The Franciscan Hotel

The only complaint is the absence of a Fitness Center

The room was clean and well equipped. The pool was lovely and the spa was great. The grounds have charming fountains and plants. The staff was courteous and helpful.

Great hotel in a wonderful location. Many nice little spots to relax and enjoy on this property. The free bikes and helmets were a great way to get around town. Also onsite free parking was a fantastic.

The hot tub/spa and the ice machine on our side of the property were not operating. The hotel is in a great location and is a nice choice for independent travelers that are looking for a reasonable price and love to explore.

Amazing gem. The location, pool, bike rentals, and hospitality were our favorite parts. Just wish the bed was a bit more comfy

Nice place convenient close to all. First two hours free of bicycle rental. Great parking walk to beach!

We frequent this property for our visits to UCSB, great location, easy to walk to State street, onsite laundry a HUGE plus for travelers. Staff is always very nice, front office remodel is coming along nicely. Highly recommend for all travelers

The Franciscan is always a good choice when in Santa Barbara. The location is 2 blocks from the beach & near lots of restaurants & shopping. The pool area is very nice but we were disappointed to find that the jacuzzi was out of order. The furniture in our room (#107) could use some updating but the bathroom had a new shower & the flooring looked new. There is a hot breakfast that is included & there are warm cookies all day!

The room was small but very clean. The bed was comfortable. The hotel is situated a block from the beach on a lovely street. It offered breakfast, free bikes for 2 hours, a spa, and a pool. It also had a small bbq area. Quiet street. Our only complaint (which isn't really much of a complaint) is that the TV in our room wasn't connected to the network for cable.

Parking was a little tight, but very nice facility and good location.

Great stay on our way through Santa Barbara - check in was quick and straight forward and lots of helpful advice and suggestions were given for things to do and places to eat. Room was clean and spacious, bed was comfortable and bathroom was clean and perfect for our needs.

Staff are courteous and polite. Very clean room. I booked for a king bed room with balcony, and was given a bigger room with a living room and a small kitchen. We very much appreciate the good surprise. Have stayed in other hotels in Santa Barbara before, and It’s our first time in this hotel, and we will for sure be back. We had a great stay. Thank you very much.

People were outstanding, ensured we had everything we needed Floors should be cleaned more often, everything else was very clean

Very clean room. Warm cookies!

Rooms were very clean, beds very comfortable. Breakfast and cookies were very nice touches! Loved this place!

I have to say I was a bit disappointed with the cleanliness of the room. Every review I read pre booking talked about how it was rated 10 out of 10 for cleanliness. The bathroom was pretty dirty and the floors in the room were very dirty particularly the corners. The shower drain had a bit of pink mildew forming around it. The towels are stained and scratchy.

This hotel was great! Ben at the front desk is friendly, engaging and informative. The room is small, however, the price and location are excellent. We would definitely visit again.

Immaculate room, very helpful staff, outstanding location. The Franciscan Inn is my new favorite Santa Barbara hangout. I grew up in Santa Barbara and live off grid now, but now and then I need a little civilization. The Fanciscan is my new happy place.

The Franciscan Hotel is in a great location being very close to the beach and also close to a number of dining options as well as State Street, the downtown part of Santa Barbara with lots of fun shops and places like the art museum to check out. My room looked newly redone. Everything was very clean and in pristine condition. There was even a larger than normal size refrigerator for a hotel. It was quiet and they offered a decent breakfast. I thought the price was reasonable. I would definitely go back. Santa Barbara was a nice place to catch some sun and get a walk along the beach in February.

This is a wonderful hotel, very clean and well maintained. Within walking distance to the harbor, which was absolutely lovely, You can get just about anywhere in 20 minutes. The staff is exceptional, in particular; Chokri; The manager went above and beyond and guaranteed I had a Wonderful and restorative stay. I highly recommend this stop for anyone visiting Santa Barbara, will definitely be returning to this hotel anytime I go to SB.

We loved the quiet, tucked-away feel of the Franciscan. Our room was spacious and quiet and I appreciated the many thoughtful touches about the place, like the cookies and fruit provided in the lobby, the comfy chairs and coffee table in our room, and the excellent toiletries available in the bathroom. Tiny flaws: our bed, while mostly comfortable, did slope quite a bit towards the sides and the walls are a little thin, so when our next-door neighbor decided to blast the Godfather movie at full volume last night, we could hear every bit of dialogue. Also, the water pressure is nonexistent but I appreciate water conservation strategies and I always bring good earplugs when traveling in case of noisy neighbors. Overall, adored the vibe and location of this place.

Unfortunately water pressure not good in shower, difficult operating television, and the bed slightly uncomfortable and noise with any amount of tossing and turning. Otherwise, beautiful property and comfortable conditions.

The hotel was aesthetic, clean, comfortable, and styled nicely to match Santa Barbara. Additionally, to my surprise, the Wi-Fi in the room was as fast as my wired fiber optic connection at home. I needed to work while I was there, and it was perfectly fast.

The room was clean, well designed and spacious suite. The plumbing pipes were very noisy, though, and we reported it to the front desk and he took note of it. Hoping that it gets fixed.

Our room was close to 500.00 per night. It was very clean, however our room was quite small. Outside our door, is the Parking lot for our Inn/Motel. This made it very noisy during the evening. Also, it was a hot July day and our air conditioner did not work. We had to rely on an open window for air. Check in was 4 PM which is later than most hotels The bed was nice though.

Loved the patio and how close it was to everything. We could walk to get some food and to a bar. Within walking distance from a market as well as some other places. The WiFi was super spotty in our room though. Bike rentals were convenient and great quality bikes! Do note the tv (at least in our room) only had YouTube, no Netflix or hbo. Without the WiFi, we couldn’t chrome cast either. Not a huge deal because we were there for fun and not so much leisure time. Thought it was worth mentioning if you like watching TV on vacation.

We spent the Thanksgiving weekend in Santa Barbara, with a stay at the Franciscan. The location of the hotel was perfect, being just a block from the beach on a nice street. The hotel itself was nice, with a boutique feel to it, as opposed to a “typical” chain and service was excellent. The room itself was lackluster given the cost. It felt dated and well used. A wall unit heating/cooler, with the remote clamped in a jury rigged fastener on the wall, the bath was small with obvious signs of repair and relocated fixtures. All of it worked, but felt more like a mid-range motel, not a high end hotel. All in all, not bad, just not as upscale as one might expect from a high cost property.

Property is super close to the pier. Very outdated and beds matress needs to be replace

Great rooms and bed was super comfortable. Bathrooms are very nice would definitely stay here again.

This has been second visit at the Franciscan Inn. The first time was 2020 and now 2025. The first time I highly rated it. This review is based on my latest visit. We stayed in room with a king bed facing Mason St. The room was quite, loved that. The bed was uncomfortable and the pillows flat. Although the room was clean, it is showing its age. Lots of wear and tear throughout the room. Our first night there, the staff was amazingly, bringing needed items to our room. The next day, the front desk was manned by someone who couldn't be bothered by customers. Bottomline: good place to stay due to its proximity with free perks like bike rentals, breakfast and great coffee. Comfort and style are lacking. The fact that I want to sleep on a bed that's better than mine when Im out of town means I won't be back.

Staff was very hit or miss. The first check in person was pleasant and offered a ton of ideas what to do in the area. He said that a certain time was the check out time and I took it at face value. Ended up getting a nasty attitude from the individual working check out when we left and getting called a liar to my face (along with owing money for a now late check out). Property was decent but obviously not well cleaned in fairly obvious areas.

Ben behind the desk treated me extremely well and was incredibly friendly. Really gave me the rundown of the whole area including what to do and recommendations. Rooms were clean, no issues with anything except some quality issues with the tv. Otherwise perfect. Close to everything. Highly recommend

Let me start off by saying the Staff are Friendly. However the experience was not so great. I checked in and had tech issues, so I got charged 2x when I paid online with Hotels.com So the staff kindly ensured I get my funds back and took longer than expected. I was patient but understood tech issues. As soon as I got to my room, I started to get comfortable and slowly prepare myself for the Jacuzzi. I have not gone out the door yet, and I hear my door knob moving. It was a strange noise until my door opens and people walk inside and see me undressed. Sadly, my room was given to another couple and it was the most chaotic, traumatized moments. I was not prepared to have roomates or give anyone a show if that was the case. So FD came to apologize but it was confusing. How can the system not know the room is no longer vacant? Not only did I feel uncomfortable, but im sure the couple walked in did not wanna see me in the Undies! I hope this does not happen again and I am aware about my discount and refund because that was not what I expected. First the check in, then my room is given away and to top it off, I was naked. There are cameras so I do hope immediately action is taken and resolved. Breakfast: Need more milks. Vegans exisit too. Pool is amazin, but water had to be a bit more warmer. Housekeeping staff, very friendly but they came knocking on my door at 8:45 am and I was still enjoying the bed and comfort. I guess I have to get up because they kept knocking.

The night security guard is wonderful. Front desk closes at 11 pm so if you're arriving after that, you're out of luck. No phones in room for "cost-cutting." Second night, we got locked out of our room. Card malfunction. Got there after 11 pm so no way in. Walked around in the dark for a long time in the hope of finding the security guard. An hour later, we were let into our room. Hot water broke during the day so they had moved all guests to different rooms. We did not get notified about that so once we finally got in our room--1:00 am?--we found that out.

We really liked the room It was a disabled accessible room. The room was spacious, clean, quiet, comfortable, and not inexpensive. The breakfast was OK. There weren.t too many options to eat. We didn't like the check in though. They seem to have a hard 4:00 PM check in time, which didn't work well for us because we were traveling and were tired. We arrived around 1:00 PM hoping to check in early. We were told the room wasn't ready and they would text me when a room became available. That didn't make much sense because we reserved a disabled accessible room. Anyway we went for something to eat. When we returned, it was still before 4:00 PM. We were again told we would get a text when a room became available. The man at the desk was not friendly or courteous. It was as though we were bothering him. We decided to wait in the breakfast area for our room because we were tired. The attendant never even checked to see if our room was ready. He just said it wasn't. After a while, another gentleman arrived at the front desk and a little later he came to us and asked our name. He looked at a paper, and told us our room was ready. He then proceeded to check us in a little early.. He was so courteous, friendly, and a great help. We wished he was there in the beginning.

Under staffed, surly agents, TV inoperable, not an enjoyable stay for us.

Booked this property after our first choice turned out to be disappointing. The Franciscan did not disappoint! Ben is amazing, helpful, kind and welcoming. The rooms are spacious and clean. The pool is nice and clean and so was the jacuzzi. There are quiet outdoor seating areas to relax on if you’d like. There is a limited continental breakfast that can get you started before you head out for your day. There are also cookies and coffee available throughout the day. State street and all of its restaurants, shops and wine tasting are close, maybe a 10 min walk. The Warf and beach is a 5 min walk and the pier is about a 20 min walk from the hotel. You can also borrow bikes here for free to ride on the beach path. I highly recommend the Franciscan and we will be back again.

Customer service is excellent. I would rate this hotel as a 5 star service.

Staff was excellent and welcoming. I had issue with air conditioning and maintenance came to room within 2 minutes and fixed. Breakfast had nice variety and was clean. Room was clean and had everything needed. Would definitely stay here again.

Our request for an early check in was denied.”Check in is at 4 pm., said C.J. & Kati. At 4:10 pm I said “ “ We want to ceck in” “ Check in is at 4 pm.” Me: “ It is aftet 4 pm” Kari:”15 more minutes” so I walked to my room and asked the band if it was ready. She said yes.” My husband retirned to Kari @ Froont Desk & sain” The maid says our room is ready” Oh ari “ Welk, I have to call the maid.” 4:25 pm still waiting…. Apoarently, check is is NOT at 4 pm. Finally given our room key late @ 4:30 pm. We had arrived in Santa Barbara that morning…

The location is fantastic, walking distance to the beach, pier and dining. The rooms are very well appointed and quite functional for an extended stay. CJ was very accommodating and gave us superb customer service. We will definitely be coming back soon! Highly recommend this charming Inn.

Very nice hotel, clean and updated, location is very convenient to the beach or the restaurants and shops. We enjoyed our one night stay.

Beautiful hotel perfectly located in downtown Santa Barbara.

I will return to the Franciscan! Very good location, im great area. 1 1/2 block from water & harbor meant quieter night ( not by harbor main street) . Even had bicycles for guests use.

The Franciscan is well located, walkable to beach State St. It is well maintained

Beautifuly renovated property in a top location

Walk to the beach/ocean, the pier, AND the harbor as well as to the main dining and shopping area around State Street. The hotel room was spacious, clean and cozy, and the public outdoor seating areas with water fountain and heating element were welcomed. GREAT stay.

Close to the beach.

Great place and location.

Great location

Nice hotel. Close to the beach, the pier, and downtown Santa Barbara. Had a suite that was clean and roomy, with a comfortable bed and a private balcony. Only minor complaint is that the Continental breakfast could have been better. Overall, it was a very pleasant stay.

The breakfast offered was pretty bad. I went to go for one of the oranges (they were spoiled) since the meat and eggs seemed to have that freshly thawed out taste- Pool was 84 degrees so we couldnt get in..it'd be nice if they had heated it more since im sure price of "pool" is reflected in taxes/stay-it'd be nice to be able to use it. Aside from that-it was perfect spur of the moment place to stay.

This is a nice renovated hotel with a great location a block from the beach. The hotel is quiet and comfortable. We booked a room with a balcony. There are a bunch of restaurants about 4 blocks away. I appreciate being able to park my car and walk to restaurants and the beach. The pier is also very close, a few blocks down. The rate included breakfast, but it was pretty weak, just coffee, juice and a few pastries. Overall, I would recommend and stay here again.

Things I liked:Large and clean room; clerk checking us in cheerfully accommodated our needs; good breakfast; well-maintained grounds, small but useful refrigerator Dislikes; Took too many tries to get a full cup of coffee from the coffeemaker; could have used a microwave

I had a great stay. Was able to enjoy the pool on a sunny day. Continental breakfast was very small, but coffee, tea, and cookies was a plus. Enjoyed the patio and in-room espresso pods. Convenient distance from downtown and the beach. Will absolutely return again.

Hotel was very nice and staff was very friendly. Rooms were recently remodeled and nice, but cold and sterile. They need to soften the space with some pictures on the walls. King bed is nice, but the bedroom is small so you have to carefully walk around the bed so to not hit the TV mounted on the wall. The only food options they offer for breakfast is granola bars and a 1 type of fruit, but fresh baked cookies at night are a welcome treat at the end of the day. They offer refrigerated & frozen food options for purchase in the lobby if you don't want to eat out. Since cleanliness is on the top of my requirements for a hotel, I will definitely stay here again when I'm in the area.

Breakfast could be better

We had a wonderful stay at The Franciscan Hotel! The location is close to the marina, Stearns Wharf, the Funk Zone & State Street. The hotel’s hot breakfasts & free bike rentals were added bonuses! We plan to stay here again.

The Franciscan is always a good choice when in Santa Barbara. The location is 2 blocks from the beach & near lots of restaurants & shopping. The pool area is very nice but we were disappointed to find that the jacuzzi was out of order. The furniture in our room (#107) could use some updating but the bathroom had a new shower & the flooring looked new. There is a hot breakfast that is included & there are warm cookies all day!

Very kind staff. Loved the free breakfast and bikes.