“Santa Barbara is just two hours from L.A. by car,†as one person put it, “but you might as well be 10,000 miles away.â€
Well stated. Well stated, indeed.
I recently wanted to find a surprise place to celebrate my first anniversary, and, after a little googling, found myself checking out the website of the Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara (www.canarysantabarbara.com).
As it turns out, the Canary is owned by the Edward Thomas Collection (ETC), the same folks who brought us local favorites Shutters on the Beach and Casa del Mar, both in Santa Monica – and both members of The Leading Hotels of the World.
I hadn’t been to Santa Barbara in quite some time and my new bride had only passed through a very long time ago, so it all seemed brand new to her.
The Canary, in downtown Santa Barbara, used to be known as the Hotel Andalucia. After a complete makeover by ETC, the Canary Hotel is now about as luxurious as they come.
And yet, that said, there is nothing pretentious about the place; one feels right at home the moment one walks in.
There is a fun Moroccan theme in all the public areas; our room boasted of fine, deep-colored woods and spectacular linens, as well as fine antiques. Our bed was a very nifty four-poster which offered just the romantic touch we were seeking that weekend.
There were some cute little touches like the writing pens that are canary yellow. Everything about the place is fun. And romantic. And homey. And convenient. It’s a great staging area for those who want to reconnect with Santa Barbara.
Coast Restaurant & Bar gives the hotel real bragging rights; everything we tried was excellent.
The people at Canary who waited on us were, to a person, exceedingly friendly and seemed to know exactly when to insert themselves – and when not to.
Santa Barbara, as always, remains a great place to walk around. Though we didn’t buy anything, State Street is really hopping these days – there is something for everyone there.
We picked up a few items at the outdoor Sunday art show along the beach; we also visited the Mission and a few beaches up and down the coast.
If you want to get 10,000 miles away – but take only two hours getting there – I highly recommend The Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara.
The Hotel Canary is located at 31 West Carrillo, just off State Street. For reservations, call
(805) 884-0300.
