We chose the Kimpton Canary Hotel for our time in Santa Barbara. We really liked our stay at the Kimpton DeWitt Amsterdam and were looking forward to another stay at a Kimpton hotel.
The hotel location could not be beat. The hotel is located right in the middle of downtown, just off State Street. Property in this area is definitely at a premium which explains the high prices. Normal rates can climb over $700 per night. We used points at 70,000 per night.
The hotel was styled in the Spanish Mission style and this style was carried out throughout the hotel. The lobby was fairly small, but a comfortable place to relax with a few couches. The restaurant, Finch & Fork, was here and wine hour was also held here from 5-6pm every night. They offered a red and a white that were actually pretty decent. They do not have a fitness center on site, but you can access the Gold’s Gym next door using your room key. We used the social code “Out of Office” at check in and got 2 cocktails and 2 appetizers at Finch & Fork. We also got $10 raid the minibar credit as platinum members.
There are no self-park options at the hotel and valet costs $35 a night. I had read reviews about some people parking in city lots, but after a long day, we just wanted to get up to the room. The valet attendants were friendly and helpful. They unloaded everything onto a cart and brought it up to the room.
We had booked the standard king room, but were upgraded to a king suite room. Not sure if it was because of status or just low occupancy. There was a bottle of champagne and chocolate strawberries waiting for us in the room as well. It was a very long room, with the three sections basically all in a row. A hall from the entrance had the bathroom. This lead in to the living room. The crib we requested took a little bit of effort to get, but it eventually made it up to the room.
Along with the free wine hour, you can also order free French press coffee the night before to be delivered in the morning. It was not delivered the first day, but the second two days it showed up right on time.
The rooftop area with the pool and patio was the highlight of the hotel. The views to the mountains were magnificent. The pool was on the small side, but more than adequate. There were also padded loungers, sunscreen, and flavored waters around the pool area. Attendents circled around taking orders for food and drink and providing towels. At night, the patio converts into a bar area that stayed quite lively until late. They also had a DJ one of the nights we were there.
All in all, we enjoyed our stay here. The location is excellent, the staff is friendly, and the property is beautiful. That being said, I am not sure it is worth the exorbitant cash rates. Definitely use points if that is an option.