Hotel Oceana Santa Barbara

"Beautiful location off the waterfront"

Our trip to Santa Barbara was made complete by our stay at this beautiful hotel.  The property's location made it perfect for our family of 6 to walk to Stern's Wharf, take a family bike ride with Wheel Fun Rentals, and easily access all the activities in the harbor, including our whale watching cruise with Condor Express.

When we walked into our hotel room on the 2nd floor we were immediately pleased with the colorful decor, the laminate wood floors and the ocean view window.  The hotel is housed in an older building with a unique layout and classic tile accents, but recent updating of color and amenities such as a Keurig coffee maker, blow dryers, iPhone/Pod stereo player, and free wifi made us feel confident that our stay was going to be great.  We stayed in a deluxe king room with a sleeper sofa tucked away in a separate room with a door.  That door and separate room is the creme de la creme for families!  Bedtime was a blessing for us as we felt free to watch TV and enjoy adult conversation.  Suites and adjoining rooms are not available but because our kids are rather small (ages 2 to 10) we were able to squeeze them onto one pull out bed and a pack-n-play.  There will quickly come a day when we are no longer able to do that and our family needs will require 2 rooms at a hotel.  

The first afternoon we arrived, we headed straight for 1 of 2 pools for a swim.  It was a bit of a walk from our room to the pool with a jacuzzi.  I was surprised to see the restaurant, Sambos, stuck right amid the hotel buildings.  The yellow umbrellas, bright towels and cabana awaiting us told us we made it to the pool.  Several other families were already splashing around in the water and enjoying the hot tub.  I didn't last long in the cool, although heated water but my kids loved it.  

One of the special things that I enjoyed at Hotel Oceana was the outdoor seating areas.  In several key locations, couches, chairs and fountains are arranged amid trees and beautiful greenery.  Many have views of the ocean.  They were very inviting for sitting and relaxing while enjoying the scenery and the people I was with.  

On the morning of our visit, we saw several couples borrow the blue beach cruiser bikes from the front lobby.  They looked so fun to ride!  Each bike comes equipped with a lock and a blue "license plate" that marks it as belonging to Hotel Oceana.  Many pedestrians and bikers enjoy the palm tree lined path that follows the curve of the ocean.  Santa Barbara is the perfect place to take a bike ride.  I realized quicky, however, that our family would not be able to borrow the bikes with our young kids as only adult bikes are available.  Fortunately, Wheel Fun Rentals is about 2 blocks away and offers double and family surrey bikes that can seat up to 8 people.  We had a lot of fun joining the bikers and pedestrians on a gorgeous sunny day along the ocean.

Our family loves hotels with free breakfasts.  Hotel Oceana did not disappoint.  Muffins, fruit, meats and cheeses, hot coffee and breakfast cereals were available in the quaint patio off the front of the hotel.  Many families and guests were enjoying the food and company in the small room.  The hotel has creatively added outdoor seating on the patio which was very inviting.  A high chair was easily found for my 2 year old and we enjoyed breakfast and a newspaper.  

Bottom line: Hotel Oceana is a beautiful place to stay and is perfect for families visiting Santa Barbara.  We hope to stay here again because of it's beach front location, fun pool, and beautiful rooms and garden.

This review is based on a complimentary stay at Hotel Oceana. I received no other compensation and the business owner did not state any requirements that I express a particular point of view. The opinions I express are entirely my own.