El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel, Santa Barbara
Serenity overlooking the American Riviera
Perched high above Santa Barbara, El Encanto is the crown jewel of the American Riviera—where breathtaking views, secluded gardens, and timeless luxury define every moment. Since 1918, this Forbes Five-Star retreat has been a staple of Santa Barbara’s social scene, with 90 bungalow-style suites and guest rooms offering sweeping vistas of the coast. Chic yet unpretentious, radiant yet relaxed—it’s the kind of place that whispers your name, luring you to lounge poolside, sip crisp local wine, and let the ocean breeze do the rest.
Hotel Tip
If you are traveling with a small group, perhaps a family reunion or intimate wedding, you can spread out in the Oak Tree Suite, with its large terrace and multiple rooms.Virtuoso Preferred Supplier Since 15 May 2013
Virtuoso Amenities
For 2024:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily breakfast credit of $45 per person, for up to two guests per bedroom, served in the restaurant (credit is non-cumulative)
- $100 USD equivalent Resort or Hotel credit to be utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full
- Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
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Sustainability
Our Commitment
The hotel uses eco-friendly cleaning products, bathroom products and light bulbs. Many herbs and vegetables come from the on-site garden and the menu features locally sourced meat, fish and produce. Our Dining Room has passed all of the mandatory requirements to receive the Ocean Friendly Restaurant certification.
We have an onsite Sustainability team and each team member participates in a 4 hour Art of Sustainability training. We compost and recycle, including even donating old towels to the humane society.
We are planning several activations on property through 2023-2024 including Kelpful and our Zero Waste initative, an achievement not reached by any other Santa Barbara hotel. We replaced disposable items with earth-friendly, compostable ones. We incorporated compostable food waste, increased our recycling and decreased our regular trash. As of November 2019, we accomplished our goal of ZERO WASTE, WHICH IS 90% LANDFILL DIVERSION!
We've planted shrubs and trees for the areas devastated by the Thomas Fire, we spent Earth Day doing habitat restoration work at the SB Botanic Garden, we hosted a beach cleanup for Kids to Parks Day, and we made multiple trips to Channel Islands National Park to help repair their natural ecosystem.