We’re in a period of change, and like many top travel destinations, Santa Barbara is evolving. South of the railroad tracks and freeway — known as the Funk Zone — has become the city’s most dynamic neighborhood, where high-concept dining, intimate wine tasting rooms, independent art galleries and echoes of Old Hollywood and Old Money coexist. Anchoring this neighborhood is Hotel Californian. Built in 1925, the hotel stands as both a reminder of Santa Barbara’s 20th-century past and a sign of how the city is reimagining itself today.
© Elyse Glickman
Understanding the hotel’s 1920s Hollywood pedigree, celebrity interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard introduced Moroccan-influenced Art Deco elements to complement the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Instead of the typical coastal palette of blue, white and seafoam used by other local properties, Bullard chose a richer scheme of black, white, gold and warm earth tones. That color story helps link the Roaring ’20s with a modern sensibility across the hotel’s three distinct structures — the main Californian, State and Mason buildings — which occupy adjacent corners of the block.
Today the hotel’s thoughtfully curated amenities make it especially appealing. Guests have access to a well-equipped fitness room, the Majorelle Spa with a Moroccan hammam, and a rooftop deck and pool in the State building. Djinn, a library-style lounge adjacent to the lobby, serves craft cocktails and evening entertainment. Leading the bar program is mixologist Devon Espinosa, who honed his skills at West Hollywood’s innovative Church Key, bringing refined, creative cocktails to the hotel’s social heart.
© Elyse Glickman
Santa Barbara remains a haven for wine lovers, and Hotel Californian’s position makes it an ideal base for sampling the Funk Zone’s many tasting rooms. Located at the corner of the Californian building, The Society: State & Mason showcases pours and flights from the Foley Family collection paired with small plates from Executive Chef Travis Watson. Blackbird, the hotel’s full-service restaurant, is a neighborhood favorite and a broader stage for Watson’s culinary talents; both the hotel and restaurant frequently host wine-pairing dinners featuring Foley vineyards and winemakers.
The hotel’s Moroccan aesthetic continues in the Mason Street building with Goat Tree, a casual café offering specialty coffee and tea, freshly baked pastries, cold-pressed juices and a full breakfast and lunch menu. Standout dishes include an authentic shakshuka — a skillet of poached eggs in a robust, spiced tomato sauce served with pita — an updated smoked salmon entrée, and a selection of other flavorful, thoughtfully prepared items.