About Best Western Plus Santa Barbara
Located in downtown Santa Barbara, the Best Western Plus Encina Inn & Suites places guests near the Old Mission and Rocky Nook Park. The hotel features an large heated pool and a massage room.
The 122 rooms and suites feature country-style decor, flat-screen TVs with premium cable channels, and coffee makers. All benefit from air-conditioning and en-suite bathrooms.
Facilities at the Best Western Plus Encina Inn & Suites include a communal hot tub, a hair salon, and a gift shop. The hotel gardens feature a bird aviary. Other services include valet laundry and a complimentary airport shuttle.
The hotel’s farm to table restaurant, the Live Oak Café, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (extra cost). Alternative dining options in the area include Taffy’s Pizza and Garrett’s Old Fashion Restaurant.
The hotel lies one mile from the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and within three miles of Arroyo Beach County Park and Stearns Wharf.
Positive Reviews
positive:
Impressive rooms
Rooms at the Best Western Plus Encina Lodge & Suites impress guests. You'll find the accommodation is spotlessly clean and contains all the amenities promised. The TVs are of a decent size and the Wi-Fi works well. Plus, guests report finding little extras such as bottled water, apples, and cookies.
positive:
Enjoyable dining
Guests are especially appreciative of the standard of the breakfast, which can be enjoyed on the hotel's patio. Reviews are also positive about the lunch and dinner services available at the Live Oak Café, with many guests describing the food and service as enjoyable.
positive:
Good choice of on-site facilities
Reviews indicate that guests are pleased by the selection of facilities at this hotel. The hotel pool is particularly well kept, is heated, and is of a decent size. The bird aviary in the gardens is also a highlight for many guests.
Negative Reviews
negative:
Location may not suit everyone
While there are plenty of positive points about this hotel, a number of guests felt that the location could be better. The hotel is in a residential area near the hospital and the downtown/tourist area is a 40-minute walk from the property. On the plus side, there is a trolley service that stops near the hotel.
negative:
Some rooms are small
Although the rooms offer an impressive standard of accommodation, some guests do comment that they found the rooms were a little on the small side. The problem seems mainly due to too much furniture placed in the rooms.
negative:
Some noise issues
Several guests mention that they found this hotel was a little noisy, although it does seem to depend on how many guests are staying in the property at the time. Also, there appears to be some construction work going on nearby, although this will presumably finish at some point.