Castillo Inn at the Beach Review – Santa Barbara, CA (2024)
Want to know what it’s like to stay at the Castillo Inn at the Beach in Santa Barbara? We’ve got you covered with everything we experienced during our stay!
When visiting Santa Barbara, THE place to be is State Street.
It’s the main street with all the shops and restaurants and leads right to the beach!
You won’t find too many hotel chains or large resorts, but what you will find is a ton of inns.
They are sprinkled all throughout the area and have tons of character while still being a luxurious experience.
Watch a complete walk-through of our room here in this video on our YouTube Channel.
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Castillo Inn At The Beach Review
Castillo Inn at the Beach caught our eye amongst all of the hotel options in Santa Barbara, so we stayed for a night while we were in the area.
We initially found this place because JP wanted to visit his daughter at her school and we were finally home long enough to take a weekend getaway.
The first night we actually camped at Cachuma Lake, about 30 minutes outside of town.
It was a Saturday night and even the motels were $350+ for the night!
So the only reasonable alternative was packing up our camping gear and paying $50 instead.
Anyway, the following night was a Sunday night and all the prices had dropped DRAMATICALLY, so we decided to take advantage of this opportunity and stay right in town because hotels are usually quite pricey in Santa Barbara.
We snagged this inn for less than $150 for the night.
In California, especially Santa Barbara, that’s pretty rare.
The room rate itself was only $125, but with taxes it came out to $143.
It’s more than we normally pay per night because of our various travel hacks we use, but it’s a completely reasonable price I did not mind paying at all to be here.
We had the room in this little corner above and it was the perfect spot.
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About Castillo Inn
Castillo Inn is a 20 room inn with 1 apartment suite.
It’s located at 22 Castillo Street in Santa Barbara, just a couple blocks away from State Street.
Parking is included with your stay, which is a great bonus.
Everything you’ll want and need is in such a short walking distance.
I wish we were able to stay longer!
They have an assortment of rooms types including King rooms, 2 Queen rooms, and rooms with jacuzzis, patios, and balconies.
All of the in-room amenities are so nice and kept up very well.
👉🏼 Click Here To Book Your Stay At Castillo Inn At The Beach Today!
Santa Barbara’s State Street
If you’re heading over to State Street, we’ve got some great food and wine recommendations!
There are tons of wine tasting rooms throughout the area and there is even a Santa Barbara Wine Trail membership program you can join for discounts at all the tasting rooms.
There are plenty of places to choose from with a variety of cuisines, but these were the ones we enjoyed when stayed at Castillo Inn At The Beach.
1. Holdren’s Steaks and Seafood
We had the Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail (the biggest lobster tail I’ve ever seen in my life).
I also always get a side of mac n cheese at pretty much every steakhouse.
We also had the dessert trio which was amazing and some wine.
2. J Wilkes Tasting Room
They had a wine that was so unique from anything we’ve tried before, so we just had to buy a bottle to bring home – the 2018 Lagrein.
It’s actually from the Paso Robles Highlands District a little further North.
It’s described as “brambly, earthy black and purple berries, and cherry” dominant, with “hints of cinnamon, dried lilacs, clean dust and tobacco”.
On the palate, it’s “ripe on entry, dry tannins, that give way to the luscious and persistent red black and red berries that linger on the palate”.
3. Margerum Tasting Room
Last but not least is the Margerum tasting room.
Here we just shared a tasting like we normally do, because we didn’t want to over-indulge before dinner.
It’s right across from the Hotel Californian, so it’s a great space for people watching.
4. Santo Mezcal
This restaurant visit was not from this particular trip, but it’s such a great place on State Street that I just have to add it in.
Santo Mezcal is very centrally located on State Street, so it’s super easy to find.
This was the first time I had ever tried Chicken Molé and I absolutely love it.
It’s such a different tasting sauce with the chicken and I just love it.
I also loved that they have plantains!
It’s one of my favorite sides and it’s everywhere in Florida, but virtually non-existent in California for some reason!
Another trend I picked up on at this place is the refried beans.
There’s 2 things here – one is that they tend to commonly be served in these tortilla bowls in Santa Barbara.
Second is that the ones on the right are very orange and they’re amazing.
I never want refried beans another way again.
So, if you’re in Santa Barbara, check out Santo Mezcal for their Chicken Molé, plantains, and refried beans!
The rest of the meal was great too but those were just beyond amazing.
Fun Things To Do In And Around Santa Barbara
Whether you’re looking to stay local or explore some nearby towns, we’ve got you covered!
We’ve visited Santa Barbara a handful of times now and have featured it on our blog before.
So for some more trip planning ideas, check out these posts.
They’ll give you more ideas on where to stay, what to do, and where to eat!
✅ Santa Barbara and Solvang Weekend Getaway
Solvang is a little less than an hour away from Santa Barbara, so it’s the perfect addition to a Santa Barbara weekend getaway.
You can enjoy California’s historic missions, wine tastings, Ostrichland, and more.
✅ Solvang Weekend Getaway Itinerary
Solvang may be a small town, but there’s plenty to keep you busy for an entire weekend.
✅ Santa Cruz Island Day Trip Itinerary (Channel Islands National Park)
Channel Islands National Park is just off the coast of California and you can take excursions out there from Ventura and Oxnard.
Santa Cruz is one of the more popular islands because of its close proximity.
✅ Santa Rosa Island Day Trip Itinerary (Channel Islands National Park)
Santa Rosa Island is a little bit further out, but it’s worth the extra time to get there and enjoy this day trip itinerary.
✅ Ventura Weekend Getaway Guide
Ventura is less than an hour south of Santa Barbara, so it’s easy to add to a Santa Barbara itinerary.
It’s another popular coastal town with plenty to do for all ages and interests.
Conclusion: Castillo Inn At The Beach Review
When writing our Castillo Inn At The Beach review, we decided it is the perfect, reasonably priced place to stay in walking distance of State Street and the beach.
I highly recommend checking out this property on your next trip to Santa Barbara.
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