Kimpton Goodland in Goleta / Santa Barbara Hotel Review

Disclosure: I was given a discounted rate during my stay, but all opinions are my own.

Located 15 minutes from Santa Barbara in the town of Goleta, the Kimpton Goodland is one of the most fun boutique hotels I have stayed at on the central coast. The property retains that retro vibe while having all the modern amenities you have come to expect from destination hotels. I had a hard time even wanting to leave since the atmosphere helps you to disconnect, and there was always something to do, ranging from checking out records and taking a yoga class to enjoying sangria in the lobby. Here is all the information so you can check it out for yourself.

Details

• Book Here
• Amenities: Record players, pool, sangria in lobby, workout room, backgammon tables, etc.
• Location: 5650 Calle Real, Goleta, CA 93117
• Visit all of my favorite spots in Santa Barabara here
• This information is from my visit in 2017

Getting There

Traveling up Highway 101 / Pacific Coast Highway, you will exit on Patterson Ave in the town of Goleta (10 minutes past Santa Barbara). After turning left on Calle Real, the hotel will be about a mile down on the right.

The Hotel

From the moment you pull up to the hotel, see the clean pastel logo and walk past the airstream to enter the lobby, you will know you are not at a traditional hotel.

The lobby looks like something you would see on Pinterest with the bohemian style that is so popular currently.

There is even a small room off the lobby with a fantastic neon sign and tons of records that you can check out for your in-room record player.

The lobby has water and sangria available throughout the day, making it a great place just to sit and relax.

Off the lobby are both the restaurant and bar, which maintain the same style as the rest of the hotel (more on that later).

There are even a few tables near the bar where you can play backgammon and pool.

The Room

The rooms have been thought out just as well as the rest of the hotel, complete with a large bed, record player, and chair.

The style is clean with white and wood tones, which are immediately welcoming.

The highlight for me was the record player; I checked out a new record every night to listen to while in my room.

The only downside I found with the retro design was that the windows were thinner than usual, which lead to the hotel being a little noisier than I would have liked. It wasn’t a huge deal but something to note.

The Outpost Restaurant

Since I was staying over the weekend, my wife and I decided to grab brunch at the hotel’s restaurant. This ended up being a huge win since it had the style we had come to love at the hotel, and the food was equally great. Here is what we ordered.

Fritter Benedict – I really liked the nontraditional jalapeño corn fritter base instead of the English Muffin. Also, the chorizo is not the type you get to at a Mexican restaurant, it is prepared how the ham would be for a traditional Benedict, and it is rich and full of flavor. I liked the chipotle hollandaise as well; it had a little spice that matched perfectly with the creamy sauce.

Avocado Toast – The toast had the same classic style you would expect with avocado toast while fun additions like pickled onions and cilantro. These enhancements added a great flavor to the dish that made it an excellent, light brunch choice without compromising the taste.

Brioche French Toast – This dish came highly recommended as it takes the sweet style of French toast and tweaks it into a Mexican chocolate version. Mexican chocolate is traditionally less sweet, which works well in a heavy dish like this. The whipped cream has a hint of tequila in it that is a fun addition, and it is topped with cashew brittle, adding a nice crunch. My wife and I were both excited about this dish.

Overall, I was impressed with the food here as it is much better than you would expect from a hotel restaurant. I would totally eat brunch here even if I weren’t staying at the hotel.

As you can no doubt see, my wife and I enjoyed our time at the Kimpton Goodland. I could easily see it becoming a place we go to relax in the future, and I recommend it. Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think in the comments.