Rating:
Price:

If you're going to vacation in Santa Barbara, you might as well stay in style and on the beach. Ergo, the Hotel Oceana, a "beach chic" hotel with an oceanfront setting and an L.A. makeover. The 2 1/2-acre Spanish Mission-style property consists of four adjacent motels built in the 1940s that have been merged and renovated into one sprawling hotel. The result is a wide range of charmingly old-school accommodations -- everything from apartments with real day beds (great for families) to inexpensive courtyard rooms and deluxe oceanview suites -- with modern furnishings. Each guest room, decorated by renowned interior designer Kathryn Ireland, is smartly appointed with soft Frette linens, down comforters (the beds are fantastic), ceiling fans, CD players, cozy duvets, and Aveda bath products. Along with the size and location of your room, you also get to choose between color schemes -- soothing blue or green, racy red, and a cheery yellow. The beach and jogging path are right across the street, and there's a huge lawn area that's perfect for picnic lunches.

© 2005, Wiley Publishing, Inc.