Rosewood Miramar Beach
Hotel Name: Rosewood Miramar Beach
Number Rooms: 161
Location: Just off Highway 101, next to the beautiful Miramar Beach. It’s a 3-minute drive into Montecito.
East coast beach chic meets California cool at the Rosewood Miramar Beach, a 161-room resort sprawled across 16 acres of Pacific-front property. Reflecting the polished style of a New England mansion, the elegant Manor House is the hub of the hotel, where guests check-in and enjoy stunning ocean views across the great lawn. Rooms are decked out in seaside accents, like whitewashed beadboard and nautical stripes, while common spaces boast a clubby elegance. The pristine Manor pool, Sense Spa, and direct access to Miramar Beach are huge draws here, but for those who want to get off property, the shops, restaurants, and art galleries of downtown Montecito are a quick drive away.
What We Loved: For beach-front in Santa Barbara, there’s no beating the Rosewood’s Beach House Suites, perched over the sand with nothing to see but sea. If you need a lift into Montecito, hail one of the hotel’s “jollys,” pastel-colored open-air vintage vehicles that will set your Instagram on fire.
What We Didn’t Love: California’s Pacific Surfliner coastal train bisects the property. The crossing is manned by a uniformed conductor, though, so the Thomas the Tank Engine enthusiasts in the crowd may find this to be an attraction.
Right For: Families who want access to the best of the California coastal resort life.
Wrong For: Couples looking for the most romantic spot in Santa Barbara might be able to find a better fit.
Best Time to Visit: April-December
TLF Tip: Beginning after Thanksgiving, one of the property’s bungalows is transformed into Santa’s House, where kids of all ages can come meet St Nick, sip hot cocoa, and put pen to paper on their California Christmas lists.