Palihouse Santa Barbara by @taylorblair1
@taylorblair1
@taylorblair1
Travel
Ditch Your Car, and Walk Santa Barbara from The Palihouse Hotel
A few months back, our Head of Brand Partnerships, Taylor, had the pleasure of checking into the Palihouse Hotel in Santa Barbara for just one night to experience the hotel and everything the lovely town has to offer. In this editorial, Taylor chats about her time there and why it is one of her favorite hotels in the area.
Thank you to Palihouse Hotel for making this editorial possible!
Santa Barbara has always been one of my favorite places in the world to visit – in a perfect world I would probably live there…Just two hours up the coast from Los Angeles, SB is the perfect seaside escape. The town is famous for its laid back energy, beautiful shops, amazing wine tasting, and stunning beaches. I’ve always stayed out of the town itself, but then I discovered the Palihouse Hotel right on the flats of Santa Barbara. The hotel is located on a quiet side street, just a short walk away from the town’s busy center – the perfect location in my opinion.
We parked our car in their underground parking after we had just spent the last few days road tripping around the coast and wanted a car break. The Palihouse has quick fast charging EV ports, where we left our car for our entire stay. The hotel really enables you to ditch your car and explore the whole city by foot. Travel can become very unsustainable when you need to drive + taxi everywhere, constantly.
The 24 room hotel was once the Santa Barbara School of the Arts and even though beautifully remodeled still amazingly honors the historical spanish colonial architecture and style. I checked into the Apartmento – their biggest room – with my husband and toddler, and the sheer amount of space the suite offered was a treat. We had two balconies, a big bedroom, living room with a work space, a big and simply stunning bathroom, with a separate but adjoining powder room. Everything about the hotel is incredibly considered and staying at the Palihouse feels very different to staying at a big resort.
Their menus are full of seasonal and plant based options, using local and vibrant ingredients – possibly a cliché order but their avocado toast was one of the best I’ve ever had! The bathrooms are filled with large Diptyque products, a brand that just last year in 2023 shifted their whole design and formulation approach to become much more sustainable and more responsible. They even received the Ecocert Certification. Palihouse also participates in the Clean The World Programme, meaning certain products around the property are collected, sanitized and recycled to be used by vulnerable communities to ensure little waste with a wonderful giveback element.
Where to Stop Off -
Next time you are considering a trip to Santa Barbara, leave your car at the Palihouse and explore the whole town by foot…
For Natural Wine Tasting (5 minute walk away) – Au Bon Climat
For Farmers Market Inspired Asian Fusion – Sama Sama
For Organic Coffee – Handlebar Coffee Roasters
Head to the Saturday Farmers Market