State Street Hotel

Sad, but it’s gone. Not actually «physically» gone, but it’s now The Hotel Indigo… a fancy, expensive replacement. The old State Street Hotel was a place I stayed many times beginning in 1980. European style hotel with just the basics: bed, small dresser, chair, and a sink. The shower and toilet were down the hall… Men’s and Women’s across from each other. You could lock the door while you were «using the facilities,» but it was just the way it was. The room charge back in the «80s was about 20 or 25 bucks per night. Not bad, and a lot of European young people came here to enjoy the town and our country. Now, The Hotel Indigo charges about $ 212 per night. Somehow, they managed to squeeze a shower, toilet, and new sink into each of these small rooms. And the rooms that I always chose for my stay, the ones with the «view» facing the Amtrack station just a few hundred feet away? … now completely blocked by the new MOXI Museum under construction; built on an odd-​ball triangular lot that I thought would never be developed. Sad… but you can’t stop progress. It’s just the way it is.

My boyfriend and I stayed here last weekend and enjoyed it. It isn’t anything special and it’s kind of a bummer that most of the rooms don’t have a bathroom, but the rooms themselves are tidy, clean and comfortable. Plus, you can stay here for three nights for the price of one night at most other Santa Barbara hotels, which is definitely a bonus. And it is only one block from the beach. We didn’t find the Amtrak too distracting. I think I heard it once during the night, but it wasn’t a big deal.
State Street Hotel is definitely a good deal if you are looking for a cheap place to stay that will save you money that can otherwise be spent on food and wine!

When in Santa Barbara stay here cheap and spend your money on food and drinks.
My wife and I have stayed here many times over the years. This place is a traveler’s hotel; a place to sleep and clean up. You will share a bathroom and shower, single occupancy with a door, that’s private while you are in there. If that is a big deal to you then just move along and spend double the money. We have never had a problem with that.
The hotel is right next to the Amtrak station and that has it’s ups and downs. If you take the train to Santa Barbara you won’t have to schlep your luggage very far to get to this hotel. The downside is that train tracks are busy and trains run all day and all night through town. If you are a light sleeper this could be a problem for you.
From the hotel it is a 10 minute walk to reach beginning of the State Street shopping/​food/​entertainment strip. They have a small parking lot at the hotel and we have always been able to find a parking place.
For my money this is the place to stay in S.B.

A friend stayed here with me once, but she didn’t like it; it’s not The Grand Hyatt.
*You share a common bathroom [but you musn’t worry. It’s a single and you can lock the door. There will be no common-​shower-​co-​ed-​crotch-​gazing here].
*The rooms are clean, the lobby is spacious, and the staff is kind and helpful.
*There’s a subway sandwich next door. EAT FRESH! However, if a foot-​long isn’t your bag, you’re a block from the wharf, and also a couple blocks from a diverse assortment of ethnic restaurants on State Street.
*Don’t forget shower shoes!
*It might look skeazy, but I’ve never felt in danger on the two occasions I’ve stayed here – and one of those times I was solo.
*Private parking lot
*Around the corner from the 101
*1 block from the SB Amtrak station [I took the train TO here and FROM here alone… It was very easy to find my way]
I like it. It’s cheap at $ 80 [and some change] per night during off season – It’s different than the average hotel-​shmotel-​holiday inn. I can hardly remember any other hotel stays, but the State Street Hotel will rest its loins on my brain for years. I also kinda like to think there’s potential for a meet-​cute as you clumsily carry your bundle of shower stuff to the bathroom. =)

The State hotel, «home to the sophisticated budget traveler».
I drove the Pacific Coast Highway this weekend from SF to San Diego. So, it was getting late, and time to stop. I saw a sign off the highway for UC Santa Barbara. Hmm, I thought, isn’t that one of those famous party schools?
So being the sleaze ball I am, I rented a sleazy hotel room one block away from «bar row» so that I could gawk at hot rich chicks that I had no chance with.
I was moderately disappointed that there were no late-​night shenanagans after stmubling back to the hotel. But that’s probably a plus for most people.
I was pretty impressed with the place for the price. It was a tiny room (bathroom down the hall), but completely clean and comfortable. Block and a half from the beach. And did I mention cheap?

For $ 90/​night, one block away from the wharf, I think I can handle walking a few doors down the hall to use the restroom.