Lavender Inn by the Sea

Fab hotel easy to find & easy parking. Lovely rooms, a little dated but clean. Wine & cheese & cookies free in afternoon & continental breakfast included. Shares laundry facilities with sister hotel over the road which was handy 2 weeks into a long road trip. Bikes available also. Short walk to the seafront, with some restaurants. If you want more choice top end of state street, it's a fair old hike. So we Uber'd to the top & then spent a lovely day wandering, shopping, eating our way back to the hotel via the beach. Peir is meh, nice to stroll down but not much else.

My wife and I stayed at the Lavender Inn by the Sea in Santa Barbara for one night in early December. The hotel/motel is very cute.Our room included a king size bed, sitting chair, a microwave, fridge, and a small desk where the coffee maker was located, along with a place where you can do make-up or work. Our bathroom had a corner shower, though the water pressure was not impressive. We enjoyed their happy hour with wine, cheese, and freshly baked cookies, and the morning breakfast, which was pretty decent with egg bites, cereal, baked goods, oatmeal, and yogurt. Overall the location is good, it’s off the beaten path, so it’s a 10-15 minute walk to State Street or the pier. You can use bikes free of charge, but they are located across the street at the sister hotel, along with the hot tub. Neither my wife, nor I were willing to walk across the street, but it’s an option. The have a nice size pool on their grounds, however, its not heated. We would absolutely recommend staying here if ever in Santa Barbara.

It’s a quaint MOTEL called an Inn. The description online calls it a hotel and the “VIP” letter they provide calls it a hotel, but when doors face the outside of a building, it’s a motel. Regardless of this fact, the Lavender Inn by the Sea is a quaint little inn. We had a king room which automatically has a smaller bedroom with a twin bed in it for a child as children are free in king rooms (what we read online and not something we asked about as we’re traveling without children). There was a mini fridge and a microwave in that room. The bathroom is nice with a pedestal sink and an enclosed glass shower. Water pressure in shower was great! Even though there is a small shelf above the sink for sundries, they are lacking storage in the bathroom. They could add something above the toilet perhaps? Just a suggestion. The king bed is the most comfortable bed I’ve ever had the pleasure of laying on in any hotel anywhere. The pillows were not crappy smushy pillows either. They had some give and were perfect. There was a little nook with a desk and chair under the a/c unit (which if you complain that it makes noise, I want to know where you live in complete silence) it acts like a white noise machine and easily lulled us to sleep. There’s a nice comfy chair and a desk and chair as well as a hutch with TV and places to stick your clothes. BTW, the closet has hangers, iron, ironing board and two comfy robes. The lobby is cute with a little coffee bar and they serve bagels, toast and pastries for breakfast. Everyone receives a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine. It was supposed to be in our fridge but it wasn’t. My wife went to the front desk to get it and had to call me to confirm it wasn’t in the fridge. They then sent her back and brought it up a few minutes later. The only drawback is that there isn’t an elevator so carrying heavy luggage up a flight of stairs isn’t ideal. It’s cute, quaint, and well worth the price. Service is friendly and helpful.

This adorable boutique hotel is cute, cozy and quaint. Big beautiful trees, lovely garden courtyard with lots of seating. Front desk was very warm and welcoming. Free continental breakfast in the mornings and wine and cheese in the early evening! Pool area was very nice, no hot tub (spa) though... but they do have free bike rentals. Our room (although very dated in its decor) was cute, clean and very comfortable! The sack of fresh Lavender on the bed was a nice touch. Parking was included also which was awesome. We actually didn't use the car at all during our stay because the hotel is walking distance to the beach, pier, State Street....all the bars and restaurants you could possibly want. I loved our stay at the Lavender Inn by the Sea. Its not the biggest, or the fanciest..... but I would love to go back again.

Brilliant little hotel. We used it as a stopping point driving from San Fran to San Diego and I wish we had more time in Santa Barbara as it was a lovely place and the Lavender Inn was a great hotel. Guy on the desk was very helpful and polite. Rooms were lovely, bed was particularly comfortable and huge!

4* review simply for the rooms being abit dated / old and there is a cat which doesn't leave you alone and try's to get into your room. Apparently it is a member of staffs cat that they bring with them but a few times it tried to get into our room.. if you like cats i guess this isn't a negative.. Service, location, free bike rental all 5*. Would recommend just hopefully they stop or at least contain the cat to a certain area for people who aren't comfortable around them or are allergic.

You have lots of choice of hotels but this little gem was a great find. The rooms were not very big but were adequate for what we needed. What made this a bit special (this was the 6th hotel on our US road trip) was the friendly staff (couldn't do enough for you), a nice touch was a happy 2 hours with free wine and sangria and snacks served in the small area at side of reception. The breakfast was also a delight after too many American sized breakfasts, serving continental style and free with the booking. The pool area and fantastic seating areas made meeting people easy.||This was the best hotel of the 9 we ended up staying in.||Thanks

Nice stay overall, the landscaping was beautiful and well cared for, the staff was very friendly. Rooms were clean but plain. Breakfast adequate, nothing special. We were excited for the happy hour that was supposed to go from 4:30 to 8 pm, but alas, we showed up at 7 and all the wine was gone and no one was around. For the cost, the whole experience could have been a little nicer, but we did enjoy ourselves.

It's a quaint MOTEL called an Inn. The description online calls it a hotel and the "VIP" letter they provide calls it a hotel, but when doors face the outside of a building, it's a motel. Regardless of this fact, the Lavender Inn by the Sea is a quaint little inn. We had a king room which automatically has a smaller bedroom with a twin bed in it for a child as children are free in king rooms (what we read online and not something we asked about as we're traveling without children). There was a mini fridge and a microwave in that room. The bathroom is nice with a pedestal sink and an enclosed glass shower. Water pressure in shower was great! Even though there is a small shelf above the sink for sundries, they are lacking storage in the bathroom. They could add something above the toilet perhaps? Just a suggestion. The king bed is the most comfortable bed I've ever had the pleasure of laying on in any hotel anywhere. The pillows were not crappy smushy pillows either. They had some give and were perfect. There was a little nook with a desk and chair under the a/c unit (which if you complain that it makes noise, I want to know where you live in complete silence) it acts like a white noise machine and easily lulled us to sleep. There's a nice comfy chair and a desk and chair as well as a hutch with TV and places to stick your clothes. BTW, the closet has hangers, iron, ironing board and two comfy robes. The lobby is cute with a little coffee bar and they serve bagels, toast and pastries for breakfast. Everyone receives a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine. It was supposed to be in our fridge but it wasn't. My wife went to the front desk to get it and had to call me to confirm it wasn't in the fridge. They then sent her back and brought it up a few minutes later. The only drawback is that there isn't an elevator so carrying heavy luggage up a flight of stairs isn't ideal. It's cute, quaint, and well worth the price. Service is friendly and helpful.

I wish I could give 5 stars because the people who work here are so sweet and they provide breakfast and cheese/cracker wine afternoon events daily. The problem is their queen bed room looks nothing like the pictures on their marketing. When I was booking the room, I was charmed by the cute wall paper and beach hotel look of the rooms. If I had known now that I needed to pay more for that, I would have happily paid more because what I got looked like the room from the horror movie, " The Exorcist." There was no color but yellowish white looking walls and the same sick looking white drapes to match. The painting above the bed looked like something from a garage sale of a very elderly person with poor taste. The heating system was so old that it had TAPE on it and it was so loud that it was impossible to sleep, ( a cricket outside) completed the torturous noise. The cute lavender satchel and champagne bottle normally would have been really charming but in a room that looks haunted, old and cheap, these things didn't help. I honestly felt duped. It was so different from the charming and modern feeling of the office that seeing my room was a real letdown and depressing. The only nice thing about the room was that the water pressure in the shower was strong. I suspect the bathroom was the only thing updated in that room. I saw other rooms and they were more charming and looked like the pictures on their website. I suspect that I was given a room that wasn't updated. The second night, I saw ants walking on the bathroom floor which wasn't swept when we arrived so maybe the ants found food. When I noticed that an ant was running around on my foot after my shower and then another ant on my cellphone that I decided to call the office and complain. At that point, it seemed that I was covered in ants. Luckily, the lady who answered the phone was kind enough to find me a new room upstairs. She explained that the rain and flooding outside was causing the ants to run inside the room. We packed our things and went upstairs to a King bedroom and it was so different looking that it felt like we went to a different hotel. So make sure you never book a queen bed here! If I come back, I will always make sure to only get a King bed room or double queen. Also, bring your own pillows as their pillows feel like bags stuffed loosely with trash and will provide your head and neck no support at all. The bed itself is very comfortable (Beauty Sleep Simmons with a nice cushy pad). The hotel is close to everything and we were able to walk to nice seafood restaurants or drive to Whole Foods/ Trader Joe's, The King bed room also had a nicer updated heating system although still very noisy but the upstairs room was warmer so we didn't have to turn the heater on. If you come here, make sure to bring your pillow and don't get the queen bed room! The breakfast is perfect if you want to be healthy as they have oatmeal, organic boiled eggs, melon, and oat bran. They also have pastries and small quiches (very salty). They always have coffee and tea so it's a nice plus. In the afternoon, they had hot cider for the holidays. The afternoon wine is very nice too. They had two kinds of cheeses, tasty crackers, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes instead of fruit. They also had chocolate chip cookies in the afternoon.

We found this place in a last-minute spur of the moment trip, and I seriously am so GLAD we picked this place! Talk about southern charm at its finest. As soon as we pulled in, this hotel made us smile. Ample parking for guests here. We parked and went into the front desk, and the gentleman was so so sweet. He told us all the amenities included in our stay which included DVD's available to checkout to watch in your room - this brought back so much nostalgia for us! We got a few DVD's and stayed in our room after dinner for the rest of the night. They had a champagne bottle waiting for us when we walked in, which again - made us smile! The biggest highlight for myself was probably the continental breakfast included; by far, one of the BEST breakfasts we've had staying at any hotel! Such a beautiful view while eating breakfast. I seriously can't get over it! Please don't hesitate to come here if you're looking for that southern charm at an Inn!

From the moment being parked on the parking lot to checking in lavender inn was a welcoming place. Trusting this place to be a perfect summer vacation getaway and birthday celebration and it most definitely was! Offering complimentary breakfast, wine, bike rentals and a champagne bottle in the room I felt spoiled and at home. Other guests were friendly and staff were very helpful and polite. Restaurant, stores and the ocean pier were very close walking distance and no Uber was needed. I definitely recommend lavender inn and appreciate this place for making my summer birthday vacation special. Thank you!

We stayed here for 2 nights this past weekend and it was a pleasant time. We booked a king size bedroom and kids are free to stay. Free parking on site and pool available for swimming between 9am to 9pm. We enjoyed their daily free morning breakfast, to include bagels, quiche, and some pastries. Wine and cheese hour is available daily between 4:30-6:30pm and we liked the sangria and cookies. We got a bottle of champagne upon arrival but you need to ask the front desk for it since they store the drink in the fridge. Room service is also "upon request" now instead of standard automatic daily service. Staff are generally friendly. Location was convenient drive to old town SB for dinner and to some nearby play parks. Lots of mosquitoes during summer.

It was great, staff was wonderful, room was great. Beautiful property! Breakfast was so much more than I expected.

This hotel was very nice, for the price. The room was nice. The bathroom was large & very well appointed. And it has a great patio area to sit and have drinks. It's a good value.

Not a great experience the hotel gave our room away even though I made reservations a month in advance and what specific about the room I wanted. They did give us a discount after much conversation. The heater in the room was insufficient so we had to ask for blankets. The hotel is clean and in a good location, but I would not like to go through the front desk again, at least with the employee that was there when we tried to check in Uber service was rapid, even though it was Christmas Eve.

What a wonderful little inn! First of all, the gents working the front desk are not only knowledgeable about Santa Barbara, wine and the surroundings, they are very friendly and a great conversation! The wine happy hour is a nice touch and the bottle of champagne in our room was over the top. The grounds are great, close to the harbor, and easily accessible just about anywhere. You can tell the staff here take great pride in not only their property, but their sister property across the street. We can't wait to come back and stay here.

We really enjoyed our one-night stay at Lavender Inn by the Sea. It was our first visit to this charming little inn, and I was impressed enough to say I will certainly be back. We stayed in Room 20, on the second floor. Kinda right in the middle. I loved that our room was upstairs. It was nice looking out onto the Inn's beautifully landscaped grounds with a nice slice of Castillo Street backing it up. Although it felt a little on the small side, the room was comfortable and well-appointed. The king size bed transported me from lights out to ZZZZZZ, lickety split. What really impressed the most about my stay here were the pillows. These pillows were just exactly perfect. In my experience, that almost never happens. Usually I'm kicking myself for not bringing my own pillow from home. So nice that that's not necessary here. When I stop to think about it, though, there are actually quite a few things that impressed me about this property. First, the free parking. The lot is small and kinda challenging to navigate, but I want to be clear, I'm not voicing a complaint here, that's just how it is. Since it's free and just steps from your room, who gonna bitch about trivial nonsense? Next, rooms have both a Microwave and a small Refrigerator (w/tiny freezer). Such a useful amenity. The only drawback to the room was the old-timey AC unit. It is fairly noisy as it cycles on and off, but after a few hours I got used to it. At least the room has AC, a huge plus, given Southern California's unpredictable weather. Also, I was impressed by Lavender Inn by the Sea's beautiful old pool. I can't exactly tell you why, but I just love the vibe of that pool. And although there isn't a hot tub here, there is one you can use across the street at Lavender Inn's sister property, Las Brisas. Did I mention there's wine and cheese in the afternoon? And what about the complimentary Continental Breakfast? Maybe enjoy a hard boiled egg, or some yogurt, or a plain bagel with butter or some toast. How about a scone? You love scones! Have a nice cup of coffee or tea in the welcoming little breakfast nook, or take it outside in the cool California morning. Mikey C says: wait, wait, did I mention the free bicycle rentals? I didn't? Is it too late? Aw damn.

We had an amazing tome at Lavendar Inn! Celebrating a late anniversary and the staff was very accommodating with our room upgrade. Even threw in a bottle of champagne which was an added plus. The location is great and we even took advantage of the free bike usage; which was great!! Facility was clean and the breakfast/ happy hour time was really a nice touch to our stay. We will definitely stay there again!

The booking and check-in process was super easy. The front desk workers were polite and friendly. A+ for the staff. The property had a lighted patio with seats. A small outdoor seating area with wine and snacks. Nicely decorated. The area was convenient for a walk to the beach, especially during the 4th of July holiday. The room I stayed at had great water pressure, and the hot water gets scalding hot. It had a coffee maker, mini fridge, and microwave. The only one thing is the place is kind of dated. The carpets will make my white socks dirty. The restroom, though clean. Felt grimy. Everything metal was rusted as they had no ventilation. The grout was black in some areas. Minor things but had a great time and great stay at the lavender inn

Was looking for a nice place near the water that wasn't going to break the bank & this was the perfect fit. It had great reviews, was less than $250 per night (which for SB is hard to find), & close to a lot of fun things to do that we could walk to. There was wonderful customer service, the room was clean, and THE BED WAS SO COMFORTABLE. Highly recommended & would definitely stay again.

An honest review. My wife and I stayed here for our spring vacation for three nights. Overall, we would stay here again. However, allow me to share the skinny with you: THE GOOD: All the lobby staff were exceptionally pleasant and helpful. As a guest, they had delicious pastries (as well as other goodies) and coffee waiting for you in the morning. A great way to start your morning! In the evening they had chilled red wine as well as white wine... and, yellow and white cheese and healthy, tasty crackers to enjoy. And you didn't have to take it back to your room if you didn't want to because there was nice patio to relax on which was just outside the lobby. A relaxing and enjoyable way to begin your evening and a fantastic snack to enjoy before you walk to a restaurant near by. We stayed in the fireplace suite (room 24) and the room and sitting room are adorable. Now it would have been better if we had the fireplace in the bedroom but hey, you cannot get everything you desire. The sitting room had a very comfortable couch and chair, very relaxing. There were flat tv's in both the sitting area and the bedroom; and it was hooked up with DirectTV which was fantastic for watching movies at night. It was also very nice having the hotel near the harbor and The Funk Zone. All within walking distance for a walk on the beach, stroll on the harbor, wine tasting, delicious restaurants and shopping galore. THE BAD: The pool was very nice and clean; however, it could have been heated a little more! We have our home pool and I used to be a Poolman when I was young. So I am kind of an expert on this... I would say that the pool was heated to 81, and it would have been really nice if it was 85-89. The weather was in the high 50's with 10 mph winds. So it was too chilly for our liking. But the area was very clean and the water was well taken care of. Beautiful tile work too. They also had plentiful chairs tables and lounge chairs. Umbrellas were also plentiful. The hotel is somewhat of an old building. So we did miss more electrical outlets inside the bedroom area. There was only one small table next to our King size bed. I sleep on the left side of the bed and I have to use a CPAP machine at night. So we had to be a little creative to make it work. THE UGLY: The worst part of all was the shower pressure! It dribbled out. We both enjoy our strong showers. And this lacked that. The shower itself was very roomy and it had a wall attached pull down bench. We are not handicapped but even so, it was nice to pull the bench down to shave legs and wash your feet on. If the water pressure was even normal, one could shower with their mate. So there you go... the good, the bad and the ugly. Bottom line: it allowed us to decompress and mentally slow down and enjoy one another. Did it do that? Absolutely. Would we come back again? Absolutely!

An unexpected highlight of our trip. Our first time staying here, in the many times we have gone to Santa Barbara, which also happen to be our wedding anniversary. This place was better than any major hotel or 3 or 4 star hotel that you'll over pay for. Cute little place. Breakfast, which was delicious, was included. Super close to EVERYTHING. We walked all over State St. and south of the bridge and is in a nice neighborhood to walk in. Will definitely come back!!

We really enjoyed this hotel we stay at pricey hotels all the time but found this cute hotel very charming. Staff was extremely pleasant and seemed genuinely happy to be there. Would definitely stay there again

Stayed here with my wife for three days, two nights for our mini-moon. Having met in SB many years ago this was our first trip back since pre-pandemic and I can honestly say we loved this spot. It's only a 10 minute walk to the Funk Zone and an even shorter distance to the beach. The sister inn across the street has free bike rentals (good beach cruisers too! Not the overly heavy ones). Totally worth using this perk as biking around SB is incredible. As for the pool, we didn't use it but it looked clean and maintained. The actual room isn't anything too fancy and does the job. Bed was comfortable, shower pressure was good, and everything was clean to a good standard. The staff is very nice, friendly, and knowledgeable too. I'm definitely recommending this to friends and family who are closer by as a nice little weekend getaway!

Rooms are not clean ed properly they smell like mildew and cat poop, and nosie inside the room If you need handicap Accommodations in the restroom it is not safe. if you need to get to a second floor And you are physically challenged I will not rent at this location Also the breakfast is not the best the milk was spoiled

. The office staff was fabulous and the breakfast they served was more than we expected and very good. However we stayed in ROOM 3 which was off a dark hallway. The room was very dark, no sun and the windows had no view and no sun. It had a very musty smell. The next morning my husband had a strong allergy attack and was miserable. Maybe from the dampness or even mildew in the room. They did have an air purifier going which makes me think they have had issues with that room. The rating for the room was a 2, the Inn a 4. ( we inquired about changing rooms and unfortunately the Inn was completely booked. They did offer an air purifier, which was already in the room)

My husband and I enjoyed this inn very much. The staff was pleasant; the room was clean and comfortable. We didn't use the pool, but it looked like a lovely spot to hang out with the grandchildren on a future visit. Unfortunately, I left my jacket behind, got busy and didn't call them until we returned home several days later. My jacket had been carefully stowed in their lost and found and was returned to me by mail very promptly. I so appreciated the honestly and helpfulness of the staff! We will be back!

Lovely property. Room was clean and spacious. Bathroom had been updated. Wine hour and the complimentary quick breakfast was such a bright spot. Front desk staff was friendly and helpful. Property was quiet day and night. Good location to the highway. Highly recommend.

This should really be 3.5 stars , but this system doesn't allow for 1/2 stars, so for now we'll go with 3. This is a small hotel, a few blocks from the ocean. Rooms are small, yet clean. The bathrooms are a tight fit in that there's little to no space to lay out a makeup bag, barely enough room for your toothbrush & paste. Unfortunately, the property is small, probably built when insulation was not a thing in hotels, so when the neighbor shuts their door it echoes down to the room your in, along with the sound of the train when it traveling past. Interesting enough this property is tied to 2 other properties across the street, so you can use the amenities at any of the 3, which during summer months this could be great. I travel to Santa Barbara regularly, do to business & see family, keep looking for that spot that will feel comfortable, clean, quiet, affordable, close to the beach; I know a lot of asks, but if you don't ask, you don't find. This could be a spot for you.

We had a pleasurable stay at Lavendar Inn. Aaron was very warm, welcomed and gave us a good overview of the property as well as area based on our preferences. Wine and cheese hour , champagne in the room and breakfast at the property exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend it!

This place is just great and it comes with a lot!! My fiancé and I was looking in for a comfy inn to celebrate our engagement, and I spent a whole night looking for a place to stay for the weekend and this inn was top of the list! We got taste of Santa Barbara package with a gift card to the Lark, free breakfast and happy hour in the lobby. The inn is a 5 minute walk to the beach and walking distance to funk zone, we did a lot of walking! Parking is free and no issues to finding the place, everything is close by, including a 7/11 to get some last snacks/drinks for the day haha. Amazing place I do recommend!

This little inn was super cute! The staff was very friendly and the great thing is that parking is free. This was one of the selling points for me when booking the room. Check in was a breeze. They offer a complimentary happy hour and continental breakfast which was nice. We reserved a king size room and it was spacious enough for 2 people. The bed was very comfortable and the room was very clean. The wall AC worked perfect and the room even had a ceiling fan. Bathroom was spacious with a decent size stand up shower and great water pressure! The room also included a small vanity area, refrigerator and microwave. The pool area was nice and clean with lounge chairs and towels. The location is perfect. Just a short 10-15 minute walk to the beach and the pier. I believe it's only about half a mile or so. Uber from that location to Bluewater Grill by the pier was only a $7 ride.

We booked two rooms between this hotel and their sister hotel across the street Brisa Inn be the Sea. They were super amazing here and very accommodating for our needs. I missed their happy hour with wine and snacks because I was at the other end setting up for my daughters graduation. My friend did bring me over a glass of wine which was really really good. The special touch was the bottle of champagne that is in every room that greets you when you arrive. Super super sweet thank you for the champagne, the water, and the hospitality.

This is a quaint, extremely clean hotel walking distance from The wharf, state street and the "funky district". Service was impeccable, their complimentary breakfast was quality, and the staff was friendly and fun. They offered great advice on food and wine, and even helped me sew my damaged sun hat at the front desk! also. This is possibly the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in. Highly recommend.

I'm really not sure if I stayed in the same place as all of the other Yelpers on here! This place has not been updated in decades, and was crazy overpriced. When we first opened the door it smelled so musty like your grandmas house that hasn't been opened in years. There was black mold in the shower-perhaps that was part of the smell. We needed the pull out sofa and were disappointed that there was only a paper thin blanket on it, as well as some bobby pins that fell out of it when we pulled it opened, which made us question its cleanliness. We would have called the front desk for more pillows and blankets, but the front lobby here is closed and they are using their sister properties lobby across the street. It had a wall heater/ac that was extremely old and loud and turned on and off all night keeping us all awake. On the plus side- the king size bed and pillows were comfortable.

I wanted to update this after getting a call from the manager. It's a small motel and nobody is at the front desk in the middle of the night. So, at 2am when I woke up freezing and the heater didn't work, rather than try to find an employee to help me, I sat in my car with the heat on for half an hour then got all the extra blankets and tried going back to bed. In the morning, I went to the front desk and asked if they knew how to fix the heater. They did not. I fiddled with it for a bit longer, and couldn't get it to work either - but at that point, I was checking out, what was I going to do. When I left the Lavender Inn, I checked in with the front desk and let them know I hadn't been able to get the heater to work - but I did want to tell them what I learned: that it appeared to be the display wasn't working but it did power on. I thought maybe they could use this info to help fix it for the next guest. They asked if I had seen a remote control because sometimes the heater works with a remote. I had not. I asked them if they'd consider giving any discount considering the experience and they said they would ask management. Later that afternoon, I got a call from the manager who told me they would give me a $50 credit (on a $315 room) and when I thanked him, he started telling me that it was really my fault for not telling them about the problem earlier. Which was... not what I was expecting. Anyway, I was going to leave a 3-star review, but after being told the experience was my fault and getting some pretty lousy customer service, I am updating my review.

Stayed at the Lavender Inn this past weekend for our anniversary. It's part of the SB Hotel Group, and their lobby is closed, so check-in is at the hotel across the street (Brisas). Mickey helped us at the front desk and was very informative. Complimentary champagne & 2 breakfast packs (milk, OJ, cereal, nutrigrain bar, apple, yogurt) were in the room's mini-fridge. He also stated housekeeping wouldn't enter our room unless we requested a cleaning. Champagne glasses were covered with saran wrap, and everything in our room was clean. We brought our own disinfectant spray for our own peace of mind, and used it to wipe down commonly touched surfaces (i.e. door knobs, light switches, tables, TV remote) upon entering. Each room has its own wall-mounted A/C unit, so that gave us even more peace of mind in regards to COVID, since there are no vents shared between rooms. I was initially concerned the rooms would be noisy since they're so close to the street, but it was actually quiet and sound-proofed in the room. My only complaint would be the bed & pillows were too soft for me, but manageable for a weekend getaway. Free bike rentals (lock & helmet are provided too) were also available at Brisas, which we took full advantage of! It was great riding to the shore, pier, and up and down State St. Everything is fairly close to the Lavender Inn, approximately 10 minute walk to most places, even faster with the bikes. Exterior is cute and quaint, there's tables across the front courtyard to relax. Parking is free, you just provide your car details to the front desk upon check-in. Parking lot can get a bit cramped. Check-out is easy, done over the phone, and you can leave the keys in the room. Lavender Inn will be my go-to hotel if I'm ever back in the SB area.

Nice local motel. Our king room was comfortable and well furnished. The staff was friendly and helpful. The room included a modest-but nice-breakfast.

We stayed here for my mother-in-law's birthday and we absolutely loved it! The staff was so friendly and helpful, and suggested a lot of great places nearby to check out. The rooms were beautiful, and we loved the complimentary sparkling wine - they also had lavender sachets on the bed which was a lovely touch. The bed was extremely comfortable and the room was cozy and clean. They have a free breakfast and happy hour with wine and snacks - both were delicious. They do have a pool and free bike rental, too - we didn't use either but it was nice that it was available. It's very close to town, the Amtrak station and the beach, and is extremely convenient. We will absolutely stay here again next time we visit Santa Barbara!

This has been one of my favorite hotels by far! I absolutely love this place! It is beautiful, staff is wonderful, it's clean and close to everything!! The beach is about a block away, and you can free-rent bicycles across the street! Super close to the funk zone! In the evening, this hotel offers wine & cheese, just begore bedtime thrre are milk & cookies, and in the morning there is coffee & breakfast breads! There is a complimentary bottle of champagne when you enter your room. The rooms are gorgeous! The attention to detail in the tiles and decor are lovely! The bathroom is spacious and the shower was wonderful! The bed is so comfy, and its quiet at night. It has a wonderful B&B feel to the place. We are already planning a trip back to be able to stay here a little longer!

Santa Barbara is generally pretty expensive. With that being said, $177 a night isn't bad at all really. In the middle of winter, theres really not much to do aside from walking on the pier/beach, eating seafood, bike riding, and random sightseeing. I gotta admit..I booked Lavender Inn based on some of the freebies they offered. -wine and cheese social after check in -bedtime milk and cookies -free champagne in the room -comp bottles of water -Hershey's chocolates in the room -continental breakfast -free DVD rentals -free rental bikes!!! (trust me..you'll want these) See?! Some of these were just too good to pass up! Although they are also conveniently located at just half a mile from the beach and State street where all the shops are. So anyway, check in was pretty easy, got upgraded to a king bed instead of the original queen. Everything was prepaid on Expedia. Got a couple slices of cheese and two different types of wine, ate some Hershey's chocolates back in the room. The room and decor were a bit old but clean. The bathroom consisted of a standing shower and a toilet, not much room but looked newly remodeled in comparison to the room. The ac/heater unit was very noisy but did its job wonderfully. I wanted to mention that the walls are paper thin. I could hear my next door neighbors conversations and them moving around in the room. That was annoying. The continental breakfast the next morning was a nice touch. A variety of breads, cereal, organic vacuum packed eggs, sliced fruit (cantaloupes), minute oatmeal bags, yogurt with granola, Oj, milk, etc. Sit outside on the patio, breathe in the fresh ocean air and exhaust fumes from passing cars.

overall, it is overall an OK place to stay in Santa Barbara. friendly front desk, cheaper than the hotels that are actually by the sea, free parking, free champagne in the room, free breakfast (though very simple choices), wines during happy hours with crackers and cheeses, cookies and milk at night. although the place didn't make me feel 'safe'... you can't really open the windows/curtains if you are on the first floor, very thin walls, and pretty older decor. probably won't stay here again, but overall, okay!

Overall, the inn was lacking in many ways and I would not recommend it. First, the clerk at the desk when we checked in was rude, I think he thought he was being funny but he wasn't. The next morning when we went to breakfast at 9am (served from 7-10) they were out of all coffee, there was no hot food and even the yogurt was empty. I had to ask both the front desk clerk (a different one) and one of the women working near by to help before it was corrected. The room was a nice size but, the mirrors and lighting were terrible. If you need assistance at night, you have to go across the street to their sister location.

Great place, very clean, and quite. Service here is awesome, rooms are outstanding . They offer complementary wine and coffee in the lobby along with fruit and cookies

Good location, rooms seemed clean. Squeaky wall mounted air conditioner/heater. Free bikes to rent - take advantage of that; Santa Barbara's fun downtown areas are close enough together and parking difficult enough that bikes just make sense. Check in was odd - the clerk said we were "late". It was about 7:30pm and our train had just arrived. Wasn't even aware someone could be late to their own hotel. Note: Room 24 is a bigger room with a fireplace, however it is right next to the main office which serves a continental breakfast starting at 7am. That means you will hear them prepping at 6:30 - the walls are thin enough we could hear the "ding" of the office worker's text messages. Good location, walking distance from train station, nice facilities.

A friend and I shared a suite, and the pull out couch was very comfortable, great pillows too. There was a nice breakfast set up from 7-10am, though I wish they had soy or oat milk for coffee and such. It was nice and quiet, and in a great location close to beaches, Sunday crafts fair, Funk Zone... We borrowed bikes from the sister hotel across the street and sat outside there enjoying the happy hour treats that are available at both hotels. All staff at both were friendly and helpful.

The staff was very kind,room was clean,got an extra bed within my room,wish had people stay in it:) I recommend this hotel,free bike rental. Great location,easy check in,was kicked out of my room and they came to my rescue right away. Thank you Lavender Inn by the Sea!

Couldn't keep reservation because of tropical storm Hilary hitting Santa Barbara on day of arrival - still charged full amount - beware 3 day cancellation policy - booked through agoda - hotel said they couldn't do anything because 3rd party reservation - agoda couldn't do anything because of hotel policy - lots of charming places in SB - keep looking

This place was great. The location is a short walk to State street. The complimentary bikes was a nice touch.

I can not say enough about this hotel. First the hotel is spotless. The staff is also super friendly. When we enter the room two lavender sacks on the bed. Champagne chilling in the refrigerator. Plus two waters. They have happy hour from 4:30 to 6:30. Includes wine and cheese, crackers, sweet treats etc. the morning includes breakfast and coffee. Plus it's free parking. The walk to the beach and harbor is two small blocks. They also include free bikes to ride around the beach and city. I am definitely will be coming back and telling my friends. I love this hotel.

SOOO over priced for what is offered. SMALL. SO small. They've tried to make it a "Boutique" hotel by slapping on some paint and setting out champagne glasses with a complimentary bottle of champagne in the mini fridge. Happy hour? really? We walked over and there was a few crackers and a few cheese cubes and very few olives. It just wasn't. The breakfast I will say was ok. They had oatmeal, yogurt, bagels, pastries, melon and coffee. For 2 nights total was $714. We go for a music workshop where we are only in the room to sleep, gone all day. It just wasn't worth it at all.

Expedia booked me an extra night and, in spite of repeated attempts to get Lavendar management to help me, I was ignored. In essence, Lavendar management stole $170 from me. I cannot recommend them.

Stayed here in the Spring! I love everything lavender and could not wait to visit here! Unfortunately for us, they had just fertilized the whole grounds and it smelled like manure! My ground parents owned cows so I did not let that get me down! I would like o visit again when it smells more of the name sake. It's clean and quaint but it's the little extras that make a great stay! From the wine and cheese in the afternoon to milk and cookies at bed time! You also can walk across the street to rent out movies when you want to rest at night. The pool was clean and plenty of sun. The rooms were clean and bathrooms were recently updated and bright. I loved the check-in comp bottle of sparkling wine or cider! We will be back!

Very charming and cute. The champagne, milk and cookies, and size of the room were a big plus. Also, Rudy's Mexican food around the corner - see my review. Only suggestions - it would be good to have a desk/table in the room to have something to write on. Beds were comfy and cozy! I would stay here again.

I haven't stayed in many hotels, but this one has definitely made me raise my standards. It was excellent. Things I loved: -Free parking. -Free bike rentals. I didn't take advantage of this particular service, but still impressive nonetheless. -Free breakfast. My favorite part of the entire stay. It's nothing spectacular, but at least I didn't have to look up any breakfast spots. The pastry selection was divine. -The TV had a large selection of channels: not just local channels. -The bed was so comfortable. I had trouble getting out of it in the morning. Ha! -The room was always super clean. My compliments to housekeeping. -The hotel is a short walk to the beach. It's a little farther to get to the pier and to State Street, but it was still close enough that I didn't feel the need to drive my car. I honestly have no cons to report. If I find myself in SB again one day, I will choose this hotel again.

My husband and I celebrated our honeymoon in Santa Barbara and stayed at Lavender Inn. It's so charming and cute! We enjoyed all the great amenities the hotel offered like complimentary breakfast, free bike rentals, milk and cookies in the evening, and more. I love that the hotel does not have any resort fees either. The location was just a few blocks from the beach, and having the bikes made it so much easier to get around. We loved hanging by the pool area as well. The staff is super friendly and helpful with any questions we had. Our room was really cozy and also included a kitchen area to stock our food. Everything was very clean as well. We love the Santa Barbara area, and will definitely be back and stay here again.