First of all, this is a motel, not a 4 star hotel as advertised. There is only about 13 or so parking spots in an extremely narrow lot. When we got back at night there were no spots so we had to park down the street on the side of road. Upon entering the room, my first reaction was to the overwhelming smell of bleach that was attempting to cover the smell of dog. It’s pet friendly if that’s what your looking for, but I found it to be repugnant at first. Got used to it after a while. There is no sound insulation. It sounded like there was a stampede of cattle upstairs. We were on the first floor. Location is good, but we paid $550 for one night in a glorified red roof inn. There are way better hotels in Santa Barbara. I travel there about 3 times a month and I have stayed in about 8 different hotels there. This is bottom of the list by far.

Worst hotel stay ever! Room at top of 15 steep stairs, windows too high up to see outside, room was only about 10’x15’. No chairs, had to eat in bed. No closet, dresser, or counter. No coffee other than lobby which meant … STAIRS! Finally, the second manager (first one was SO rude, completely unsympathetic to two disabled people who had every right to start complaining about ADA violations) refunded the second night we’d reserved. BTW, they took $479 from us for that cell of a room.

I recently stayed at Blue Sands Inn for one night. They advertise the hotel to be 4 stars. It is NOT TRUE. It is a motel like several other reviewers described. It is a small hotel which doesn't have any staff after 10PM. You have to check in before 10PM. There is only 6-7 parking space. You have to park on the street if you check-in or come back to your room in the evening. It is hidden behind another regular size hotel, so it feels like you are subleasing someone's cheap apartment. The room is small, but it has been remodeled.(relatively on a cheap side). The toilet is old style round type. If you are used to modern oval style comfort height toilet, good luck to you at this place. The room we got has broken bathroom window frame. The glass is fine but the frame cannot be pushed up to be opened and window screen has a big hole on it. If they priced it as a motel rate and advertised it honestly, I wouldn't complain too much. However, at $400-500 weekend rate, it is just pure greed. I would't recommend anyone to this place.

My recently redecorated room had a broken shower. The room was nice, but way smaller than the room I expected. When I booked the dog friendly room, it was quoted a $25 dog fee. When I arrived to check in, they charged $140 for the dog fee. The booking service I used apologized for the hotel (motel?), because the staff did not seem to care at all. Blue sands did not apologize. I was the enemy to them, not a guest. Do not go here.

Posting my very first review for a hotel because I have to inform potential future customers about Blue Sands’ pet policy since their website is extremely misleading. Be sure to read the fine print before purchasing a non-refundable room; not all rooms are pet friendly! This is not clearly stated on their website or any of their affiliated 3rd party sites. I reserved a non-refundable room under the impression that it was pet friendly due to their Expedia site stating it was a pet friendly property. Unfortunately, immediately after booking I was informed that the room was not pet friendly. I immediately called the property and received a refund, but weeks later without my approval, Blue Sands charged my credit card for the full amount. Pet owners beware!!

I booked a 3 night stay here in suite #4, king size bed w/ kitchen, patio. The room is basic but very nice. It had a small patio for sitting which we enjoyed. The hotel is walkable to the beach (2 min walk) although not beach front. It is dog friendly* which is a plus! *fee $25/night. Our kitchen had an ant issue that we noticed on arrival. I brought it up the to staff who I believe sprayed the room and put our dog treats in plastic bags. The ants were gone after we brought it up to the staff - maybe a few scattered here and there but nothing like before. They were crawling everywhere! When I called the hotel afterward and spoke w the manager. She wrote me back: "I was able to take a look at your reservation. It seems that you had a dog with you. I was also informed that the dog food was left open.... I spoke to housekeeping and they informed me that they spoke to an individual that was Spanish speaking in the same room during your stay and informed them of the dog food being left open to which they put it into a bag to secure some closure. The individual agreed and informed housekeeping that they were well aware it was the dog food." I told her that the ants were there even before my arrival and she basically told me I was lying and that my bf (who speaks Spanish) agreed that it was dog food's fault. When I asked him, he said he did NOT say that. Kiana basically didn't believe anything I said and said she investigated the matter. I felt that someone in hospitality should not speak to a customer in a such an accusatory tone. She was not apologetic and offered no compensation. I escalated it to the level of the VP and he was very kind and apologized and offered a discounted rate on future returns. Be wary of poor customer service.

Fairly basic room was very clean/well designed (with microwave & fridge). Staff was friendly, and helpful.

This cute hotel was perfect for us! We came to Santa Barbara looking for a great place right next to the beach. This little hotel met our needs perfectly. With two teenage boys, the room was spacious enough. The rooms are updated and have a quaint beachy feel. The location is probably the best part. East Beach is less than a three minute walk from the hotel to the sand. The beach is beautiful- and if you’re looking for beach activities other busier beaches are right down the path. We also loved that we could walk to the pier and explore the pathway leading us there. Great for bikes and our boys had their longboards. Lots of restaurants all within walking distance. There are other bigger hotels right near here, but you cannot beat the price of this place when comparing the two. I’d definitely stay again!

When we arrived at the hotel the receptionist informed us that that he just sold our room and we would have to take a different one (apparently the one without patio) and when I asked him to ask his manager is there a price difference that they will give us back for a smaller room, she replied that they are in the same price. Whatever. The room was clean, but the hotel itself more like a motel with windows looking out to the inside area of the hotel (everyone who is walking by your room is staring in your room, so you would have to keep your curtains shut) , there is no other natural light in the room. The room has very strong smell of the cleaning products. I would not recommend this place for that price.

My husband and I booked a few nights here for our wedding week and from beginning to end we had a wonderful experience! Our receptionist Lenice was SO kind - she offered recommendations for things in town, stowed all of our luggage since we arrived prior to our check-in time, and was overall just so delightful. We appreciated the bottle of champagne waiting for us in our room with a sweet hand-written card. Our room had a beautiful ocean-view, we loved the shower, always found a parking spot, and we were able to schedule our maid service. We hope to stay here many more times.

We live in Santa Barbara and decided to stay at Blue Sands for a couple of nights during our most recent heat wave (no AC at home). The staff was friendly and professional, room well appointed and perfectly clean, pool refreshing and quiet. The location is great - right across the street from the beach. I've lived in SB for 15 years and it was a treat to feel like a tourist for a couple of nights.

We just needed a place to stay overnight while we visited a few sites in Santa Barbara. The rooms was clean, the staff friendly, and one off street parking spot was available. This place is not fancy, but I just needed it as a place to sleep and it was perfect for that. If you want resort type services this is not the place for you. If you want sensible lodging for the night stay here.

Stayed here last in March(2023). Very cute! Got champagne brought to our room when we checked in .Very nice touch. I would stay here again, but because it is a small place with thin walls the price is a little high for summer rates. We were actually at another hotel the day before and decided to stay another night it Santa Barbara but since it was a weekend night the price on that hotel doubled so we came to this hotel since it was cheaper. Now I'm looking to go back this coming week (May 2023) and this hotel is more expensive than a lot of others in the area. If it was less $200-250 a weekday night I'd book again.

We booked this hotel under the pretenses that it was pet-friendly. We got a text immediately after booking a stay that, "your room is not pet-friendly". We called Blue Sands Inn to get a pet-friendly room, but none were available. Asked to cancel, receptionist said no problem and said she'd refund me immediately. Today, I looked at my CC statement and saw a $1500+ charge from the hotel. Called the hotel and they said "yes, manager decided to override the receptionist's decision to allow you to cancel your room". So in short, the manager unilaterally decided to charge us and DID NOT EVEN CALL/EMAIL US to inform us of her decision. In fact, when I called the front desk to ask for an explanation, receptionist told me that the manager prefers not to make outbound calls. Ridiculous. Buyer beware- Blue Sands Inn manager doesn't care whether or not her hotel lives up to their end of the bargain; they just want your money. Edit: Blue Sands Inn acknowledges in their reply below that their 3rd party listings DO NOT clearly advertise some rooms are NOT pet friendly. I agreed to a non-refundable rate, just as the hotel agreed to provide me a pet-friendly room. Blue Sands Inn thinks they can hold me captive to their $50/day cleaning fee, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Textbook bait and switch. Nowhere on Expedia does it say their hotel rooms are not pet-friendly. They acknowledge fault and inaccuracy in their third party listings and yet still won’t refund my money. STAY AWAY FROM BLUE SANDS INN & KIRKWOOD COLLECTIONS.

A somewhat hidden gem next door to the much pricier Santa Barbara Inn. Cross the street to the beach or athletic field with outdoor exercise equipment. Pool is open and towels available at the front desk. Rooms are a little tight but cozy with fireplace. Fridge and microwave provided. Pet friendly. All that’s missing is a hot tub. Parking tight but free. Friendly staff can make dinner or other recommendations. No late checkout available.

This hotel is PERFECT. Me and my best friend stayed there a few days ago and we both ADORED IT!!! This hotel is cute with a blue and beachy theme, it's by the beach so it fits perfectly. The front desk staff was so kind an friendly, gave lots of information and was helpful. The room we stayed in was perfect, the beds felt so nice and the fireplace was such a nice touch! We swam in the pool at night since it is heated so that was fun! I thought it was nice that they also have coffee and tea in the morning in the lobby, instead of making it yourself you get to have it made for you. For a small boutique hotel this is perfect, I rather have this than a giant 8 story hotel!!!

The good: staff is super friendly, central location that makes it easy to walk and bike places, and the shower was nice. The bad: The bed was super uncomfortable and the pillows as well. There is no fan to ventilate the space. We paid extra for the little patio area but it had no screen sliding door. The wifi is terrible, not that I spent much time in my room but was unable to check emails or use my phone at all during the stay. TV would also cut out bc of the wifi situation. If you were staying here as a pit stop for a night, I would say sure. But as far as making this hotel your vacation destination, no.

Loved it!!! Want to come back! Such a cute little hotel in an excellent location! Nicest staff!

What a joke! This isn't a 5 star experience! The place was dirty with many places dated. The room walls were very thin, you can hear everything! The staff there wasn't great, it's like nobody wanted to work there! Not to mention the extreme high prices they charge for such an abomination! I do not recommend this place!

This place is simple but great. It was super clean, spacious and comfortable. It has a kitchenette with stove and cooktop, a big fridge, kettle and saucepans. Internet was better than average hotel internet. Staff were very friendly and helpful.

I loved staying at the Blue Sands Inn. The rooms are so very well appointed in a modern beachy style. The pool is fabulous and the proximity to the beach is unbeatable. They took an old motel and brought it into modern times and that is so fun and innovative imo. The staff was super nice and helpful too. Can’t wait to come back!

A quaint hotel in a very nice area. Beach view from room 10. Not too frilly but nice. We were greeted by a lovely gal named Taylor with champagne and cookies. Perfect for our Anniversary getaway from L A. I recommend getting off the fly at Cabrillo and the drive getting here is lovely. Its on the east side of town near Butterfly Beach.