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. West Beach Inn, a Coast Hotel

West Beach, 1.3 km from Waterfront

Lorena

₹36,220 total

includes taxes & fees

27 Jul - 28 Jul

2. Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort

East Beach, 0.5 km from Waterfront

McKenna

₹38,461 total

includes taxes & fees

19 Aug - 20 Aug

3. Motel 6 Santa Barbara, CA - Beach

East Beach, 1 km from Waterfront

Michael

₹19,751 total

includes taxes & fees

9 Aug - 10 Aug

4. Hotel Santa Barbara

Lower State, 1.5 km from Waterfront

Dominique

₹33,380 total

includes taxes & fees

29 Jul - 30 Jul

5. La Playa Inn

West Beach, 1.4 km from Waterfront

darryl a

₹29,851 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Aug - 24 Aug

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

6. Santa Barbara Inn

East Beach, 0.9 km from Waterfront

Logan J

₹34,838 total

includes taxes & fees

3 Aug - 4 Aug

7. Beachside Inn

West Beach, 1.3 km from Waterfront

Oscar

₹26,674 total

includes taxes & fees

10 Aug - 11 Aug

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

8. Avania Inn of Santa Barbara

West Beach, 1.4 km from Waterfront

Martin

₹21,761 total

includes taxes & fees

29 Jul - 30 Jul

9. The Inn at East Beach

East Beach, 1.1 km from Waterfront

Vy

₹19,083 total

includes taxes & fees

26 Jul - 27 Jul

10. Harbor View Inn

West Beach, 0.9 km from Waterfront

Kavian

₹38,312 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Aug - 24 Aug

11. Inn By The Harbor

West Beach, 1.6 km from Waterfront

Thomas

₹32,092 total

includes taxes & fees

26 Jul - 27 Jul

12. Marina Beach Hotel

West Beach, 1.3 km from Waterfront

James

₹30,422 total

includes taxes & fees

5 Aug - 6 Aug

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

East Beach, 1.1 km from Waterfront

Justin

₹35,018 total

includes taxes & fees

4 Aug - 5 Aug

14. Mason Beach Inn

West Beach, 1.3 km from Waterfront

Dayne

₹36,131 total

includes taxes & fees

13 Aug - 14 Aug

15. Brisas del Mar, Inn at the Beach

West Beach, 1.5 km from Waterfront

David

₹29,829 total

includes taxes & fees

18 Aug - 19 Aug

Grand Suite | Private kitchen | Coffee/tea maker, fridge

16. Pacific Crest Hotel Santa Barbara

East Beach, 1 km from Waterfront

Victoria

₹21,211 total

includes taxes & fees

18 Aug - 19 Aug

17. Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

Lower State, 1.4 km from Waterfront

Matthew

₹29,676 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Aug - 24 Aug

Room, 2 Double Beds, Garden View | Premium bedding, pillow-top beds, in-room safe, desk

18. Riviera Beach House

The Funk Zone, 0.9 km from Waterfront

Laurette

₹22,242 total

includes taxes & fees

17 Aug - 18 Aug

19. Lavender Inn by the Sea

West Beach, 1.4 km from Waterfront

Brian

₹32,068 total

includes taxes & fees

29 Jul - 30 Jul

20. The Franciscan Hotel

West Beach, 1.3 km from Waterfront

Jaime

₹22,159 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Aug - 24 Aug

View all properties

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 Presidio Santa Barbara or Granada Theatre 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

Avania Inn of Santa Barbara

8/10 Good

"Nothing special, just a clean, reasonably priced hotel in a good location in Santa Barbara. I would recommend this property if you're traveling alone or without kids and don't plan on being in the room much."

Sandpiper Lodge

8/10 Good

"Pros - Great location, nearby most of Santa Barbara's shopping and popular spots. Great for families. Loved the family suite with a separate room for the kids. Air conditioning worked great. Cons - Rooms are a bit outdated (there was construction in some of the rooms, so maybe they are upgrading?) Bathrooms needed a deeper clean. Breakfast was minimal. Overall we had a good stay."

Inn By The Harbor

10/10 Excellent

"Fantastic little hotel in a nice area. Minutes from everything in Santa Barbara. Staff were all nice and our room looked like a little apartment with a kitchen and fridge. Very helpful for leftovers from dinner out! The grounds were so beautiful! The breakfast was great too. They had egg frittatas, out meal, cereal, yogurt parfaits and pastries. Coffee and tea. We ate inside but lots of people ate on the patio outside the lobby which was really nice. I highly recommended this hotel."

Search Hotels in Waterfront, Santa Barbara

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Our top choices for Waterfront hotels

1. West Beach Inn, a Coast Hotel

2. Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort

3. Motel 6 Santa Barbara, CA - Beach

4. Hotel Santa Barbara

5. La Playa Inn

6. Santa Barbara Inn

7. Beachside Inn

8. Avania Inn of Santa Barbara

9. The Inn at East Beach

10. Harbor View Inn

11. Inn By The Harbor

12. Marina Beach Hotel

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

14. Mason Beach Inn

15. Brisas del Mar, Inn at the Beach

16. Pacific Crest Hotel Santa Barbara

17. Drift Santa Barbara, a Member of Design Hotels

18. Riviera Beach House

19. Lavender Inn by the Sea

20. The Franciscan Hotel

Where to stay in Waterfront

Santa Barbara Beach

Montecito

Downtown Santa Barbara

West Beach

East Beach

Top Waterfront Hotel Reviews

Avania Inn of Santa Barbara

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