What is Waterfront like?

Travellers to the Waterfront neighbourhood in Santa Barbara will be sure to enjoy their stay. Make sure that you visit Santa Barbara Harbor and Leadbetter Beach as part of your Waterfront travel plans.

If I need to cancel my hotel reservation in Waterfront, will I receive a refund?

Yes! The majority of hotel reservations are fully refundable as long as you cancel before the accommodation's cancellation deadline, which is often 24 or 48 hours before your check-in date. If you booked a non-refundable reservation, it may still be possible to cancel it and get a refund within a 24-hour period of your booking. Put your dates in and click on "Search", then you can filter by "fully refundable" to view top deals in Waterfront.

What is there to do around this Santa Barbara neighbourhood?

Leadbetter Beach, West Beach and East Beach are great spots if you want to spend some time by the water during your stay in Waterfront. You could also plan a visit to Santa Barbara Harbor or Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center while you're in the neighbourhood. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center, Santa Barbara Deep Sea and Stearns Wharf are just a few of the places to visit in and around Waterfront. Santa Barbara Art Foundry and MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation are also worth a visit when you're out sightseeing in Santa Barbara.

The Best Hotels in Waterfront, Santa Barbara - 2026 Updated Prices

A river with rocks, palm trees, and mountains in the background.

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Our top choices for Waterfront hotels

1. Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort

East Beach, 0.5 km from Waterfront

McKenna

฿13,413 total

includes taxes & fees

24 Aug - 25 Aug

2. West Beach Inn, a Coast Hotel

West Beach, 1.3 km from Waterfront

Lorena

฿11,641 total

includes taxes & fees

25 Aug - 26 Aug

3. Motel 6 Santa Barbara, CA - Beach

East Beach, 1 km from Waterfront

Leanne

฿7,237 total

includes taxes & fees

10 Aug - 11 Aug

Luxury Suite, 1 Bedroom, Ocean View (Anacapa) | Beach/ocean view

4. Santa Barbara Inn

East Beach, 0.9 km from Waterfront

Lilly

฿12,278 total

includes taxes & fees

4 Aug - 5 Aug

5. La Playa Inn

West Beach, 1.4 km from Waterfront

darryl a

฿10,415 total

includes taxes & fees

24 Aug - 25 Aug

Deluxe Room, Multiple Beds (Deluxe Queen Suite) | Desk, laptop workspace, blackout curtains, iron/ironing board

6. Avania Inn of Santa Barbara

West Beach, 1.4 km from Waterfront

Martin

฿8,529 total

includes taxes & fees

9 Aug - 10 Aug

7. Harbor View Inn

West Beach, 0.9 km from Waterfront

Hector

฿13,367 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Aug - 24 Aug

8. Beachside Inn

West Beach, 1.3 km from Waterfront

Melanie

฿9,679 total

includes taxes & fees

10 Aug - 11 Aug

9. Hotel Santa Barbara

Lower State, 1.5 km from Waterfront

Dominique

฿11,646 total

includes taxes & fees

29 Jul - 30 Jul

10. Marina Beach Hotel

West Beach, 1.3 km from Waterfront

James

฿9,967 total

includes taxes & fees

25 Aug - 26 Aug

11. Inn By The Harbor

West Beach, 1.6 km from Waterfront

Richard

฿11,585 total

includes taxes & fees

11 Aug - 12 Aug

12. Brisas del Mar, Inn at the Beach

West Beach, 1.5 km from Waterfront

David

฿10,159 total

includes taxes & fees

26 Aug - 27 Aug

13. The Inn at East Beach

East Beach, 1.1 km from Waterfront

Vy

฿7,280 total

includes taxes & fees

30 Jul - 31 Jul

14. Mar Monte Hotel, in The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

East Beach, 1.1 km from Waterfront

Justin

฿12,118 total

includes taxes & fees

26 Aug - 27 Aug

15. Mason Beach Inn

West Beach, 1.3 km from Waterfront

Dayne

฿12,650 total

includes taxes & fees

13 Aug - 14 Aug

16. The Milo

West Beach, 1.1 km from Waterfront

Karen

฿11,011 total

includes taxes & fees

24 Aug - 25 Aug

17. Lavender Inn by the Sea

West Beach, 1.4 km from Waterfront

Brian

฿10,877 total

includes taxes & fees

30 Jul - 31 Jul

18. The Franciscan Hotel

West Beach, 1.3 km from Waterfront

Marcella

฿7,541 total

includes taxes & fees

25 Aug - 26 Aug

19. Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

Lower State, 1.4 km from Waterfront

Matthew

฿11,047 total

includes taxes & fees

5 Aug - 6 Aug

20. Hotel Californian

The Funk Zone, 0.8 km from Waterfront

Melanie

฿18,238 total

includes taxes & fees

10 Aug - 11 Aug

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Where to stay in Waterfront

Find the best Waterfront areas for the activities you enjoy most.

A coastal town with a pier extending into the ocean, a beach, and a mix of residential and commercial buildings.

Santa Barbara Beach

Santa Barbara Beach is known for its stunning beaches, and you can see some sights area like Stearns Wharf and Santa Barbara Harbor.

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A coastal beach with palm trees, a sandy shore, and a clear blue sky.

Montecito

The pristine beaches and ample dining options are top of the list for many visitors to Montecito. A stop by Miramar Beach or Butterfly Beach might round out your trip.

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A coastal town with a prominent white building with a red roof, palm trees, and mountains in the background.

Downtown Santa Barbara

The pristine beaches and ample dining options are top of the list for many visitors to Downtown Santa Barbara. A stop by Lobero Theater or Arlington Theater might round out your trip.

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A marina with multiple boats docked, calm water, and a clear sky.

West Beach

If you're spending some time in West Beach, Santa Barbara Harbor and West Beach are top sights worth seeing.

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A beach with palm trees, a pier, and the ocean at sunset.

East Beach

East Beach is beloved for its stunning beaches. Take some time to explore sights in the area like Santa Barbara Zoo and East Beach.

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Top Waterfront Hotel Reviews

Vagabond Inn Santa Barbara - Carpinteria South

8/10 Good

"Hotel staff was nice and friendly. We were able to stay with our dogs here which was nice. The t is conveniently located in the city. Hotel a little older but friendliness made up for it. Thank you."

Vagabond Inn Santa Barbara - Carpinteria North

8/10 Good

"We had a great stay at this hotel. The room was very clean, and the entire property was quiet and peaceful. Everyone mostly kept to themselves, which made for a relaxing stay. The air conditioning worked amazingly it kept the room nice and cold, which was especially appreciated during the warmer weather. The pool was also clean and well maintained. The only minor downside was that there wasn't a microwave in the room. However, there is a shared microwave located in the laundry room next to the washers, dryers, and vending machines, so it wasn't a huge inconvenience. As for the staff, we honestly didn't interact with them much, so I can't fairly comment on the service. We didn't need to ask for anything during our stay. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience and would definitely consider staying here again."

Hotel Californian

8/10 Good

"The property is indeed unique - - beautiful architecture - our room however was extremely overpriced for having it face a parking lot and garbage area . The room itself was clean although the carpet had several spots all over. For 1300 / night I would expect more, at least a bigger property with more to do … The pool area was the best thing we experienced in the hotel although they didn’t really have food or drink service - waiters would show up maybe once / hour. They are located in the best Santa Barbara Funk Zone as it’s called but that also within 2 min walk of commercial transportation train tracks."

Beachside Inn

10/10 Excellent

"We enjoyed our family trip with beachside inn. The staff was very friendly and helped us get adjoining rooms. the parking was easy and were able to walk around. Since it was hot the pool was nice and clean. The breakfast buffet was a nice way to start the day, especially with our picky little eaters. overall nice stay."

Search Hotels in Waterfront, Santa Barbara

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Treat yourself

Be picky

Check prices for these dates

Filter by

Star rating

Guest rating

Our top choices for Waterfront hotels

1. Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort

2. West Beach Inn, a Coast Hotel

3. Motel 6 Santa Barbara, CA - Beach

4. Santa Barbara Inn

5. La Playa Inn

6. Avania Inn of Santa Barbara

7. Harbor View Inn

8. Beachside Inn

9. Hotel Santa Barbara

10. Marina Beach Hotel

11. Inn By The Harbor

12. Brisas del Mar, Inn at the Beach

13. The Inn at East Beach

14. Mar Monte Hotel, in The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

15. Mason Beach Inn

16. The Milo

17. Lavender Inn by the Sea

18. The Franciscan Hotel

19. Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

20. Hotel Californian

Where to stay in Waterfront

Santa Barbara Beach

Montecito

Downtown Santa Barbara

West Beach

East Beach

Top Waterfront Hotel Reviews

Vagabond Inn Santa Barbara - Carpinteria South

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