Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara

A stay at the Four Seasons The Biltmore Santa Barbara is like stepping into an earlier, more civilized time, but with modern conveniences. The spacious grounds, crisscrossed by winding pathways, convey privacy, and the terra-cotta terraces, ornate and colorful tile work, and high-beamed ceilings give the large public spaces a cozy feel. Active visitors will find lots to do both on and off the grounds, including tennis, swimming, yoga, croquet, biking, and stand-up paddle boarding. The spa offers Santa Barbara and Four Seasons-themed treatments, including grapeseed and red wine-infused body scrubs and wraps. The Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club, on Butterfly Beach, includes an Olympic pool, steam rooms, saunas, and a hefty dose of retro glamour, free of charge to all guests except those staying in Superior or Deluxe rooms.

Although there are no tourist attractions within walking distance of the Four Seasons The Biltmore Santa Barbara, the resort is located across the street from the beach, and has a lovely private feeling, set back from the road but conveniently situated right off the 101 freeway. The Four Seasons is located an hour from area vineyards, and the hotel will arrange private reserve tours and winemaking lessons, as well as excursions to famed local golf courses, whale watching trips, and more.

Rooms at the Four Seasons The Biltmore Santa Barbara are spacious and stylish. They reflect the late '20s Spanish Colonial decor of the public areas in details such as rustic wooden doors, colorful tiled bathroom floors, and elegant arches between rooms. Bathrooms have soaking tubs, shower stalls with rain showerheads, and toiletries by L'Occitane. DVD players, flat-screen TVs and, in suites, Bose stereo systems offer 21st-century entertainment options. Minibars are well-stocked and in suites include full-size bottles of liquor. Housekeeping is offered twice a day. The resort also includes a group of 12 single-story cottages, including three specialty bungalows with heated plunge pools.

The Olympic pool, cabanas, steam rooms, saunas, and Tydes restaurant at the glam Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club are free to Four Seasons guests in upper-tier rooms, and are available for a daily fee to other guests. The resort spa is a luxe getaway, with every indulgence anticipated. Athletes can take private tennis lessons, play volleyball or croquet, and practice yoga or water aerobics for a surcharge. The resort pool, landscaped to look like a jungle, has piped-in underwater music, and free Wi-Fi is available at poolside lounges. Parents can drop off their kids for supervised play or babysitting, and restaurants offer children's menus. The Bella Vista restaurant serves organic, Italian-inspired California cuisine.