Downtown Santa Barbara stay.A stay at this Downtown Santa Barbara hotel places you steps from Antioch University and within a 5-minute walk of Paseo Nuevo Mall. Cabrillo Bikeway and El Capitan Lake are also within half a mile (1 km).
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
3.5-star hotel near Stearns Wharf
There's a coffee shop/cafe on site. You can enjoy a drink at the bar/lounge. WiFi is free in public spaces. Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels also features concierge services, express check-in, and express check-out. Parking is available for a fee.
This 3.5-star Santa Barbara hotel is smoke free.
46 guestrooms or units
Breakfast available (surcharge)
Express check-in
Express check-out
Storage area for luggage
Concierge
Elevator
No smoking on site
Bar or lounge
Coffee shop
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.
Daily on-the-go breakfast 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
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Elevator
Well-lit path to entrance
Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
Wheelchair-accessible public washroom
Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
Room amenities
Entertainment
43-inch smart TV with digital channels
Hulu
Netflix
Streaming services
Bedroom
Premium bedding
Bathroom
Bathrobes
Free toiletries
Hair dryer
Shampoo
Shower
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels provided
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 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
No pets allowed, but service animals are welcome
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome.
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cribs (infant beds) are not available.
Property payment types
Important information
Optional extras
The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.
Fee for to-go breakfast: approximately USD 5 to 15 per person
Uncovered self parking fee: USD 25 per day
This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.
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
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Cash is not accepted. For guests' safety, the property includes a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit, and window guards in each accommodation. Cashless payment methods are available for all transactions.
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
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 205 out of 348 reviews
10 - Excellent
205
Rating 8 - Good. 50 out of 348 reviews
8 - Good
50
Rating 6 - Okay. 43 out of 348 reviews
6 - Okay
43
Rating 4 - Poor. 27 out of 348 reviews
4 - Poor
27
Rating 2 - Terrible. 23 out of 348 reviews
2 - Terrible
23
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
2/10 Terrible
Verified traveller
Feb 22, 2025
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.
Verified traveller
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025
4/10 Poor
Robin
Feb 18, 2025
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.
The property is pretty new, since 2022! I loved the style and design of the property. It smelled fresh the minute you stepped into the hallways going up towards your room. I liked that they had a cafe and bar downstairs that was picturesque. It’s right in State St. so everything from the Pier to the shopping centers were a few feet away. Check in was very easy, I did everything virtual.
When we got there there was a staff to assist with things in case we needed it but we were able to get our key code and walk in without room keys. I wish all hotels were this easy! Incidentals cost $100 for 2 nights. Probably $50 a night.
I would totally go back! If I had to say one thing I would’ve wanted improved… it would probably be the dust. I wish they dusted parts of the room better, especially the wood on the walls. The windows picked up dust easily. I was sneezing away a lot but other than that… the room itself was nice and “cozy”.
The lack of dedicated lobby was disappointing. This was a VERY expensive hotel to be treated by the staff like we were bothersome.
There should be vending for water and access to things without having to ask a bartender or barista. It was a disappointing experience.
The uniqueness of this property is a model of how the future hotels will evolve into. It is a modern hot spot with well trained staff.
Art
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024
6/10 Okay
Harry
Travelled with partner
Aug 25, 2024
Great location; staff was very nice and accomodating. The room was small, dimly lit with little space for hanging clothes and luggage. The bed was very comfortable but hard to get in and out of since it was up against a wall.
Harry
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
4/10 Poor
Nicolas
Travelled with partner
Aug 13, 2024
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
Centrally located that a the good point , otherwise Room small and badly arranged, noisy (one understands why ds earplugs provided) awakes at 6h by the dustbin truck...no employees except in line thus not really friendly...sorry for the report...otherwise Santa Barbara is splendid!