Located close to Stearns Wharf and Presidio Santa Barbara, Ala Mar by the Sea provides free continental breakfast, a terrace and a garden. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
Located in Santa Barbara Beach, a neighbourhood in Santa Barbara, Ala Mar by the Sea is in the entertainment district and near the beach. Presidio Santa Barbara and Mission Santa Barbara are notable landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Stearns Wharf and Cabrillo Bike Path. Enjoy an event or a match at Santa Barbara Bowl, and consider making time for Santa Barbara Zoo—a top attraction that's not to be missed. Kayaking, scuba diving and snorkelling offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails nearby. Visit our Santa Barbara travel guide
Located close to Presidio Santa Barbara and Leadbetter Beach, Ala Mar by the Sea provides free continental breakfast, a terrace and a garden. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
Additional perks include:
An outdoor pool, along with sunloungers and pool umbrellas
Free self-parking
Express check-in, smoke-free property and meeting rooms
Concierge services, motorised watercraft on-site and tour/ticket information
Guest reviews speak highly of the beach locale and helpful staff
Room features
All rooms are individually furnished, and feature comforts such as premium bedding and laptop-friendly workspaces, as well as perks such as free WiFi and air conditioning.
Extra amenities include:
Egyptian cotton sheets, pillowtop mattresses and cots/infant beds (surcharge)
How much does it cost to stay at Ala Mar by the Sea?
As of 23 Oct 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Ala Mar by the Sea on 5 Nov 2026 start from RM511, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
Is Ala Mar by the Sea pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property. There's a fee of USD 50 per pet, per day. Service animals are exempt from fees.
How much is parking at Ala Mar by the Sea?
Self-parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at Ala Mar by the Sea?
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: 11:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Ala Mar by the Sea?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Ala Mar by the Sea located?
Located in Santa Barbara Beach, this motel is within a 15-minute walk of Stearns Wharf and Leadbetter Beach. Presidio Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Zoo are also within 2 mi (3 km). Santa Barbara Station is 7 minutes by foot.
Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?
Yes, this property offers free cancellation on selected room rates because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.
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Reviews
Ala Mar by the Sea Reviews
6.2
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
A Spanish style shangri la that immerses you in a full resort style stay. The only thing missing was a in room massage service. Also delicious breakfast included.
It was a fantastic experience, rooms were comfy and clean, bathroom was aesthetically pleasing, the architecture made me feel like i was in another country. The pool and hot tub was very immersive, and the breakfast provided was really well thought of. The only thing I could recommend in the future is that I needed to shave my beard and legs and arms during the trip (I was doing a bike race this weekend in SB), and it was pretty hard to shave effectively without a mirror in the bathroom (I’m not sure if every room doesn’t have a mirror in the bathroom). There was a mirror in the main room but if I shaved in front of there I’d get hair all over the floor in the main room. So I’d recommend a mirror in the bathroom. Other than that it was a phenomenal hotel experience!
Surprised at older poor reviews; stayed here w elderly parents and enjoyed relaxed quiet peaceful stay, so close to beach and wharf.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2026
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Anita
24 Jul 2026
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
It was ok for one night. Rooms were clean, yes the place is alittle outdated, but right across from the ocean and walking distance to Stearns Wharf.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026
Verified review
10/10 Excellent
Javier
28 Aug 2026
Liked: Property conditions & facilities
While I rated the ameneties and staff as 3 our of 5, the place itself is a 5 out of 5 if you understand what you are paying for. We needed a place to stay for a night for a courthouse wedding. It had parking, it was across the street from the ocean, and it was a 10 minute walk from downtown SB. If you have ever used the cliche "we just need a place to sleep", then this is perfect. Bed was comfy, the AC worked well enough. So if you are just needing a place to sleep, this is your go to. You can't beat the price or location.
The room smelled like old wet towels and the private patio had trash on the table and debris and bird poop that had been there a long time. There was no parking available so we had to park on the street a few blocks away. There was no office at the hotel itself so we didn't know where to check in. We found a small sign that said to check in at a neighboring hotel, but it didn't have a map to get there. We did eventually find the office and the other hotel had a nice shared area with a koi pond and refreshments. The location is outstanding, directly across from the beach. In our one-month trip down the west coast, it was the second most expensive lodging, only the five-star Hotel Del Coronado cost more.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2026
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Holly
25 May 2026
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The location is great! The room was very clean and they have a nice pool. The room was very run down and if it wasn’t in this location I would’ve been really upset about paying that much for that room!
This hotel has the potential to be extremely quaint and cute. Positives were the excellent location across from the beach and walking distance to State St., very friendly front desk staff and nice snacks and breakfast in the morning. Unfortunately, the room reeked of cigarette smoke, the shower was filled with black mold, the jacuzzi tub had about an inch of water left sitting in the bottom, and the room was cluttered with an odd array of furniture. If there was a bit more effort put into cleaning the rooms, maybe removing some of the cluttery old furniture from the room, and a coat of paint, i'd love to stay here again because the building itself is beautiful and historic. Honestly a shame to see a property like this let to get to this state.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2026
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Anthony
19 Jul 2026
Disliked: Staff & service
Right by the beach , problem with homeless in the parking lot, sitting on the benches by your room, staff was notified and said that there’s not much they can do?
Checked in late and staff was very helpful. Certainly paying for location as there was a stain on the comforter, shower floor was covered in stains, AC didn’t seem to work.
Location is great, pool was closed, and overall room cleanliness wasn’t up to par for the price.
Absolutely lovely hotel. We reserved a 2 bedroom room and ended up with a mini apartment with 2 cute little bedrooms, a little kitchen a nice living room, and beautiful patio to the pool area. Furnishings are old fashioned and the place could use a slight refresh on somethings (tub was a little old and could use a deeper cleaning) but I loved it. So worth it for the money (everything in the area was expensive that weekend but this was on the lower end and way better than other options at the price) and the location is perfect. May not be for everyone if you prefer more modern amenities but I loved it and will definitely be returning. 4.5 stars for me
I booked four rooms for two families in a road trip with four stops, this was the third stop and we got disappointed, the rooms are not equally maintained, one is good the other one needs renovation! The bathroom tiles are broken in one of the rooms, the other one needs proper cleaning ( the previous guests’ nails leftover were on the ground!!)
The day we were leaving, housekeepers opens the door without knocking!!
You need to pay attention to how you are running this business, your location is so good, the place could be a cozy nice place but it needs a different level of attention and investment
The beach view from the couches on the huge palm tree lined sundeck was amazing! We could feel the ocean spray as baby seals frolicked in the gently breaking waves as they rolled across the shoreline.
If you book a room at the Ala Mar Motel, the check in is at the Villa Rosa Inn which is like a 1-2 minute walk. Location has a very limited parking spaces but they do have additional parking in front of Villa Rosa Inn. There is no pool at this location but they do have a large balcony with couple of chairs and tables. If you are interested in the pool, the pool is located on Villa Rosa Inn. Ala Mar Motel is located just across the beach and it’s a like 15-20 minutes walk to the downtown Santa Barbara. Other than that this still a really good place to stay.
I was not aware while booking that this was owned by a neighboring property, so the lobby area for check in and breakfast was in a separate building we had to walk to. Also the room was much smaller and a tight squeeze compared to what is perceived from the pictures. Shower could have used an update. Lastly, the lighting in the main room was very dim. Other than that, on the positive side we really enjoyed the free wine tasting nightly and the distance to the beach and other in-town attractions were an amazing feature. The staff was polite. I would stay here again but not with the entire family due to size.