Old Yacht Club Inn

It’s getting more and more difficult to find a genuine experience these days, with all the nondescript hotels and over glorified amenities. When I go on vacation, it’s to experience the real flavor of a place. Santa Barbara has so much to offer those who are looking for that authenticity if your intrigue is your compass. I live in Carpinteria, 12 miles southeast of Santa Barbara. When a great friend of mine was coming to town, she asked where she and her friend should stay in Santa Barbara. I thought of all the high dollar establishments not far down the street from the crumby hotel/​motels I had seen at absurd prices and then I thought of this place. I went to visit them when they where staying there and was super stoked on the location. It’s very quaint and quiet in this neighborhood setting. The beach is seriously right down the street. It’s the perfect place to experience what life would be like if you lived in this unreal paradise. I spoke with the owner when I was there who was super nice and informative about what here is to do and where to eat. I will always recommend it to people who ask. I can’t think of a better place to play «living in Santa Barbara»

We had a wonderful stay at this charming place! Steps from the beach, they provided beach chairs, umbrellas, bicycles, etc. Would definitely stay here again!

I really enjoyed my stay at Old Yacht Club Inn. I was tired of staying at typical hotels, so I tried this place and it was a very pleasant experience. All of the little touches certainly added up. They had free bike rentals, free parking, free wi-​fi, and it was just a block from the beach. It really felt like I was being hosted by a friend in their beautiful Santa Barbara home.

Excellent room and amenities. Fantastic location and setting. We’ll definitely stay again!

My husband and I recently stayed for our anniversary night and everything was wonderful! Room was spacious, charming and antique, but very clean. All the conveniences you would need were in our room: Refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker (full size!) cups, dishes and utensils. They even provide beach towels! Location is prime, just a block to Santa Barbara east beach, and the entire area is great for walking. Beach cruise bicycles are also free for use, but unfortunately our stay was too short to make use of them. We will definitely plan another trip back. Thank you Brianna!

My boyfriend and I stayed here on a whim and found it to be absolutely charming! We didn’t explore the property much but it was so close to the beach! There was a microwave, mini fridge, and even a jacuzzi tub! The room was clean and cozy! And we found it to be pretty affordable! Definitely check this place out if you’re not into the monster hotels!

This may be the worst place I’ve ever stayed in Santa Barbara. The best thing I can say is that it’s clean. But for $ 200 a night that’s not what I should be saying. A European hostel for 50 euros a night can suffice with just being clean. Furthermore this was falsely advertised as being remodeled. It was NOT. Unless you count putting up tacky wallpaper from the 50s as remodeling. (It wasn’t even done very well.) Our bathroom is ANCIENT. Everything is old and nothing’s been updated. Finally I think these rooms were illegally converted to individual units. I say this because our thermostat must be set to 80 degrees and we have NO way to change it. We both woke up at 1am sweating from the heater being on and searched for 20 minutes trying to locate the thermostat. Wasn’t there. Very disappointed. Oh and no staff anywhere to assist. This place is a sham. Beyond terrible. Do not stay here.

Really cute little hotel. We received great customer service and enjoyed our stay. The rooms were very cute and clean. The hotel is super close to the ocean and shopping. I recommend staying here for a relaxing get away

Love this place! Although not a B&B anymore, it’s still super gorgeous. Stayed in the Santa Cruz with my wife for our 7 year anniversary. The room is stunning! Upstairs. Quite. Plenty of widows for sun to come through but also plenty of blinds for privacy and to keep the rooms dark for sleeping in! If you bring kids, it has a 2^nd room with a trundle bed!
Borrowed bikes from the Inn and rode them to our favorite restaurants.

I visited this B and B three years ago with girlfriends and we loved it. We had wine and cheese in the afternoon. We had warm cookies. We had a great breakfast.
This is not a B and B any longer. It is a vacation rental. We did not even have a glass in our room for drinking water or brushing teeth. Renovation is going on.
I will never stay here again and I was very disappointed. I was told that the lack of breakfast was on the confirmation but it was not on it.
Just be advised that there are not amenities at this establishment.

Groupon customers beware! The Old Yacht Club Inn gives Groupon customers a sub-​standard experience. Overall, I’m fairly certain that this is a decent place, but for Groupon customers, we were sorely disappointed and do not think we got even half of our money’s worth.
Normal customers would receive the following, but Groupon customers are not informed that they will not receive the following:
1. Access to the main lobby complimentary refreshments.
2. Daily room cleaning. Just cross your fingers and hope that the room is clean when you arrive, because it won’t be getting cleaned while you stay there.
Freebies:
— Groupon customers will receive free chips (ours were Sun Chips), cheese, and a bottle of wine.
— All customers will receive a free bottle of sherry (might be specific to the Jargon room).
We went here over the 4^th of July weekend to watch the fireworks on the beach. I’ve been here in the past and the hotel was amazing. However, management must have changed or something, because it has gone downhill.
We stayed in the Jargon room. Very quaint, old fashioned, decent upkeep. No A/​C, but even in the middle of July, the room is somewhat tolerable if the windows are open.
Wi-​Fi was only accessible from the back porch and the front porch. No reliable service from the room.
At this bed and breakfast, there is no breakfast. They claimed to have free refreshments by going into the main lobby, but the lobby was always locked and no one was in there to open the door for you. Normally, you’re given a key to let yourself into the lobby, but not for Groupon customers!
The lady that answers the phone is very nice, but don’t expect her to answer the phone when you call and don’t expect an answer to your voicemails until hours after you need the information you called about.
They have free access to bikes and beach chairs, but you have to fish for a decent chair that isn’t broken (hinges are broken, fabric is torn, etc.) and the bikes are all rusted because they don’t put them away at night or clean the gears. They leave the bikes outside for easy access, but this means corrosion since it’s right by the beach.
Avoid this place.

Comfy beds! Good blackout shades. Adorable well-​maintained vintage décor. Tall showers with super hot water, fridge, clothing storage space. Literally a couple blocks from the beach and nice mini bike roads along the gorgeous beach to use the free bike rental. Plus they let us plug in our chevy volt !
:)
Ps also separate entrance a plus
And rooms on ground level still have privacy via well-​placed latices
Late night check in was very easy

Worst experience and service I have ever had! I travel all over, even stayed here once about four years ago– and received great service and a very unique experience-​back then. This person has changed everything and ruined a really great bed-​and-​breakfast!
Oh excuse me it’s just a bed! No breakfast!!!
I reserved this for my girlfriend’s birthday and referred many people here since I had the experience four years ago.
I was completely embarrassed when bringing 5 girlfriends with me last weekend. The owner seemed high or drunk, could not remember anything from a conversation five minutes before.
We were put in the wrong building, there was no hot water, tv didn’t work, it smelled like feet, no air conditioning, it could go on and on. Our neighbors beside us were very disappointed as well. Expressed to me that they had been charged twice so when I return I had to cancel my credit card, to ensure I would not be charged again!
Save yourself the trouble and avoid this place at all costs!

I stayed here with my girlfriend five months ago for a spontaneous weekend getaway.
Santa Barbara is a very, very expensive place for lodging. Even motels are expensive so I was pleasantly surprised to see this Bed and Breakfast offering a deal on priceline, which I immediately took.
It’s nested in the residential area right off the beach. A very laid back staff that quickly briefs you on the house rules – when breakfast is served, the complimentary wine (nice), the free bike rentals (really nice), the hot spots in town, check-​out (they late you check out as late as you want as long as it’s within reason) – and then they walk you to your room. Our room was a beautiful one room bungalow with beautiful antique-​esque furniture, decorations, drapes, etc. We had a spacious furnished private front porch deck, a garden tub big enough for three people, a fireplace (we didn’t use it but it was nice to have it there) and, because I asked ahead of time, they had a really affordable gift basket with wine and cheese and chocolates and flowers (wonderfully presented).
We were a comfortable walking distance from everything in town. Taxis are on the pricey side and parking isn’t that difficult in Santa Barbara (compared to LA) so we drove most of the times. Othertimes, we took the free bike rentals out and biked to brunch.
Santa Barbara is a place where you don’t want to spend too much time inside. I used to live here so there was lots I wanted to see. But you still want to stay in a comfortable room with nice amenities when it comes time to sleep. There are much nicer, luxurious hotels to stay at (and they’re extremely expensive) but if you’re here for a wine tour, the beach, the mountains, Solvang, then this is a nice choice, especially if you want a more home-​like feel to your lodging.
I’ll take the cottage over the hotel room anytime.

LOVED our stay here! Came here for a weekend getaway with the husband and we loved every minute of it. From the cozy feel of the B&B to the proximity of the beach, it’s a perfect place to stay.
The service we received was excellent. Jasmine, the main innkeeper, was friendly and helpful. She was all smiles even when there were a few guests asking her for multiple things at once. When we checked in, she walked us around and gave us a mini tour of the inn. We found out that we can borrow the beach chairs and take them to the beach as well as ride the bikes they had – free of charge! Some of the bikes were starting to rust but we weren’t complaining. No need to pay for bike rentals when your B&B lends you theirs.
The room itself was quaint. It had that B&B feel; so if you come here with hotel room expectations, you might be in for a shock. We had a corner room with a nice window view of the street outside. After a little while, we figured out that there were blinds we can pull down. The door too was glass and after looking under the sheer curtains, we found out there were also blinds on the door we can choose to pull down. The room also comes with complimentary sherry.
At around 5 pm, they offer wine and little snacks in the lobby. It’s a great time to mingle with other guests while nibbling on some food before dinner. In the morning, Jasmine and another cook prepared a delicious breakfast for the guests. The morning I was there, they served homemade granola with yogurt, french toast, and orange juice. It was yummy.
Overall, this B&B is a five-​star experience. It’s a close walk to the beach, a walk-​able distance to the zoo, and a comfortable weekend getaway stay.

I actually would give the B&B a 3 ½ star rating.
Pros: Location a block or two from the beach
Nice social hour and breakfast
Nice front porch and seating area in front porch of main house making it easy
to meet and mingle with other guests.
Cons: Parking issues, especially on holidays.
Wooden floors leading to much noise in downstairs rooms.
Loud plumbing
I like the fact that this facility has consistent pricing and doesn’t jack up rates for holidays. They could use a little more attention to detail, and policing the parking on a holiday like July 4^th would be helpful. Food was good, room was adequate and the location was a big selling point. We will return.

My girlfriend and I had a very comfortable stay for pretty cheap since we found the place on Airbnb where they advertise their rooms at a reduced rate of $ 119. This was my first stay at a traditional B&B so I found the homestyle approach charming and the all-​inclusive services (breakfast, bike rental, wine & cheese) a good value. There were many opportunities to socialize with the other guests, and they’re in a great location near the beach in a safe and quiet neighborhood.
My only complaint is that their bikes are in serious disrepair. We tried taking a few bikes out but decided it was a lost cause when we were unable to use the rusted broken air pump to get enough air in the tires to ride them.

I came here a few months ago for a quick weekend getaway and had a great time. I arrived right when the wine social hour was starting, and was greeted by the inn keeper at the door with a glass! Had some great conversation with the other guests, and we even had a BBQ together that evening before turning in.
Their breakfast is nice, very fresh, and beautifully prepared. They alternate each day between sweet and savory entrees. My first breakfast was an onion and potato omelet, which was awesome, with the best fresh pressed apple juice I’ve ever had. The second day was a poached pear, followed by french toast with strawberries and bananas. I normally don’t eat super sweet and sugary food for breakfast, but I did enjoy it. The serving sizes were just enough to keep you full for the morning.
I booked the Montecito room, which may be the smallest one in the inn, but it was just right for me. Both nights were very quiet and peaceful. I figured staying in an old house (it was built in 1912) you’d hear everything at night, but I honestly never heard a sound from anyone at all when I was in my room. Each room has a complementary flask of sherry in it for your night cap if you wish. So basically you get breakfast daily, and free wine and cookies all day long :)
After my stay, I realized I had been overcharged, so I e-​mailed the inn keepers about it. They took a little longer than I would have liked to resolve the issue, but they were very nice about it and did refund me the difference. All in all, I enjoyed my experience at the Old Yacht Club in, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a nice place to stay near the beach in Santa Barbara.

I had purchased a living social voucher for a stay here recently for my birthday. I thought it was a great deal at the time but I kept upgrading it till I got a beach house. Lol. I was skeptical about staying here since there were mixed reviews on Unilocal and other sites. I even warned my sisters ahead of time. Upon arrival and staying here for 2 – 3 days, I was very please with my time here and would recommend this B & B to others. The staffs there were all super nice and helpful. We really liked our rooms in the Beach House. We felt like we had our privacy, which was a good thing. The owner of the B & B lived in a separate part of the house we stayed in.
They had freshly made yummy breakfast for us each morning. They also had wine social and freshly made desserts in the evening. I love going to the main house to drink wine and relax in front of the fire place. They also have a porch at the main house where you can sit and relax. Although they did not have a refrigerator in the beach house (which was a bit of an inconvenience to go back in forth), we were able to go to the main house easily with our keys. I would love to come back when I’m in SB.
I docked off a star for communication. I know I had like a million questions but some emails or calls were never returned. I didn’t find out till I checked in that all was clear.

I did not realize it was a B&B when I booked it, but I’m so glad it was!
I’m not sure why there are negative reviews. I’m assuming people expected way too much & were disappointed or something because there was nothing wrong with our stay.
The hostess was very nice and always smiling. There are a lot of antiques everywhere which adds to the whole vibe of the place. Our room felt secluded, which we liked! It had all the amenities as other hotels.
We only had breakfast one morning & it was really tasty (french toast, yogurt & cereal, coffee!) We also attended the wine social at 5 and got to speak with others staying there. very nice people.
The beach is a block away & they have bikes to check out. Theres free parking in the back. Very close to all the bars on State st.
Overall, we had a great time staying here. Don’t expect anything glamorous. if you do, you are better off staying at a Hilton.