Even before we arrived we were impressed by the se...

Even before we arrived we were impressed by the service of the staff. The concierge reached out to find out if we were celebrating any special occasion (which we were) and if we had anything in particular we wanted to do while we were visiting the area. Her responses helped guide our planning and helped to make the most of the time we had. We were warmly welcomed upon arrival by all staff. The lobby was beautifully decorated in a serene, modern vibe. We had a room in villa 1, not ocean front (that required an upgrade but since we were not planning to spend much time inside, we opted out of that). Nevertheless the room was spacious and welcoming, with separate sink/ dressing areas and a closed off WC. Also, the staff surprised us with chocolates and wine to help us celebrate our special occasion. My favorite part of this resort though was the outdoors - the views of the Pacific Ocean, the nature trail, the pool were all so beautiful. Flowers of all kinds blend beautifully with the mission style architecture of the buildings. Highly recommend the brunch of the high end restaurant on site, Angel Oak. In the good to know category, the property is dog friendly, so you'll have lots of pooches around. Also the parking is all valet, but they are able to retrieve your car very quickly. Every evening at 6pm they offer a sangria toast to three sunset. Location wise, the hotel is about a 10 minute drive from downtown Santa Barbara and about 45 minutes from the wine region, but it is a lovely drive up the 101. We would definitely return if we had the opportunity.