Hotel Review: The Ritz Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara

Our stay at the Ritz Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara in July 2021 was an exceptional and unforgettable experience. We chose to celebrate my wife's birthday at this resort, and we were able to book the trip for an incredible value of only 200,000 points for four nights, despite the fact that it was during the busy July 4th weekend. The resort can typically cost upwards of 100,000 points per night, making this deal an amazing steal. Although we were not upgraded to a better room due to our status at the time, we did receive a thoughtful welcome gift of a Ritz Carlton coffee mug and a late checkout. These small gestures made our Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status feel worthwhile, especially considering that our entire trip was free, excluding standard resort and daily valet parking fees.

The resort itself was impeccable, and the hospitality was exceptional. The staff members were incredibly friendly and went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable, including providing golf cart escorts to our room and being readily available whenever we needed anything. This was particularly helpful as we were traveling with children, and having a ride to and from the room was a great convenience. The grounds were beautifully landscaped with lush trees and flowers, creating a serene and luxurious atmosphere that we greatly enjoyed.

Our room was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate our family, and the bathroom was well-appointed with a shower and separate tub, dual sinks, and even a third sink in the foyer, which was useful for rinsing out bathing suits. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, and the linens were plush, making it difficult to leave the room in the morning. While the furniture and decor were slightly dated, it added to the Mediterranean vibe of the hotel and did not detract from our overall enjoyment.

The main pool was perfect for families, with plenty of seating and umbrellas for shade, and the pool service staff was attentive and prompt. We highly recommend arriving early to secure the best seating, especially if you have young children who enjoy being close to the pool. The resort offers several dining options, including a cafe, a poolside restaurant, and a high-end restaurant called Angel Oak, which unfortunately we were unable to dine at due to full reservations. We primarily dined at the main restaurant, which had a buffet or a la carte breakfast option. While the buffet was too expensive for our children to eat from, we found the service to be slow and waiting for our food to be delivered was a bit of a hassle. However, we discovered the cafe later in our stay, which had excellent food options at a more affordable price point without the wait.

One of the highlights of the Ritz Carlton Bacara was its proximity to the beach, making it a perfect location for beach lovers. We enjoyed taking a short walk down to the beach, and the resort even offers rides to and from the beach, which was incredibly helpful after a long day in the sun.

Overall, our stay at the Ritz Carlton Bacara was exceptional, and we highly recommend this resort to anyone looking for a luxurious and memorable vacation. The outstanding hospitality, well-maintained grounds, and convenient access to the beach make it a top-tier destination.