Hotel Best Western Carpinteria Inn

I found the Best Western to be much better than the Carpinteria H.I. Express - there is a restaurant on site that serves good food and has cold beer, the pool is small but it was clean, the workout room has good stuff. The hotel staff was courteous and the rooms were clean.

Considering that there is not much near the hotel, it's nice to have the food service on site - the only improvement that I can suggest is having coffee in the lobby for guests like me! I'll stay there again when in Carpinteria...

This hotel was definitely below par for a Best Western. The outside of the hotel is attractive and advertises itself as being only 5 blocks from the beach. What they don't tell you is that it is located right next to Highway 101. The walls and floors are so thin that you can every movement of the people above or to the side of you. There was still trash in the bathroom when we checked in and the noise from the freeway was quite audible. The pool is tiny and very unattractive (right next to a city street). There has to be a better option in Carpinteria.

The hotel actually looks quite nice from the outside. I peered into the courtyard, which was very leafy and colourful with all the flowers. Unfortunately, the room we got was at the back of the hotel and nowhere near the courtyard. I guess you have to pay extra to have a balconied room with a garden view (we never got the option). The staff were friendly and helpful though, which made-up for some of the problems. All-in-all, the hotel's just average, and at $100 a night, you'd expect a little more.

We chose this property to stay mainly for its location, but expected it to be charming based on the pictures. Well, the rooms were disappointing, especially for the $170/weekend night they charged. The hottest shower temperature we could get was "warm" at best---no matter what time of day. The walls and floors/ceiling are extremely thin. The floors literally shake when someone walks briskly across it. The hotel served its purpose (clean, safe place to stay), but we were hoping for much more. If we had to stay here again, I would ask for one of the rooms on the first floor with a small private gated patio.

I recently stayed at the Best Western Carpinteria Inn. located just south of Santa Barbara on 101. Remember that old saying about "first impressions"? Well, the clerk on duty made it quite clear that I was somehow inconveniencing her by checking in to the hotel, and, as expected, there was no "hello", "thank you" or "enjoy your stay" from her, just a grunt. The rooms were standard, and what everyone else has said about the thin walls and ceiling is TRUE......you hear people above you walking all night long. Upon checking out, when I told the clerk (someone different than the previous day) that my stay was less than pleasant, I just got a "I'm sorry to hear that" then presented me my credit card slip to sign for over $100. Never again, STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!

We have just completed a trip along Hwy.1 along the California Coast, driving South from Mendocino to L.A.

What a wonderful experience.

We arrived in Santa Barbara shortly after sunset and began looking for somewhere to spend the night. We were very lucky; we found The Best Western in Carpenteria. For $65 we stayed in a really lovely hotel. The room was pretty standard, very clean and comfortable. However, the hotel was a delight. The grounds were all lit with tiny white lights, the lobby was very impressive and the service was friendly and helpful. Most of ground floor rooms had tiny, walled, private patios and the upper rooms had French doors leading onto balconies, either looking out over the grounds or down onto the gorgeous, central courtyard. This courtyard was full of trees, plants and flowers, had a central fountain and was also lit with tiny white lights. There were more private patios, but also tables where one could enjoy a bottle of California wine and some hors d'ouevres if one chose.

There was a small pool and a jacuzzi. There was also a restaurant, but we didn't try it - we ate our breakfast by the ocean.

I would recommend this hotel to anyone staying in the Santa Barbara area.

The details (especially the pictures) on the BW web site don't do this hotel justice. My wife and I were pleasantly surprised by the appearance of the building, plus the size and comfort of the rooms. We only stayed one night, but we didn't have any noise problems. We found many potential places to eat in the area, which seemed very quiet and safe. I'd certainly recommend this hotel to anyone seeking a pitstop on a drive up the California coast.

The hotel looks charming on the outside but the rooms are very noisy.

Even normal walking, getting into bed, conversations could be heard from below. The floor squeeks and if your room is by the stairs, you will definitely be woken up in the middle of the night. I recommend the third floor or rooms facing the courtyard. It's worth the extra money.

For some reason I was put in a Handicap room on the 1st floor with a window to the parking lot. I was never offered 2nd or 3rd floor where rooms have balconeys and/or balconeys overlooking inside courtyard.

(looked nice). There were only 14-20 cars in the whole parking lot while I believe they have well over 100 rooms. 12:00 midnight to 12:45 am a cement block shoed person clunked over my ceiling. More clunking at 4:45am till 5:15am.........With all the rooms available, why was I put on the 1st floor with someone directly above me? FREE internet did not function....I was never asked "how was your stay?" or anything regarding the subject of the service. I'm trying not to whine too much but.............I just won't recommend this hotel to anyone.

If you're planning a trip to beautiful Santa Barbara, the place to stay is the Best Western Carpinteria Inn, just 12 miles south of Santa Barbara. A wonderful beach just a short walk from the hotel, all the amenities, and a great price. On my next trip to the area, I'll definitely book there.