Amy MariettaThis Retro Santa Barbara Hotel Is The Best : The Goodland
A retro Santa Barbara hotel located walking distance from the Pacific Ocean, with the Santa Ynez Mountains as a backdrop. The Goodland is like no other with a vintage Airstream and Woodie parked out front, Crosleys accompanied by vinyls in each room, and an overall laid-back vibe.
Read on for my full review and photos.
Book a stay here.
Let me start by saying that The Goodland is the perfect place for a girl’s trip. It’s relaxing, a great location, and pet-friendly. Celina, her puppy, and I arrived early morning at the hotel after an hour and 45 minute drive up the coast from LA. The Goodland is actually in Goleta which is a 10 minute drive from downtown Santa Barbara, so you really get the laid-back feel.
The perfect escape.
As we pulled up, I was so excited because my WiFi automatically connected I have a deep love for retro, timeless vibes, and the infamous Goodland airstream and Woodie were parked right out front. (#retrodreamsaremadeofthis) To top it off, as soon as we walked into the bohemian chic lobby, we laid eyes on the VNYL shop which has a small, solid selection of classic vinyls to play on your own personal Crosley in the room. I recommend some classic Fleetwood Mac.
The inviting interiors combine a 70’s eclectic, yet effortless California bohemian surf vibe. This retro Santa Barbara hotel was definitely designed and decorated with Pinterest and Instagram in mind, as each corner is unique, tells a story, and is photo-worthy.
Tip: The Goodland’s restaurant, The Outpost, doesn’t open until the evening, so for an afternoon snack you can ride one of the hotel bikes a block over to Backyard Bowls for an acai bowl.
The Rooms:
We were lucky and got a pool view room on the first floor which was really convenient. I loved the simple, bohemian surf style decor. The bed was super cozy.
The Grounds
Pool:
The pool is super cute, but the best thing about the pool area is really the day bed situation. I was able to really sprawl out and relax on the cozy day bed. It was like having an actual bed outside, where you can work, tan, have a picnic, or all the above. But also, the beautiful Santa Ynez mountains as a backdrop is pretty noteworthy as well. (You can literally roast marshmallows by the fire pit, drink wine from the pool, and enjoy the mountain view – from the hotel common areas.)
Restaurant & Room Service :
So the hotel doesn’t have room service which is the only thing I was bummed about. But the restaurant, The Outpost, is delicious. The retro-chic indoor-outdoor restaurant and bar has a menu that changes each season with options for all foodies. We ordered the cauliflower (which donates $2 to CHEFSCYCLE for No Kid Hungry – LOVE), a kale salad, and of course – chips & guacamole.
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