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About
#16 of 56 hotels in Santa Barbara
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Travellers' Choice
Located just steps from Santa Barbara’s famous East Beach and within walking distance to great restaurants, the Santa Barbara Zoo, the Wharf, and the famed Funk Zone, the Blue Sands Inn is centrally located in one of Santa Barbara’s most sought after neighborhoods. Because the Blue Sands Inn is small, we have dedicated every aspect of the hotel to the support and implementation of local artists and artisans. From the hand milled, locally felled countertops, to the custom made furniture, and unique rotating art featuring new artists each month, we are dedicated to integrating Santa Barbara’s unique, creative community into the experience of everyone who stays with us. Fulfilling our commitment to the environmental practices, we pride ourselves on having the most green and eco-friendly property possible. And of course you can bring your pets! We hope you will come stay with us and have a truly local experience!
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Beach
Bicycle rental
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Airport transportation
Non-smoking hotel
Secured parking
Wifi
Pool / beach towels
Outdoor pool
Heated pool
Fence around pool
Hiking
Bowling offsite
Fishing
Tennis court offsite
Board games / puzzles
Outdoor furniture
Picnic area
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun umbrellas
Private check-in / check-out
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Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Safe
Kitchenette
Microwave
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Quaint
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Hotel links
Location
64Somewhat walkable
Grade: 64 out of 100
11Restaurantswithin 0.5 km
3Attractionswithin 0.5 km
421 South Milpas Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
E-mail hotel
Getting there
Car HireSee all Santa Barbara car hire
415Reviews6Q+A79Room tips
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviews.Tripadvisor’s approach to reviewsBefore posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
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We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
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Detailed Reviews
After reading all the mixed reviews about the Blue Sands Inn, I decided to book crossing my fingers everything will be alright. Well, I am glad I did. We (me, my husband and our 2 dogs) arrived around 7:30. I had left a message by phone that we will be arriving later than the expected 4pm. We were greeted and was checked in right away. We booked the King bed room with a full kitchen and patio. My husband liked the room rightaway especially when he saw the small patio which is good for the dogs. The room was nice and clean. The full kitchen was equipped with just about anything you would need. It had a bigger refrigerator with freezer, which was good for the refrigerated stuff we had with us. There were glasses, cups, plates, bowls, utensils, pots, pans, dishwashing soap, sponge, paper towel, drying cloth, and even a kettle. We did not want to eat out that evening so we brought food, heated them on the microwave and ate in the patio table. The bathroom was clean and just about everything you need, plus make up remover wipes, and even beach tar wipes. The room has a cozy fireplace which im sure will be great during the winter. The split type AC was nicely positioned and was very quiet. The bed and pillows were very comfortable We also brought dog beds that fit well beside our bed. Since we were on the ground floor, getting in and out was a breeze. Their parking is just outside and there were plenty of spaces available during our stay. I like the fact that there were no lobby , no hallways no elevators to go through just to get to your room. This setting are mostly the same in the hotels around Santa Barbara. The best thing was you just cross the street, and the beach was right there. Each morning we would walk with the dogs to the beach. The coffee and tea bar on the front was always a great experience. Lenice was the very sweet young lady working in the front desk..She gave us suggestions on where to go during our stay. She was very helpful and nice. I enjoyed our small chats in the morning. During the day guests were out and about, but during the evenings it was very quiet. I told Lenice it was such a great experience, we would come back again. …
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Hotel's Favourite
A quiet location opposite the beach with limited rooms makes this location feel exclusive and private. We were kept well up to date with texts from the property, which we appreciated. A walk of 20 mins takes you to the wharf and other restaurants. Wouldn’t hesitate to book again.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: Parking is limited, although we didn’t struggle for a space. Free street parking is also available.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Stay BSI, Owner at Blue Sands Inn
Responded 26 Aug 2022
Thank you so much for taking some time to leave us this wonderful review, we are so happy to hear that you enjoyed our location and proximity to attractions, as well as the beach. It was a pleasure to have you stay with us and we would love to welcome you back in the future!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dillon S wrote a review Nov 2022
A receptionist at a more expensive hotel nearby recommended I try this place, which turned out to be stylish and comfortable while remaining affordable. Kiana at the front desk was very kind and efficient. There was a very helpful text communication system for keeping me updated about check in, check out, etc., even explaining how to access my room key on late arrival.
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Stay BSI, Owner at Blue Sands Inn
Responded 3 Dec 2022
Thank you for taking some time to leave us this review, we appreciate hearing all guests input and feedback. It is so wonderful to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us, we will be sure to let Kiana know of your kind words! Please stay with us any time!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This is very basic motel style accommodation : On the positive side it was clean with a comfortable bed. Negatives: A tiny room with only 3 hooks to hang clothes (no cupboard) A luke warm temperature controlled shower. A very bright sensor light in the bathroom that couldn't be deactivated for night time bathroom use. A request to re-use towels was difficult to accommodate as there was nowhere to hang them once used. House keeping could only be provided if all personal items were moved from the area to be cleaned. All things considered we'll stay elsewhere next time.
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: If you enjoy expensive basic motel style accommodation this is for you, otherwise stay elsewhere.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Response from Kiana Hoyos, Other at Blue Sands Inn
Responded 30 Mar 2022
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, we appreciate all guest feedback! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the cleanliness and the comfort of our custom King/Queen mattresses. However, we are sorry that you did not enjoy all the things our unique property has to offer. We hope you will come back and try us again and explore the opportunities we have to offer such as a 2 minute walk to the waterfront, and a short walk to one of our most famous downtown areas for food and wine; The Funk Zone. We are sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy your stay with us, and we will be addressing your concerns in our upcoming renovations. We hope that you will give us another try!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
When we arrived at the hotel the receptionist informed us that that he just sold our room and we would have to take a different one (apparently the one without patio) and when I asked him to ask his manager is there a price difference that they will give us back for a smaller room, she replied that they are in the same price. Whatever. The room was clean, but the hotel itself more like a motel with windows looking out to the inside area of the hotel (everyone who is walking by your room is staring in your room, so you would have to keep your curtains shut) , there is no other natural light in the room. The room has very strong smell of the cleaning products. I would not recommend this place for that price.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Perhaps if I knew what to expect I would not have booked. But for the price we paid - nearly $1000 for two rooms / one night - I would expect a far nicer property with more frills. There’s a part time lobby clerk and a few part-time housekeeping staff. The property is maintained at a very basic standard, not markedly different from any chain motel that would charge a fraction of the price. I clearly didn’t know what I was getting into, but it appears that the property is just trying to capture location based revenue without offering the experience and service to match.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Spent over $200 for 1 night. We knew the ocean would be too cold so we booked a place with a heated pool (we thought). In the evening the water was freezing-the receptionist said she knew it was cold but “hopefully it will be warm in the morning”. The next morning it was still ice cold. A different receptionist said the heater doesn’t work well and she knows it is cold. Requested a refund since it essentially ruined my daughter and my one night vacation away from our very busy lives. They refunded me $19!!!!! Less than 10% and a TOTAL slap in the face. DO NOT RECOMMEND since they falsely advertise a heated pool, when the staff and owners clearly know that is a total fabrication.
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Date of stay: April 2023
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Book somewhere else!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Stay BSI, Owner at Blue Sands Inn
Responded 12 Apr 2023
Thank you for taking the time to leave our property a review, we are taking all guest feedback under advisement as we move towards our renovation. We are so sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your stay with us, due to the lack of a heated pool, but we believe a miscommunication may have occurred and would like to clarify the situation. Normally, our pool is heated year-round, which is uncommon to find with most hotels in this area. However, during your stay with us, the heater was down for maintenance for a couple days. The first receptionist you spoke to was, unfortunately, unaware of this and in turn was not able to properly inform guests. We have learned from this experience and will be actively making improvements on our in-house communication. We apologize that we were not able to find a suitable resolution for you financially, however, the rest of our in-room amenities were fully functional. We are happy to say that our pool is back to normal function, heated to exactly 82 degrees. Hopefully you may give us a second chance and return to experience the pool you had missed during your time with us.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
For a small local Motel type lodging, I was pleasantly surprised with the convenience and amenities of the Blue Sands Inn. I shared a double Queen room with a friend, and it was the first time we had traveled together. The room was small, but had enough conveniences that we did well. It was great to have a microwave and fridge. The small bathroom had a shelf around the pedestal sink and between that and a couple of shelves in easy reach there was plenty of space for the stuff we had to leave in the bathroom. The gas fireplace was nice, but as the only heater, it did light up the room when it came on during the night, which could be distracting if you weren't fully asleep. I would also only recommend adding one or two more hooks in the bathroom for a little more convenience. My friend and I both said we would come back if we visit Santa Barbara again.…
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Stay BSI, Owner at Blue Sands Inn
Responded 8 Feb 2023
Thank you for taking some time to leave our property a review, we take our guests feedback very seriously and will use it to continue to improve guest experience. We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us at Blue Sands Inn, and that our in-room amenities were of use for you and your friend. We will be undergoing a major renovation later this year and we will take your thoughts into consideration when reconstructing. We can't wait to welcome you for another stay in the future!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Another reviewer stated it perfectly - it’s pretty much a basic roadside motel with a steep price tag. The nightly rate does not reflect the quality. The shower head leaks and was making an annoying dripping sound all night long. The seal on the bottom of the shower door was also torn and water leaked onto the floor. The towels are cheap and rough. The furnishings were dusty (fake plant on the nightstand for example). Bathroom vent was coated in dust. A/c wall unit took forever, but eventually cooled the room. The ice machine is out in the open and accessible by anyone walking through the alley. Quite a few homeless folks wander through the area and, for all I know, could be digging in it at night. All this… for $400/night.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Blue Sands Inn is a great option if you don’t want to break the bank on lodging. It’s in a great location, has free parking, the rooms are a good size and the receptionists were both super nice. They also had a HH where you could get a free glass of wine in the evening. However - the bedding could be nicer (it’s a bit rough), we came back one day after housekeeping was there to our door unlocked/open, and we got charged for getting makeup on 2 towels. I’ve been to A LOT of hotels and have never been charged for makeup stains so that was wild to me. Overall it’s a nice place, but there’s always room for improvement.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Stay BSI, Owner at Blue Sands Inn
Responded 31 Jan 2023
Thank you for taking some time from your day to leave us a review, we appreciate all guest feedback. We thank you for your honest opinion of our property, and are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay overall. Our apologies for the door situation, we will be sure another guest does not go through this experience. We will be undergoing extensive renovation later this year, and hope you will come and stay again after improvements are made!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
scubagoose asked a question Sept 2018
UK661 contributions31 helpful votes
Answer from Sarah T
Sept 2018 |
The inn is probably a 15-20 min walk along the beach to the main Santa Barbara area where the restaurants are. We really liked the location for that reason!
Robberman90 asked a question Aug 2017
Southampton, United Kingdom225 contributions37 helpful votes
r0udak asked a question Sept 2016
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Answer from Liz
Sept 2016 |
it's a lovely small hotel so as other traveller has said no beer,however plenty of pubs in santa Barbara selling craft beers centre is about 20 minutes walk hope this helps
mkg46 asked a question Feb 2015
Bay City, Michigan9 contributions3 helpful votes
tropchaude asked a question Sept 2014
Daly City, California
Answer from BlueSandsMotel
Sept 2014 |
Hello,
We are dog-friendly. There is a $10 + tax fee per dog per night.
Please let us know if you have additional questions.
Thank you,
Ines
12
Mobile710025 wrote a tip Aug 2023
18 contributions3 helpful votes
"Must have some lunchnat East Brach Tacos right up the street"Read full review
Roxan O wrote a tip Jul 2023
Tucson, Arizona1 contribution
"Walls are a bit thin, but our neighbors all adhered to the quiet time rule, so it was fine. "Read full review
Liordy L wrote a tip Jul 2023
2 contributions
"Great location, no need to drive anywhere. Rental bikes are everywhere or bring your own-staff is great about storing them for you."Read full review
Jonathan L wrote a tip Jun 2023
2 contributions
"take great care to keep your keys away from you phone! Especially after hours"Read full review
bgrs2go wrote a tip May 2023
Burbank, California184 contributions97 helpful votes
"Long walk to State street - 1 mile"Read full review
123456…
PRICE RANGE
$426 - $908 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
blue sands hotel santa barbara, blue sands santa barbara
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSanta Barbara
NUMBER OF ROOMS
12
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Frequently Asked Questions about Blue Sands Inn
Which popular attractions are close to Blue Sands Inn?
Nearby attractions include Santa Barbara Zoo (0.5 km), Santa Barbara Rustys lighthouse (0.3 km), and The Cabrillo Ball Park (0.1 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Blue Sands Inn?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a pool, and free parking.
Which room amenities are available at Blue Sands Inn?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a refrigerator.
Is parking available at Blue Sands Inn?
Yes, free parking, secured parking, and street parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Blue Sands Inn?
Conveniently located restaurants include East Beach Tacos, Convivo Restaurant and Bar, and Habit.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Blue Sands Inn?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Are pets allowed at Blue Sands Inn?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Blue Sands Inn?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Spanish.
Are there any historical sites close to Blue Sands Inn?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Santa Barbara County Courthouse (2.7 km), Casa del Herrero (3.9 km), and Old Mission Santa Barbara (4.4 km).