Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

I do love this boutique hotel right in the heart on Santa Barbara. It is very modern, clean, well appointed and hip. The rooms are terribly small BUT they are configured in a way that two people can manage to be comfortable. As long as you know this going in everything is great! There is no lobby or onsite staff except now they do have a very friendly person sitting at a kiosk/desk right outside the front doo who welcomes you and can answer any questions or be of help. All communication is done via text.

Overall, the hotel is quite decent, but there are some aspects that could be improved. The rooms are very small, but this is understandable given that the hotel is located right in the heart of the city. Parking nearby will cost you $20-$22 per night, but there’s a convenient drop-off area at the hotel entrance where you can park for free for 15 minutes to unload your luggage. However, there are areas where the service could be improved. For example, on Booking.com, we were informed that the person responsible for guest communication was on vacation, which seemed odd to us. Additionally, we didn’t receive check-in instructions before our arrival. When we arrived, we found ourselves standing outside the hotel doors, unable to get in, even though it was 20 minutes past the check-in time. I had to email the hotel and wait for a response. To their credit, they replied relatively quickly, within about 50 minutes, but the lack of pre-arrival instructions, as promised, was disappointing. The rooms are equipped with all the essentials, including drinking water in small cardboard bottles and blackout curtains, which we appreciated. That said, the communication process definitely needs improvement. For example, when I emailed the hotel, I received responses from different people. One person incorrectly claimed that I hadn’t completed all the necessary steps or provided my card details, even though I had done so several hours before check-in. Another person later responded and promptly sent the instructions we needed. This inconsistency highlights a lack of coordination in their system. To the hotel team: please work on refining your service. Thank you for hosting us!

Fantastic location, very well prepared room with ample facilities for the purpose of stay. Great for overnights or even 2 or 3 days, just keep in mind with the size of the room. The high ceilings made the room feel larger than it actually was and the staff was very attentive. Just keep in mind the hotel operates mostly as a "staff less" property, with staff mainly involved with the cafe and bar. Still 100% reachable through text. They also had first come first serve bike rentals with complimentary helmets which made it really nice to get around downtown - just make sure you lock the bike properly, bike theft is definitely prevalent and we are sure someone tried to take them at one point! Pourover coffee setup in the room was a definite plus!

Great location on State and easy access to shops, beach and tequila . Really enjoyed the Tuesday night live music in Dusk, Made use of Happy Hour although the range of drinks on the HH menu were a bit restricted.

Very modern, nice room with great products and comfortable bed. We adored the location and the Dawn/Dusk cafe and bar. It was such a unique place to stay.