The Presidio

Had to go to front desk for ice paper cups. Also, there was only one chair in the room.

What I liked: The location. What I didn't like: The Booking.com listing advertised a free crib, which was the main reason I chose this property for our stay with a newborn. I notified the hotel weeks ahead that we would need one. When I followed up, the hotel replied that cribs were available for a $20 fee, which contradicted the listing. When we arrived, the free crib I had requested was not provided. We spent extra time at the front desk and nobody acknowledged our request even though they mentioned that a crib would be available in our room. This caused real inconvenience and stress for our family, especially with a newborn who needed a safe place to sleep. I contacted Booking.com about the discrepancy before and after the stay, but did not receive a response or a resolution. The property is also advertised as a hotel, but in my experience it feels more like a motel. For the price paid, it was not true value for money. My advice: choose a different third party-vendor or hotel for your stay, one that will acknowledge and honor your requests. If you're traveling with an infant and need a crib, confirm it in writing directly with the property before booking and don't rely on what the listing says. I've kept screenshots of the listing and the hotel's message.

They opened strictly at 3pm for check in, no earlier (door was locked). Not a problem but a good to know. The room was clean and pretty basic, good for us as it was just a place to sleep after exploring town. The fridge wasn't cold so we had to turn it on and AC kept turning itself off so we stayed on top of it over the hot weekend.

I like that I could book last minute. They charged me high fees at the hotel that they didn’t tell me about, I saw it on my credit card later. They won’t return my phone calls. The sink was clogged, the stagnant water smelled bad. The fire alarm went off when I showered.

There was a remote missing for the television so we couldn’t use it at all. Staff said they didn’t have a replacement and offered to discount our stay. Checked out before office was open and they charged my credit card the full amount anyway

Pleasant

Convenient No coffee pot in room, ac froze one of us at night and the otherwise got no air.

The property was clean, well maintained, and very easily accessible. The water pressure in the shower was HORRIBLE! For the price of the room, the shower should have been in better shape.

The location was good. It doesn’t really look like the pictures at all. The bathroom sink didn’t drain and there were no bikes. I specifically chose this property because it advertised free bikes for use. At over $250/night, I feel like it wasn’t quite worth it.

The rooms smell so bad

The room was clean but poorly maintained burnt iron mark in the carpet, rusty fridge. It was ok for a 1 night stay. A little pricey for its quality.

Plenty of free parking The deck wasn't in its best condition

The Presidio served its purpose for a short stay in Santa Barbara, but I would recommend arriving with realistic expectations. This is a small, basic motel rather than what many travellers might picture when they see the word “hotel.” The room was relatively clean and everything was functional, although some areas, such as the bathroom tile grout, could use more attention. The room itself is quite small and the property is very simple. On the positive side, the staff were friendly and available, and the location was convenient for getting around Santa Barbara. Overall, I would rate it about 3/5. If the price is right and you simply need a convenient place to sleep for a night or two, it does the job. Just don’t book it expecting an upscale hotel experience.

It was close to downtown. No coffee in the room. It didn’t feel very secure. Door was old, locks were old and used a key instead of a card. The blinds didn’t fully cover the window, so people could easily see inside the room. The shower/tub was old and porcelain was chipped in places. No air conditioning. Old carpet. Smelled old and musty. Very humid inside room.

A/C make a noise.

Room was acceptable and located walking distance from all of downtown Santa Barbara.

No coffee… no water… no amenities… From a different era…

This was my third stay. Each visit had gone downhill. The first stay was so good, I chose to return twice. My last visit was disappointing. First the room smelled like old cigarettes and BO. The blanket, definitely not cleaned in awhile. It was very hot during the length of my stay and that trusty air conditioner tried to but it needs to be replaced. It can no longer do the job. I tried to check out on Sunday at 8:00. No one in the office. No one answered the phone, neither the night manager or the general number. No one there. What happens in an emergency? This third room had carpeting. The other two did not. Maybe the smell is in the carpeting. In my opinion carpeting is a ‘no’ at a motel. It’s a shame because I know they can do better. I’ve seen it.

Pillows uncomfortable. No tissue box. Other than that. Good for the money

Air conditioning did not work on a very hot weekend. Email and conversation with front desk resulted in zero response on issue.