is 1.7 mi (2.7 km) from Santa Barbara Harbor and 10.2 mi (16.5 km) from University of California, Santa Barbara.

What's nearby

  • Santa Barbara County Courthouse - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
  • Santa Barbara City College - 13 min walk - 1.2 km
  • Santa Barbara Harbor - 15 min walk - 1.3 km
  • Stearns Wharf - 16 min walk - 1.4 km
  • Santa Barbara Bowl - 4 min drive - 2.3 km

Getting around

  • Santa Barbara Station - 8 min walk
  • Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) - 12 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Joe's Cafe - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Dune Coffee Roasters - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪EOS Lounge - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Sandbar - ‬1 min walk

About this property

Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

Hotel with a bar, near Santa Barbara Harbor
Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels offers 46 air-conditioned accommodations with safes and complimentary bottled water. Each accommodation is individually furnished and decorated. Beds feature premium bedding. 43-inch Smart televisions come with digital channels and Netflix.

Bathrooms include showers, bathrobes, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. This Santa Barbara hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Housekeeping is provided on request.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Make yourself at home in one of the 46 air-conditioned rooms featuring Smart televisions. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and digital programming is available for your entertainment. Bathrooms feature showers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. Conveniences include safes and complimentary bottled water, and housekeeping is provided on request.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as bicycles to rent, or other amenities including complimentary wireless internet access and concierge services.
Satisfy your appetite at the hotel's coffee shop/cafe. Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at the bar/lounge. To-go breakfasts are available daily from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM for a fee.
Featured amenities include express check-in, express check-out, and luggage storage. Self parking (subject to charges) is available onsite.
To-go breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 8:00 AM and 1:00 PM.

Languages

English, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Uncovered parking on site (USD 25 per day)

Food and drink

  • Daily breakfast to-go available 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM for a fee: USD 5 to 15 per person
  • A bar/lounge
  • A coffee shop/cafe

Things to do

  • Bicycle rentals

Conveniences

  • Luggage storage

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (on request)

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Lift
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible public bathroom
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant

More

  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Dressing gowns
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 43-inch smart TV with digital channels
  • Hulu
  • Netflix
  • Streaming services

Food and drink

  • Free bottled water

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating
  • Individual decor
  • Individual furnishings
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Contactless check-in available
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 21

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out available
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

An adult age 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
There is no front desk at this property
Guests will receive an email within 48 hours before arrival with check-in instructions and an access code; your host will greet you
Prior to arrival, you must complete online registration via a secure link

Access methods

Access code, host will greet you

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for to-go breakfast: approximately USD 5 to 15 per person
  • Uncovered self parking fee: USD 25 per day

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit, and window guards
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room

Property is also known as

Drift Santa Barbara
Drift Santa Barbara a Member of Design Hotels
Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels Hotel
Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels Santa Barbara

Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels Reviews

Reviews

8.4

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 214 out of 365 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 56 out of 365 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 43 out of 365 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 28 out of 365 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 24 out of 365 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

8.6/10

Staff & service

8.2/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Ludovic, Newport Beach

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Rooms are deceiving in the photos. It’s much smaller than I would have deemed acceptable. Can’t walk around the bed since the queen bed is the full width of the room.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Amanda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

2/10 Terrible

David

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Noise was insanely loud, keeping me up most of the night
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Reece

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very boutique chic
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tlazolteotl

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

6/10 Okay

NANCY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Junus

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Drift - highly recommend

Super easy check in. Great aesthetic. People seem to complain on reviews about the cozy room size but it's definitely enough space if you're not planning to spend all day on your room. I found Drift on Design Hotel's website. They never disappoint. Location is great but you'll have to be okay with some noise if you're there towards the end of the week/weekends.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kristy

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Overall great experience, great location and the hospitality was amazing
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Geneviève

Liked: Cleanliness
Super friendly, easy check in and out and beautiful deco
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025

6/10 Okay

Darcy

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

design & great team let down by operation choices

We had a number of SB options and I chose Drift based on the aesthetic which does not disappoint. Unfortunately the views and size are quite significantly different than the pictures. It is my responsibility to check sq footage. I did not. The views etc are sadly not as represented and linens, towels were in very rough shape, frayed and worn, etc. On the other hand, staff was extraordinary and would have done anything in their power to help. Would definitely encourage the team to return to coffee in the room. Doesn’t make for a relaxing stay when you need to dress to coffee. For the price and excellent staff, some things are not meeting the level they should.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jose

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

6/10 Okay

Clara

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Ken

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

4/10 Poor

sheri

Business traveller
Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Cleanliness, room comfort

Cute Concept - Needs Improvements

Cute concept but rooms too small/dark and dusty/musty. No signage/hard to find at night, no parking:valet-public parking lot $3/hr, no coffee makers or vending machines for after hours
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

2/10 Terrible

Alma

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was extremely noise, neither my husband and I couldnt sleep, drunk people screemeing on the halway, not safe
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort
Room too small, not organized efficiently. No place to unpack and put things. One person should not have to crawl over another to get in or out of bed.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025

4/10 Poor

Robin

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Room comfort

Uncomfortable but good location

If you are looking for a location on State Street, then it's worth taking a look at this property but rooms are very dark, cold, and small. The bed /pillows uncomfortable, no parking, no place to put your suitcase, no closet. It was clean. But you have to request maid service via text if you need towels or trash removed etc.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Claudia E

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Excellent location and great environment. Totally recommended!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kendra

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kazuya

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Travelled with family
Great place and location
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

2/10 Terrible

Samantha

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Terrible communication. Canceled reservations without warning. Do not recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tiffany

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

8/10 Good

Jason

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024