El Encanto Santa Barbara

My wife and I did not stay at the Belmond. We came up for their gin & jazz event and had dinner. The service was excellent, the view outstanding and the jazz entertaining. If I’m in Santa Barbara on a Thursday evening you know where to find me.

My husband and I recently ate lunch at the El Encanto restaurant on my birthday. In the past our experience dining at the El Encanto has always been excellent, but on this occasion we were very disappointed in the food. The setting and the service were both 5-star, but the food was not. The menu had changed since we had been there last, and they now offer the same menu for lunch as they do for dinner. Although the choices were numerous they did not include our former favorites, and the prices were significantly higher than they had been. In the past complimentary bread was included with lunch in a lovely presentation; this time bread was a menu item at a price of $15. When I had made the reservation I was asked if we were celebrating anything, and I told them that it was birthday, which the reservationist repeated to me. Yet nothing at all was said about it at lunch — so why did they even ask? This was disappointing, but even more was the fact that both my husband and I found that the food we had felt heavy handed both in its preparation and presentation. It did not sit well, and we both felt very uncomfortable as a result for the remainder of the day. Because of this we don't plan on returning to the restaurant in the future, despite the beautiful setting.

I’m a frequent visitor at Post Ranch Inn. There’s a reason why they have 3 keys and Belmond has 1. My first visit to Belmond has firmly secured in my mind that I will be visiting Post Ranch sooner rather than later. With comparable prices but incomparable amenities, landscaping and attention to detail in the room. Pictures are of the dirty room - the “spot” on the wall is right next to the entrance so it’s impossible to miss. There are stains on the chair. And why is the bed on wheels… it looks cheap. The room was $1600 a night. This is ridiculous. I’ve seen the general manager respond to others and the response seem very AI generated/generic. I can very confidently say this is a one time stay and I don’t plan on returning or recommending this to anyone except… maybe someone that I would want them to waste a significant amount of money on. The only redeeming factor is that they allow dogs and the property is beautiful. But an admission to the botanical garden is wiser.