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Ala Mar by the Sea

2.0 star property

Photo gallery for Ala Mar by the Sea

Front of property
Terrace/patio
Property grounds
Property grounds
Room, 1 King Bed, Ocean View | View from room

Reviews

6.0 out of 10

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast included
  • Hot tub
  • Air conditioning
  • Housekeeping
  • Parking included
  • Pet-friendly

Explore the area

View map
102 West Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
  • Stearns Wharf
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Santa Barbara Zoo
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Santa Barbara Bowl
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Santa Barbara, CA (SBA-Santa Barbara Municipal)
    ‪14 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed

Room, 1 King Bed

Room, 1 King Bed

  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Panoramic Room, Ocean View

Panoramic Room, Ocean View | View from room

Panoramic Room, Ocean View

  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Room, 2 Queen Beds

Room, 2 Queen Beds

Room, 2 Queen Beds

  • Sea view
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed, Ocean View

Room, 1 King Bed, Ocean View

Room, 1 King Bed, Ocean View

  • Ocean view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

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About the area

Santa Barbara

With a stay at Ala Mar by the Sea in Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara Beach), you'll be within a 15-minute walk of Stearns Wharf and Leadbetter Beach. .This beach motel is 1.4 mi (2.2 km) from Presidio Santa Barbara and 1.7 mi (2.8 km) from Santa Barbara Zoo.
View more Motels in Santa BarbaraOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Santa Barbara Harbor - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Stearns Wharf - 7 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Leadbetter Beach - 12 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Santa Barbara Zoo - 3 min drive - 3.3 km
  • Santa Barbara Bowl - 5 min drive - 3.3 km

Getting around

  • Santa Barbara Station - 7 min walk
  • Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) - 12 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Jeannine’s American Bakery And Restaurant - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪SB Biergarten - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Finney’s Crafthouse & Kitchen - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Chad’s - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Longboard's Grill - ‬6 min walk

About this property

Ala Mar by the Sea

On beach with outdoor pool, near Stearns Wharf
Ala Mar by the Sea offers 18 air-conditioned accommodations, which are accessible via exterior corridors and feature complimentary toiletries and blackout drapes/curtains. Each accommodation is individually furnished and decorated. Refrigerators and microwaves are provided.

Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Flat-screen televisions come with premium digital channels. Irons/ironing boards and hair dryers can be requested. Housekeeping is provided daily.

An outdoor pool and a hot tub are on site.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

Make yourself at home in one of the 18 individually decorated guestrooms, featuring refrigerators and flat-screen televisions. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and digital programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms have complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include microwaves and blackout drapes/curtains, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Enjoy recreational amenities such as an outdoor pool and a hot tub. This motel also features complimentary wireless internet access and concierge services.
A complimentary continental breakfast is included.
Featured amenities include express check-in and ATM/banking services. Free self parking is available onsite.
Guests are offered a complimentary continental breakfast.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free self parking on site
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking and van parking available

Food and drink

  • Free continental breakfast

Things to do

  • Hot tub
  • Outdoor pool
  • Personal motorised watercraft

Family friendly

  • In-room microwave
  • In-room refrigerator
  • Outdoor pool
  • Rollaway/extra bed (surcharge)

Conveniences

  • ATM
  • Limited-hour front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Outdoors

  • On the beach
  • Pool loungers
  • Pool umbrellas
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • 1 accessible parking space
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible van parking

More

  • 2 floors
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes
  • Rollaway/extra bed (surcharge)

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Private bathroom
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • Flat-screen TV with premium digital channels

Food and drink

  • Champagne service
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator

More

  • Access via exterior corridors
  • Air conditioning
  • Heating
  • Individual decor
  • Individual furnishings
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Laptop workspace

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:00 PM
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

The property charges USD 28.50 for credit card payments
The front desk is open daily from 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 11:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation
Guests are asked to check in between 3 PM and 11 PM on Saturdays and by 10 PM Sunday through Friday. To arrange check-in outside of these hours, guests should contact hotel/vacation rental management in advance.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets allowed for an extra charge of USD 50 per pet, per day
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Food and water bowls are available

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 60.0 per day
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Pet fee: USD 50 per pet, per day
  • Service animals are exempt from fees
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 60.0 per day
  • Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge of USD 28.50

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted
This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Property is also known as

Ala Mar
Ala Mar Sea
Ala Mar Sea Hotel
Ala Mar Sea Hotel Santa Barbara
Ala Mar Sea Santa Barbara
Ala Mar Sea Motel Santa Barbara
Ala Mar Sea Motel
Ala Mar by the Sea Motel
Ala Mar by the Sea Santa Barbara
Ala Mar by the Sea Motel Santa Barbara

Reviews

Ala Mar by the Sea Reviews

6.0

6.2/10

Cleanliness

6.8/10

Staff & service

5.6/10

Amenities

5.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

6.0/10

Eco-friendliness
Rating 10 - Excellent. 190 out of 956 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 183 out of 956 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 187 out of 956 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 157 out of 956 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 239 out of 956 reviews

Reviews

2/10 Terrible

James

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice place with a pretty view, the air conditioners did not cool off the room. Horrible sleep, it was hot and tried both of the different units. One was a wall unit and the other was a mini split. Both of them would not cool down the room.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

2/10 Terrible

Sandra

Not like picture I got room with at but was dirty I had to clean my self there’s was a sitt
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

James, Lakebay

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful setting with gorgeous view, luxury touches, in pristine condition.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

2/10 Terrible

Leon

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Needs to be rebuild
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Timothy

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice location.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

6/10 Okay

Ray

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

8/10 Good

Gustavo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Awful terrible place

Way overstated the accommodations at this hotel. What is not disclosed is it has not been updated since maybe the 80s- furniture was broken, mattresses old, linens etc threadbare. The only new thing in the room was the tv. Pool? In the next door hotel. Check in? No check in on site, next door? Weird. Breakfast? Defrosted soggy bagels and pastries. Not one redeeming quality except for the location, which is why they are still in business. Oh and construction in the room next door sounded like the drill was going to come through the wall. Just awful.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

jeffrey

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very cool place. Melody was a delight.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

2/10 Terrible

Nicole

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
pictures not like on expedia! a motel not a hotel! disgusting, unclean, dirt everywhere, toilet had crap from prior guest, candy on floor, no blankets, window on top of side of bed and shutters never cleaned, cobwebs everywhere, rude check in (done on property across street!), floor unsafe, half used toilet paper roll on toilet (no TP holder), half used dirty dial soap bottle on sink (no vanity), chunks of cement on floor , paint all over things on celing and room, check in gave our room key to someone else who came in our room and then apolgized, check in was rude and dirty too
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sean

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

More than we expected!

Our room was perfect. From the cobblestone flooring to the decor and furniture, it really makes you comfortable All the amenities for a night in Santa Barbara.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tiffany

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
The location in relation to the train station and the beach is spectacular. The neighborhood is late-night-walking to the hotel, very friendly. There were multiple families walking with us down the street to other hotels/hostels after our midnight arrival on Amtrak
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brad

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service

Well, at least you can see the beach

I don't like to be negative -- this place could be really nice, but it needs some work. The main problem was that the toilet was not properly attached to the floor, and it leaked. Beyond that, I would have liked to have a coffee maker, a closet with hangers, and a comfortable chair or two; and my gal would have liked to have a hair dryer. But the bed was comfortable, and we slept well. Otherwise, I would have given it a rating of 1 star.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

4/10 Poor

Kelly

Disliked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Josh

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

2/10 Terrible

Stephen

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Decided to book for my wife's birthday, a little last minute but the went with the best room available. Once we entered, we noticed the AC wasn't working fans broken and the bathroom fan not working. The bed was on the wrong size frame and held together with exposed woodscrews. While there were ocean view, you could hardly see out of the window because of how dirty and failed it was. I brought up the AC and fan fixes needed, every day while being told they would be right on it. Nothing ever got resolved. Very disappointed in my stay!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

6/10 Okay

Matt

Liked: Staff & service
Older hotel and it shows. Beat up like an old house.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

2/10 Terrible

jessica

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
First off the office was closed and to check in you had to go next door to villa de Rosa. Second there was a charge of $25 that was supposedly not covered in the Expedia cost which I don’t understand. Third the room we were put in was #109 which took us 15 mins to find because no where does it say 109. We were lost looking for it. So we randomly used our keys to open a random door and it worked. Then the up stairs neighbors or guest were walking around non stop we couldn’t sleep. This motel was not up to par. It should not be bookable on Expedia. The only good thing is they allowed us to park before check in time. We chose to do this because of the very limited parking. I will not stay here again and I recommend you skip this location.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
When I booked, price said included all taxes and fees. But checking in they charged me an extra $30 fee Breakfast was a joke.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

6/10 Okay

SANDRA, Ridgecrest

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
My husband and I stayed 2 nights while exploring Santa Barbara. Very convenient to the harbor and State Street, with its fabulous dining. Parking in the lot can be a challenge but street parking is available. Check-in was at the lobby of the hotel next door for some reason. The hostess was nice but I don’t think she ever made eye contact with me. Our room was quaint with the 2 queen beds as requested. I didn’t have a very comfy bed (I used 2 pillows which were both pretty flat) but husband was fine in his bed. Amenities were limited - shampoo/conditioner/lotion and one small round of soap in the bathroom. Refrigerator, small microwave, ice bucket with 2 plastic cups. I wish I could’ve opened the bathroom window to let steam from our showers out (no fan) but it appeared to have been permanently locked. All in all we would stay again just for the convenient location but it is pretty no frills.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Melissa

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Disliked: Staff & service
The location is excellent and the second floor patio has a great view. This old hotel has some beautiful details like tile floors and nice tile work in the bathroom. However, it’s clear they are relying on the location to sell the place and not bothering much with upkeep and service. Check-in was frustrating. We checked in on-line as requested, including giving a digital copy of a driver’s license which seemed like an invasion of privacy. When we arrived to actually check after dark (a few minutes ahead of when we had said we would), there was no sign of life at the office and a sign I could barely make out in the dark said to check in at the Villa Rosa hotel next door. This hotel had no obvious entrance but all the doors were locked. Knocking didn’t work and neither did calling the number on the door. I had to pound on a door to be let in. The desk clerk was clearly overwhelmed dealing with unhappy guests who needed things (towels, TV remotes, a new room because their first one had no glass in the window) so we had to wait to check in. Once in our room we found it clean and the windows all had glass. But the bathroom doorknob kept falling off, almost trapping me in the bathroom once. And the TV remote had no batteries so the TV couldn’t be used. By this time it was late and it seemed like too much trouble to rouse the clerk from next door to get batteries so we just went to bed. However, waking up to a beautiful view of the sunrise over the water made up for it all.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

4/10 Poor

Jordyn

Travelled with family, Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness
I had higher expectations for this stay. The floors in our room were dirty and we had a broken window in the bathroom. There was a man standing out by our window in the morning trying to get back into his room. Not a hotel problem but speaks to the locals. Our room details stated there was a jetted hot tub. It’s a standard bath tub with a couple jets. I liked how close this hotel was located to the wharf and downtown state street. We made the best of our trip but I would not stay here again for the price.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

8/10 Good

Zovinar

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Isaac

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024