Hotel Oceana

The Oceana Santa Barbara has a great location and friendly staff. Created by combining several 1920s-era inns, it's likely nicer than the places it replaced, but it's not without flaws. However, if you're a sound sleeper who values location over other considerations, it might be the right place for you.

Prices at the Oceana are comparable to similar properties in Santa Barbara's "west" beach area between State and Castillo Streets.

In 2008, Hotel Oceana was formed by combining four 1920s inns into a two-acre complex. All are located on Cabrillo Blvd. near the Santa Barbara waterfront. Although you might get the idea that the Oceana is a beachfront hotel, it isn't quite. It is as close as any property gets to the beach in Santa Barbara, which is across the street.

Ocean view rooms have a nice view of the bay, Stearns Wharf and the marina, but the visual feast comes at a price: traffic noise. Unfortunately, the renovation did not include new windows or soundproofing. The road out front is busy almost 24 hours a day, with traffic noise punctuated by the occasional railroad train.

In Santa Barbara's mild climate, there's little need for air conditioning, which is a good thing because the Oceana doesn't have it. Opening the windows will usually solve any heat problems, but lets in street noise and passerby's voices.

All of this combines to make the ocean view rooms a bad place for light sleepers, who should call to make their reservations and be firm about their preferences.

Otherwise, the renovation created cheerfully-decorated rooms with nice colors and great style. The lawns and pool areas are very attractive and offer a great place to relax.

Despite all the nice details, rooms still have a slight "old" feel, which we attribute to the visual impact of damaged (but repainted) doors, door frames and single-paned window frames.

Visitors' opinions of the Oceana vary, depending in part on where their room was located. Those who like the place praise the staff and say the breakfast is great. Those who don't think it delivers too little for the price and complain about the noise.

As is common in the travel industry, the writer received complimentary accommodation at Oceana Hotel. It has not influenced this review, but About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more info, see our ethics policy.