What they say
Santa Barbara is The American Riviera. A place where travel dreams come true, and reality exceeds even your highest expectations. Kimpton Canary Hotel provides the quintessential Santa Barbara hotel experience, with luxurious accommodations and a staff focused on delighting you at every turn. The crown jewel of this Spanish-style hotel is its rooftop pool, which affords stunning views, particularly at sunset, and the four-post beds, which are said to be among the most indulgent of all time.
Sleep
We arrived at the Kimpton Canary in the afternoon, after driving up the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles. Our room was light and airy, with a beautiful view of Santa Barbara’s iconic Spanish revival rooftops, with the sparkling sea in the distance. The style was mix-matched Mediterranean patterns against wooden shutters, delicate bath tiles and rustic wooden furniture; peaceful and picturesque. The four-poster in the room was so tall and wide that my guest laughed at the sight of me nestled with a book in one corner of it. Needless to say, we both had a fantastic night’s sleep.
Dine
The Finch and Fork restaurant boasts of an array of American classics with a classy twist. We started by sampling the devilled eggs; an American staple that I’d never tried before and was recommended by our waiter. The eggs had the addition of pork belly, which made for a delicious first bite.
We opted for two salads to start: the Chapala Chopped Salad with radicchio, aged mozzarella, pepperoncini, chickpeas and salami, and the Heirloom Tomato Salad. The first had an oaky, slightly bitter taste from the meats and mozzarella, which was met with the sweetness from the balsamic and refreshingly crunchy iceberg. The second was nutritious and watery, with flavour and zing from the pickled shallots and basil – perfect after a day lying in the sun and drinking wine!
For mains, I ordered the grilled New York skirt steak, which came with a buttery and umami broccolini, hen of the woods mushrooms, cippolini onions and an incredibly creamy bordelaise. It was magnificent, and the additions were full of flavour without overpowering the perfectly cooked meat. My guest ordered the seabass, which was a beautiful dish, with steamed haricot vert, eggplant, texture-adding cranberry beans and a light salsa.
We ordered the Panna Cotta for dessert, which though nothing like I’d imagined (it was a chocolate dish) was divine. I am still dreaming of it. The pot was filled with a chocolate Panna Cotta mixture, which, true to the restaurant’s style, was a luxury take on traditional American campfire s’mores. The presentation was fantastic, with caramelised marshmallow fluff and graham cracker crumble to the top. It filled up all the gaps, leaving us full and satisfied.
We had breakfast in a lighter part of the dining room, where white linen drapes and tiled walls welcomed us in. It was a nice contrast to the dark oak dining room we’d visited the night before.
For breakfast, I had eggs, Benedict, again with an American twist including lemony avocado, bacon, extra creamy hollandaise and crispy breakfast potatoes (home fries). It was incredibly hearty and I would happily accept this dish every time I order brunch from now on.
My partner had a breakfast burrito, with eggs and bacon. To me, burritos can often be too much, so it wasn’t appealing in the first instance. However, when I tried it I got food envy. The wrap was expertly baked and the salsa perfectly tangy. It was definitely not too much: I could have eaten three of them.
If you want to try all things American without giving yourself a sugar headache/heart attack, this is the place to go. Every dish was beautifully crafted with the best ingredients, leaving us full but not flummoxed.
The Crowd
Because of the refined decor and peaceful atmosphere, I must say I expected the hotel to attract an older crowd, but there were people of all ages staying there: young professionals, people on business trips, crowds on wine tours and mini breakers from LA.
Out and About
Tourists visit Santa Barbara for the wineries and the beach. The main stretch of the city can be walked around without a car, which is a rarity for this part of California. There are plenty of wineries, where you can taste samples from local vineyards, and there are cute shops with vintage pieces and local designers scattered around the main hub. Make sure you walk across the picturesque train line that runs through the centre of town.
It’s a lot quieter than Los Angeles and not a particularly gruelling drive from the metropolis. The city is also on Route One of the Pacific Coast Highway, and therefore the perfect pitstop if you’re on a road trip up towards San Francisco. We only went as far as Cambria on our trip (a very cute mountain town) but managed to experience everything you’d imagine from an American road trip in the space of three days! Check out the Madonna Inn on your way up from Santa Barbara, for the most kitsch American style wonderland you can imagine, as well as Seal Beach and Hurst Castle (where they shot Citizen Kane!).
Though Santa Barbara is already a sought after destination for holidaymakers and wine lovers alike, you might argue that you could have a perfectly good time without leaving the Canary Hotel. The rooftop pool (complete with showers, towels and SPF and aftersun dispensers – a lovely touch) is next to a luxurious jacuzzi and a separate area with seating and a delightful fireplace for the evenings.
There are in-room spa treatments available, and there is access to Gold’s next door, an independent two-story gym. The Kimpton hotels also provide a yoga mat in every room, which is ideal after a long car journey.
Kimpton hotels also provide daily wine tastings, where you can enjoy a delicious complimentary glass or two of local wine, whilst surrounded by the carefully curated interiors.
The Best Thing
The wine, the comfort, the beauty and the calm of Santa Barbara are reflected perfectly in the Canary Hotel. I’d also give a special mention to the staff who were friendly, incredibly accommodating and really knew their wine!
The Worst Thing
We went in January when the weather, though hot, mimics the unpredictable tendencies of UK summertime for a couple of weeks, but otherwise, it’s non-stop sun.
The Details
Rooms start from £400 per night
