El Encanto Hotel review, Santa Barbara, California, US: The hotel Hollywood's elite escape to

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El Encanto Hotel review, Santa Barbara, California, US: The hotel Hollywood's elite escape to

By Keith Austin
Despite its 100 years El Encanto has pretty much everything you could want in a 21st-century hotel.

Despite its 100 years El Encanto has pretty much everything you could want in a 21st-century hotel.

THE LOCATION

Set high up on a ridge of the Santa Ynez mountain range foothills, the Belmond El Encanto has panoramic views of the city of Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean beyond. To get there from the city you take serpentine roads lined with jacaranda and jasmine, switch-backing through Spanish-style stucco homes with red-tiled roofs and alarmingly photogenic palm trees.

THE SPACE

The pool at El Encanto hotel, Santa Barbara, California

The pool at El Encanto hotel, Santa Barbara, CaliforniaCredit: Macduff Everton

Originally built as accommodation for a local college, the El Encanto held its first event as a hotel – a New Year's Eve dinner – on December 31, 1917 – and opened officially on February 2, 1918.

The main hotel building is a pleasing mix of the local hacienda style and historic California Craftsman. Sparkling white, with grey pitched roofs, it's resolutely low-rise, seeming to hug the contours of the landscape as it spills languidly down the side of the hill on which it sits. The rear dining terrace, which is a must for breakfast, has possibly one of the best views on the American Riviera.

Despite its 100 years El Encanto has pretty much everything you could want in a 21st-century hotel (conference rooms, Wi-Fi and the like) but it has also managed to retain the glamour and sophisticated simplicity that attracted so many of Hollywood's elite (Hedy Lamarr, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard) to it in the 1920s and '30s.

All rooms feature huge, exuberantly luxurious beds.

All rooms feature huge, exuberantly luxurious beds.

It also sits in seven acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and sports a large swimming pool next to the main building, a spa and a small but well-equipped gym.

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THE ROOM

Accommodation is in 92 suites and bungalows, all in California Craftsman and Spanish-style, and peppered throughout the lush grounds. They're called things such as superior, deluxe double, deluxe king, premier double, premier king, deluxe premier double, deluxe premier king and super-dooper deluxe double mother superior delight.

OK, that last one's a joke but you get the drift – nothing here is just a "room". And with good cause. Some of the rooms (sorry, suites) have old-fashioned fireplaces but they all feature huge, exuberantly luxurious beds, marble bathrooms with heated stone floors and tubs you can swim laps in if the outdoor pool's too chilly.

There are frighteningly fluffy white bathrobes, Acqua di Palma toiletries, iPod docks, Nespresso coffee machines and the usual widescreen LCD HDTVs with enough channels to see you through the apocalypse.

THE FOOD

As you would expect from a hotel that has been voted Santa Barbara's only Forbes Five Star resort for the fifth consecutive year – the food isn't too shabby at all.

Breakfast on the Terrace is a must but bring an empty stomach if you can. The Hearty Breakfast Burrito is a magnificent concoction of eggs, chorizo, onions, tomato, cheese and guacamole while the steak and eggs are an American classic.

More "serious" fare can be found in The Dining Room or The Lounge while there's traditional bar food in, you guessed it, The Bar.

There's also a special Bellini Brunch menu served on The Terrace each Sunday (11am-2pm). Sup on bottomless Bellinis (or Moet & Chandon Imperial champagne) and tuck in to a selection of appetisers, a main course (Australian rack of lamb, Dungeness crab cakes, pulled pork huevos rancheros, among others) and then help yourself to a selection of house-made desserts. There's also a live jazz band, but you can't have everything.

STEPPING OUT

Just a short walk from the hotel is the Old Mission, a Spanish colonial-style church that dates from 1820. Well, the interior does; the exterior has been rebuilt several times after earthquakes. Take a tour or just check out the amazing views of the bay from the grounds.

As befits a city that was put on the wine map by the Oscar-nominated movie Sideways in 2004 there is no shortage of places to imbibe. Head into town and take the self-guided Urban Wine Trail. There are more than 20 cellar doors/tasting rooms within staggering distance.

If you're of a more adventurous disposition (or maybe want to work off some of that wine) take a kayak around the pretty harbour and pier at Stearns Wharf. There is a colony of inquisitive seals that hang around the marina but be aware that their fishy breath can stun a pelican at 20 paces.

THE VERDICT

You can see why this hotel was a favourite sanctuary of the Hollywood set. The main building is relaxed, sunny and cool and classy while the bungalows and suites scattered throughout the grounds are luxurious and private.

ESSENTIALS

Belmond El Encanto, 800 Alvarado Place, Santa Barbara, California, US. Bungalows start from about $550 a night plus taxes and fees. See belmond.com/el-encanto-santa-barbara

HIGHLIGHT

The view from the terrace. Terracotta-roofed Santa Barbara is laid out below, with the deep blue of the Pacific beyond that.

LOWLIGHT

The grey silhouettes of the many oil rigs offshore are disconcerting.

Keith Austin travelled as a guest of Visit California and Qantas.

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