Residence Inn by Marriott Santa Barbara Goleta♡

Guest review

8.0

La limpieza

− Desayuno con muy poca variedad

The "One Night" Pitstop That Hijacked Our Entire Vacation

10.0

Sometimes the best travel plans are the ones you completely tear up. We originally booked the Residence Inn in Goleta as a quick one-night pitstop on our way down the coast to Marina Del Rey and Dana Point. But within 24 hours, our family of 7 took a unanimous vote, scrapped the itinerary, and decided to spend the rest of our vacation right here. We are now on day four, and it was the best decision of the trip. Booking two rooms here was the smartest move we could have made. It gives us ample space to actually breathe. Having two kitchenettes, two decent-sized bathrooms, and—crucially—two dedicated desk spaces has been a total game-changer. It means we have the physical space to comfortably catch up on work and plan our daily adventures without feeling like we are on top of each other. The rooms and facilities across the board are clean, reasonably modern, and designed with real family logistics in mind. The property itself is a massive hit. The boys have been living their best lives bouncing between the pool, the minigolf course, and the fire pits at night. A huge highlight for us has been the hotel’s BBQ corner. Being able to fire up the grills for our own lamb chops and fresh salmon while the kids play nearby is the ultimate travel luxury. Location-wise, it’s the perfect launchpad. We’ve been filling our days with outdoor activities in Santa Barbara, and Montecito is barely a 10-minute drive away. Any shopping or daily needs we have are less than 5 minutes down the road. Traveler Pro-Tip: The local Goleta public library is super close by, and you can actually go there to check out **FREE** passes to local attractions like the MOXI Museum and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. It is a brilliant, budget-friendly hack for families. When a hotel makes a family of seven want to unpack their bags, spread out, and cancel their onward reservations just to stay longer, they are doing hospitality right. Highly recommend.

I paid for more than I received

5.0

− It did not have an oven which is why I booked it and only one burner in the stove worked. Even so I was not allowed to cancel a night for a refund.

A LifeSaver in the nick of tme

8.0

I am on to the second night of my two night stay. Yesterday the car lost its belt tooling down the 101. AAA flat bedded it to the dealer in Santa Barbara ($$$$$) and I was told two days at best. On to the Residence Inn. A warm welcome from Jake at the front desk made things a bit sunnier. A nice suite overlooking the warehouse parking lot, and very comfortable and quiet off by itself in a corner. Without a car, chances for dinner looked dismal. No car and trapped in a sea of warehouses. Voila. A very good bakery, open till 20:00 hrs is a 10 minute walk. Really the only place around with food. Mexican based I bought a nice chicken burrito. Not cheap at $15 but a life saver. Christinos, I believe. Others had a pizza delivery. A beer from the fridge downstairs, and NFL reruns and I was set. This morning, Diego at the front desk gave me more good news. He was able to keep me in my room for a second night. I had been told before the hotel was booked solid. Thanks Diego!!! My road trip had turned into an expensive disaster. I am happy to say The Residence Inn was here