California Dreamin’ – Hotel Santa Barbara Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link: http://jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/hotels/calif/sba/hotelsb.htmlNestled nicely between
Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains is 101 Freeway, known primarily for its scenic route along California coastline.
It's dark, about midnight to be exact. The darkness blankets sea's rippling waves and little puffy clouds that dot sky like little gray cotton balls between stars. They're low enough for me to see them flowing backwards as I drive onward to famous town of Santa Barbara, California.
I use word famous because many Hollywood stars come here for a getaway. I once saw Frazier drive by me in a purple Prowler. He was wearing sunglasses and what was left of his hair blew in convertible's wind. It's only about an hour or so drive to Los Angeles, so it's a good place to star gaze.
Let's Book Hotel Santa Barbara Most of buildings here are Spanish-style, about three stories tall. The architecture echoes adobes built by Spanish settlers in early 19th century, and gingerbread structures built here during Victorian era. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do here, all that matters is that I'm away from home, somewhere beautiful. I hang a right onto State Street.
It's quiet now, but I imagine hustle and bustle of wealthy vacationers buying up a storm in gentle breeze of daybreak. I'm excited but tired, so I make a quick turn onto Cota Street, and into parking lot of famous Hotel Santa Barbara.
Apparently, in 1925 there was a huge earthquake that leveled town and then called Santa Barbara Hotel. The owner constructed a new hotel, Saint Barbara, to specifications far exceeding those required at that time. The entire building - including all floors and stairways - was constructed of reinforced concrete tied together by hundreds of steel beams. Boasting exterior walls over a foot thick and a foundation more than five feet wide, entire structure was built on rollers to allow for movement in event of an earthquake, a unique innovation in those days. It also was redesigned with soundproof windows so that its guests could get a good night sleep despite insane partygoers lurking outside.
Book Hotel Santa BarbaraThe Saint Barbara, as it was renamed, soon became getaway for many of Hollywood's brightest stars. Clark Gable and Carol Lombard were frequent guests, and eyewitnesses claim Leo Carrillo rode his horse around lobby on several occasions. The Saint Barbara was not always quite a saint though. Local legend has it that liquor was always available in hotel during Prohibition, and that for years, a "secret" gaming room flourished somewhere near lobby.
Entering side door from parking lot, I'm greeted by sweet scent of pine from holiday Christmas party hosted that night. My bag dug into my shoulders and I anxiously approached check-in counter. A dark haired, lanky looking man with a vibrant energy greets me. He seemed a little too happy to be there considering he was just starting his graveyard shift. Perhaps it was tropical flamenco music that had him amped. Either that or he drank entire pot of complimentary coffee.
