I absolutely love this hotel and stay here every time I visit my daughter in Santa Barbara. The location is perfect—right in the heart of State Street and walking distance to everything. The staff is outstanding: always friendly, helpful, and accommodating. Even though there’s no in-person check-in, the GM always greets me by name if she sees me and welcomes me back. The bar and coffee shop downstairs are owned by the hotel, which makes everything super convenient. Shoutout to Will, the bartender—he was awesome! He took the time to learn our names, made sure we liked our drinks, and even double-checked that the chips and salsa were safe for my gluten-free daughter. The rooms are on the smaller side, but they’re super cute with a fun, funky vibe. Always a great stay!

Not a thing!

Loved the aesthetic. Loved the super comfy bed and large windows. Loved Dusk and Dawn. Loved the location. Loved easy access with a code vs a card.

The lighting was beyond bad for getting ready. Just really terrible. You better have muscle memory for applying makeup and getting ready because the lighting is as bad as it gets with a very small vertical mirror (no way to use the mirror at the same time). It also felt a bit warm at night (in December) and no matter what temp we set it to and what level we set the fan to, it pretty much stayed the same it seemed.

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!

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.

The room size but I knew that going in so no surprises there.

amazing location!

contactless check in process made stay feel a bit impersonal.

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!

Customer service was reachable only through text or phone call - I found this potentially cumbersome if I didn't have a local US number. Other than that, flawless service.

Location is absolutely fantastic and definitely what you’re paying for. The room was a lot smaller than expected but absolutely spotless and perfectly comfortable. Great coffee at Dawn Cafe and great cocktails at Dusk Bar. A massive shout out to Manager Jason who let us use his personal cellphone when we had car trouble and no access to calls. We really appreciate his kindness and help.

The rooms are just a little bit smaller than expected.

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.

The room was very modern and chic, a minor point was some difficulty getting in and out of bed that was elevated and boxed in a tight space, perhaps our age played a part in this !

I chose Drift because it looked a bit different to regular hotels. I love the modern, boutique style. It’s right in the centre of restaurants and shops, but the hotel is quiet and has a relaxed feel. I emailed before arrival and the staff were great to communicate with. On arrival it is a self check in, but I met some of the staff who are lovely and helpful. I appreciated the small touches like a hand held clothes steamer in the room!

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.

Rooms are a little small, and there is no full-time staff present, but during the day when we ran into staff they were super helpful.