What it is

A 22-acre Spanish Colonial resort on Butterfly Beach long beloved by Hollywood cognoscenti, with a topnotch spa.

What it isn't

A rookie. Among the experts guests can learn from: two-time Olympic gold medalist volleyball star Todd Rogers and master vintner Bion Rice, who’ll take you on a behind-the-scenes tour of Sunstone Vineyards & Winery replete with a picnic betwixt olive trees.

What we think

This cove of the California shoreline has no shortage of cinematic resorts, yet Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara majorly wows. Maybe it’s the 1937 social club with its oceanfront Olympic swimming pool where Rock Hudson and Jackie Kennedy once froliced (not together). Perhaps it’s the storybook architecture—red roofed adobe buildings filled with charm galore, from the hand-painted Andalusian Talavera bathroom tiles to the hand-knotted rugs underfoot. Or the fact that each guest room is as unique as the shells dotting the sand beyond the windows, many with fireplaces and French doors that open onto private, palm-shrouded patios. To really get the movie star experience, book the 2,000-square-foot Ty Warner bungalow, built in 1904 amidst jungly gardens—and stocked with its own kitchen, a handmade mattress with custom linens, deep soaking tub and rain shower, and (swoon) Bvlgari toiletries.

You're here because

You’re a bit addicted to Four Seasons’ stellar service. Available here: twice-daily housekeeping, 24-hour laundry and dry-cleaning, private bar service, and a 24-hour concierge for those midnight quandaries about local watering holes.

The Moment

As the sun streams in the French doors of the spa, you catch a whiff of a salty Pacific Ocean breeze. Your masseuse scrubs you down with an only-in-California vinotherapy polish before kneading every millimeter of stress away. Aaaaaah.

Restaurants & Bars

Bella Vista - Italian-inspired California coastal cuisine

Tydes - Modern seafood cuisine

Fins - Made-to-order organic juices, vegan and vegetarian options cuisine

Coral Cafe & Bar

Ty Lounge

Coral Reef Bar

Location

Perched on a pristine stretch of Butterfly Beach, within walking distance of iconic Santa Barbara sights—including the Santa Barbara Zoo (replete with a miniature train and some 146 species of animals, including amur leopards and western lowland gorillas).