We stayed one night at the beachfront Hilton in Santa Barbara and were very disappointed, especially considering the $980 rate. From check-in to check-out, the experience fell short.
When we arrived, there was a long line and it took about 20–30 minutes just to check in. We had tried to check in online in advance, but the system wouldn’t grant us access due to an ID verification issue—even though we had already selected our room.
Once we got to the room, we were hit with a strong sour dairy smell, and the carpet had visible stains. It felt dirty and uninviting.
The staff seemed poorly trained and unprepared to assist with basic guest questions. We were given a voucher for a 2-hour bike rental around 5 PM, only to be told the rental area had already closed for the day—making the voucher useless.
Overall, it was not worth the premium price. The property feels run-down, the service was disappointing, and we wouldn’t recommend staying here based on our experience.