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.