Santa Barbara Luxury Vacation Rentals

Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tips for Touring Historic Santa Barbara

2010-08-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

Santa Barbara is an area full of rich cultures going back thousands of years. Whether you want to learn more about the indigenous Chumash tribe that first settled the area, the influence of the Spanish and the Mission Santa Barbara, the Mexican rancho era, the incorporation of California into the United States in the mid 19th century or what the good life has been like since then, your Santa Barbara vacation rental is within shouting distance of a wealth of history and aesthetic treasures.

The best place to start exploring outside of your Santa Barbara vacation rental is probably with the self-guided downtown red tile walking tour. Named for the ubiquitous color of the roofs along the route, it is a very pleasant 12-block stroll, which will help you get situated among some of the city’s historical buildings and events.

If you want a more targeted tour try the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara. Their knowledgeable guides weave fascinating tales of history, buildings, the events that happened there and the men and women who were involved. No detail is too small and no painted tile goes unturned. There is also an innovative art tour offered through Santa Barbara Walking Tours, which incorporates art and history.

If your Santa Barbara vacation rental doesn’t have enough flora to suite you, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is an excellent place for a stroll. There are 65 acres of plants in their native settings with 5½ miles of meandering paths.

There are also dozens of historic and artistic walking tours including a self-guided tour or virtual tour through the Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County Courthouse, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Historical Museum, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, the Pearl Chase Society, Santa Barbara’s hidden paseos or walkways, the harbor and Shoreline Park.

Many historic homes in the area are open to the public. One of the most striking is Casa del Herrero, or House of the Blacksmith, which was built and enjoyed by the Steedman family a century ago. It’s not a Santa Barbara vacation rental, but it is considered a prime example of Spanish Colonial Revival style of architecture, and is open to the public for tours and special events.

Best booking tips for a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Home

2010-08-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

While there is a growing abundance of options when it comes to booking a Santa Barbara vacation rental, many travelers still find the vacation home rental market to be a little chaotic - at least in comparison to more traditional accommodations like hotels/motels. The increasing popularity of vacation rentals in Santa Barbara as a value-packed alternative to pricier hotels has led to an abundance of options that can be overwhelming.

Here are some tips for booking your Santa Barbara vacation rental to ensure that you are getting the most bang for your buck, while protecting yourself from scams or disappointment.

Booking a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #1: Check out niche listers that focus on specific destinations.

Whether you’ve rented a Santa Barbara vacation rental before or not, you’ll want to work with a local company and representatives that know their stuff.

For example, if you’re interested in a Santa Barbara beach house rental, a qualified representative will earn their stripes by walking you through the suitable available properties based on your unique needs and desires. For instance, if you’re bringing your three Bernese mountain dogs along with you, they’ll recommend Santa Barbara beach rental locations that are both dog-friendly and bric-a-brac-free.

Additionally, once you arrive, you’ll want to enjoy concierge services to help you get reservations at that trendy new restaurant, or simply recommend a hike that overlooks the ocean. An anonymous operator three states away won’t be able to deliver that level of local service.

Booking a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #2: Use a credit card to protect yourself and minimize risks.

You want and expect every detail of your vacation to be perfect. But unfortunately that won’t always be the case. So you need to protect yourself.

Renting with your credit card through a Santa Barbara vacation rental management company offers you that protection. If for some reason the property doesn’t meet your expectations, and the management won’t do anything to fix it, you can keep a record of the problem and dispute the charge with your credit card company.

Property owners who rent person-to-person usually insist on a cashier’s check for 50 percent of the Santa Barbara vacation rental to reserve it, and then the other 50 percent in cash upon your arrival. If you later discover roaches scuttling through the kitchen of your Santa Barbara vacation rental or other elements of the property that were grossly misrepresented, you will have no leverage because you will have already paid in full in cash.

Booking a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #3: Get the most bang for your buck.
Dollar for dollar, a Santa Barbara vacation rental gives you so much more than a luxury hotel. You get exponentially more space (both indoors and outdoors). You get a host of amenities from luxurious pools to high end kitchens to top flight entertainment systems, all for your exclusive use. Unlike an anonymous hotel room off a crowded corridor, you have a serene private home away from home to call your own.

But there are a host of priceless intangible benefits you get when you book your Santa Barbara vacation rental through a professional management company. Working with a premier Santa Barbara vacation rental management company to find your ideal Santa Barbara vacation home rental gives you a whole new level of service. A Santa Barbara vacation rental company has skin in the game. They are working to establish a good reputation and a list of return clientele, rather than just trying to make fast money.

In the-best-surprise-is-no-surprise category, unlike an absentee owner off Craigslist, with a professional Santa Barbara vacation rental company, you have someone who is troubleshooting issues 24/7, working hard to keep both the renters and the owners happy.

The most underused amenity is the professional Santa Barbara vacation rental staff. Once you arrive at your vacation rental in Santa Barbara, the staff is at your beck and call. Concierge and housekeeping services are a mere button-touch away. The staff’s local Santa Barbara knowledge and connections can turn an average vacation into something amazing. There is no extra cost, and the return is priceless.

Booking a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #4: Book with confidence.

There’s a HUGE difference between someone who just wants to sell you a room, and a professional Santa Barbara vacation rental company that wants to make sure that you enjoy your ultimate Santa Barbara vacation so much that you return again and again. The key to that difference is delivering on what is promised.

Many vacation rental agencies are just big clearing-houses that list properties, sometimes all over the world. They do not usually specialize in a region and offer no other services, aside from rental matchmaking. They can’t make guarantees about the Santa Barbara beach house rental you’ve booked because their representatives have never visited them, inspected them for health and safety concerns, or even met the owners. They cannot vouch for the actual condition of the Santa Barbara vacation rental property, the advantages/disadvantages of the location, etc.

Some agencies just want to book the Santa Barbara beach rental and collect their fee. They may not care too much about what happens during your stay.

If you’ve never visited the Santa Barbara beach rental house you’re considering, or gotten a firsthand report from a trusted friend, you have no idea whether the photos you’ve seen on the web site are an accurate representation. They might be outdated, retouched, or from an entirely different place. (It goes without saying that you should never rent a Santa Barbara vacation rental that doesn’t at least offer photos!) Beware of any site that only offers view or exterior shots. If they’re not willing to show you what the Santa Barbara vacation house rental looks like inside, you don’t want to stay there.

With a professional Santa Barbara vacation rental company, you can be assured that the quality you see is the quality you will get.

Booking a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #5: Go with the highest standards of quality.

Professional Santa Barbara vacation rental agencies are held to higher standards than private owners. Even if an owner fervently believes that their Santa Barbara vacation rental is clean and up-to-date, their standards might not match your own. One person’s no-visible-dust-bunnies and hi-fi-system are another person’s filthy and anachronistic. A professionally managed Santa Barbara vacation house rental will also be a professionally cleaned and maintained Santa Barbara vacation house rental.

Booking a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #6: Understand the risks of booking through free listing sites like Craigslist.

Listing on a free site is, well, free. No crime in that (who doesn’t love free?), but that might point toward a general laissez-faire attitude the owner has toward his property and tenants.

The owners who are willing to pay a fee to keep their vacation houses booked and in first-class condition have already demonstrated their care and commitment to a working relationship that is beneficial to all parties. The management companies they work with are companies you can rent from worry-free.

Booking a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #7: Don't be afraid to negotiate.

The more often these Santa Barbara vacation rentals are occupied, the happier the owners are, so if you are planning a last-minute or a long-term stay or if you are a frequent visitor, there is often room to negotiate on the price of your Santa Barbara vacation rental. Sometimes the discount might be as much as 30 percent.

Booking a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #8: Do your research and compare rates, amenities, and conditions before entering into a rental agreement.

When you’re trying to narrow down your choice of a Santa Barbara vacation rental, be sure you’re comparing apples to apples. A smaller house on the beach will likely cost more than a larger one in the hills. Know what you’re getting from each property, and from each management company. Follow your gut and go with the company that will cheerfully show up in the middle of the night to snake the sink.

Another benefit to working with a Santa Barbara vacation rental professional management company is that it’s so easy to do a background check on them. Call or visit the Better Business Bureau or a vacation rental site like FlipKey.com. Has the firm had any reasonable complaints against them? How were they resolved? Type the name of the Santa Barbara vacation rental firm and its owner into Google and you’ll get a wealth of informative opinions.

The increasing popularity of Santa Barbara vacation rentals has led to an abundance of online resources. Your best best bet is to do due diligence and compare rates, amenities, reputations, views, and conditions before entering into a rental agreement. It’s your vacation and booking the right accommodations will help you ensure that your holiday will meet and exceed your expectations.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Allow Travelers to Book with Confidence

2010-08-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

SANTA BARBARA, CA – While popular U.S. destinations like New York are implementing restrictions to help regulate the increasing popularity of short-term apartment and other vacation rentals, consumers are still faced with a growing abundance of options to consider before entering into any rental agreement.

Many travelers still find the vacation home rental market to be a little chaotic - at least in comparison to more traditional accommodations like hotels/motels. Therefore it is important for travelers to be able to book a Santa Barbara vacation rental with confidence, especially since they are usually reserving the property sight unseen.

As Santa Barbara vacation rentals grow in popularity as a value-packed alternative to traditional hotel accommodations, it can be difficult for consumers to know how to book a property that best fits their budget as well as travel needs and desires. There are many things consumers can do to protect themselves from scams or disappointment – including working with a professional management company whose goal is to ensure your vacation rental experience meets and exceeds your expectations.

We recommend that renters visit the Better Business Bureau or a vacation rental site such as FlipKey.com for candid reviews. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for travelers to end up in vacation rentals that do not deliver on what is promised. A recent guest even shared the nightmare experience that preceded her Santa Barbara vacation rental stay.

"After flying across the country to LA, we arrived at a home we had rented in Malibu to find it totally misrepresented and truly un-stayable. We considered flying back to New York and then decided to look into Santa Barbara instead,“ said Rory B. from New York, NY. “We contacted Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals and they were able to offer us the Anacapa Villa at a very reasonable price for same day arrival. The condominium was beautiful, every detail was thought through, it was immaculate and comfortable and the next best thing to home."

If you are looking to grab a last-minute holiday as the summer is winding down, give us a call at 805-715-3900. If you’re lucky and can act quickly, you might get a real steal!

Video: See How Much Value Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Delivers

2010-08-27T17:19:00.000-07:00

Santa Barbara vacation rental guests come in all different stripes. Some are families who have scrimped and saved all year for one big blowout vacation. Others are visitors to whom leisure is a way of life. But regardless of the guests’ circumstances, we knock ourselves out to provide a premium Santa Barbara vacation rental experience for everyone who walks through our doors.

One of the comments we hear over and over again is how Santa Barbara vacation rentals consistently deliver more of…everything! Our Santa Barbara vacation rental homes have more space, more amenities, more luxury, more breathtaking views, more access to beaches, more knowledgeable concierges, more responsive property managers, more information and more access to whatever important to you.

Our Santa Barbara vacation rental properties are beautifully decorated and equipped. They have high-end amenities and every comfort you could ask for. Many of our Santa Barbara vacation rental homes even have outdoor entertaining areas and outdoor sports equipment.

Every day we strive to exceed our clients’ Santa Barbara vacation rental expectations. We find that it’s the thoughtful little touches that can really turn a nice vacation into the experience of a lifetime. Whether it’s a lit fireplace and a bottle of Cabernet left open to breathe and await your arrival, your favorite model rental car ready at your door or help arranging the adventure of a lifetime, we are here to honor any request.

We were amused and delighted when we saw this YouTube video, posted by a Santa Barbara vacation rental guest Chris Brogan, president of New Marketing Labs, a social media agency. Listen to how he and his friend were knocked out by everything about the Santa Barbara vacation rental they stayed in. It’s a pretty typical response. Hopefully, some day it will be yours, too.

Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals Launches Blog and Vacation Rentals Site with Valuable Guest Resources

2010-07-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

At Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals we provide a variety of high-end vacation rentals in Santa Barbara. We continuously aim to make our guests' stay in Santa Barbara as comfortable and pleasant as possible. This is why we have launched our very own blog and SB vacation rentals website featuring insider tips, expert travel advice and trip planning resources. Our Santa Barbara vacation rentals website can be found at: http://www.santa-barbara-vacation-rental.com/

At Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals we know that finding the right accommodations for your trip is only part of the vacation planning process! This is why we want to share our local insider tips and advice with our guests. Our Santa Barbara vacation rentals website is just another way we provide top notch service to our vacation rental guests. We also provide valuable resources for our visitors on our site as well as this blog. Even before our guests arrive at their Santa Barbara vacation rental, we are ready to provide assistance and invaluable information about the area and all that Santa Barbara has to offer to help them create a memorable vacation experience.

On the Santa Barbara vacation rental blog and Santa Barbara vacation rentals website, visitors will find:
• Information on popular Santa Barbara activities including the best hiking trails, wineries and farmers markets.
• Local area guide highlighting insider tips for enjoying dining, shopping, art galleries, ocean activities, antiquing, and more.
• Helpful tips for traveling smarter including ways to save money without sacrificing your overall vacation experience.
• Local events including concerts and cultural festivals.
• Expert recommendations for planning family-friendly vacations, Santa Barbara destination weddings, or romantic getaways.
• Easy ways for our guests to make the most of their Santa Barbara vacation rentals to help stretch their vacation budgets further.

For those who want to explore our Santa Barbara vacation rental properties, the Santa Barbara vacation rentals website also highlights featured vacation homes and provides easy links to view private beach houses and holiday villa properties at www.sbluxuryrentals.com.

View our properties at http://www.sbluxuryrentals.com/ or give us a call at 800-715-8766. We'd be delighted to assist you.

Get a steal on a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental for a Last Minute Central Coast Summer Getaway

2010-07-31T04:31:00.000-07:00

Oops! Are you one of the millions of potential vacationers who are waiting in vain for airfares to go down? Do you have vacation days to burn, but nowhere to turn? Are you going to scream if you hear someone extolling the virtues of a “staycation” one more time?

If you’re within a four- to five-hour drive of California’s south central coast, have we got some good news for you. Parenting web site has targeted a Santa Barbara vacation rental as one of the best places to take your family for a last-minute vacation. It’s no wonder. There is so much to do in the area. There are innumerable watersports for kids of all ages, beach activities, history to relive, gardens to admire, plays, movies, outdoor entertainment, etc.

There’s also the perfect family-friendly place to stay. Santa Barbara vacation rentals are beautiful properties that suit almost any budget and timeline. Whether you’re planning to visit for 48 hours or four to eight weeks, a Santa Barbara vacation rental can offer you the perfect estate, villa, cottage, bungalow or apartment to suit your needs.

Guests at our Santa Barbara vacation rentals travel here by plane, train or automobile. You can stay right on the beach in Ocean Oasis, or up in the hills in Le Petit Chateau. The Santa Barbara area offers a lovely temperate climate year-round. It’s never too hot and never too cold at a Santa Barbara vacation rental, so there’s literally nothing to stop you from enjoying the great outdoors at any time of the year.

If you are looking for last minute deals on a Santa Barbara vacation rental, give us a call at 805-715-3900. If you’re lucky and can act quickly, you might get a real steal.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals’ Guests Enjoy New Water Sports

2010-07-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

If you’re staying in a Santa Barbara vacation rental there’s a new water sport craze hitting the beaches and it’s a hit with celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. The sport is called stand up paddling (or SUP) and it combines the best of surfing and canoeing. Enthusiasts stand on a board and paddle through the water, and they’re raving about the experience.

Thatsfit.com called Santa Barbara the best place to learn SUP, and in particular recommended Paddle Sports in the Santa Barbara Harbor near several Santa Barbara vacation rentals and in Carpinteria as the best place to rent. Paddle Sports offers a two-hour, $40 rental that includes the board, paddle, a wetsuit and leash.

Originally all the rage in California and Hawaii, SUP is now catching on like wildfire anywhere there’s flat water. If your Santa Barbara vacation rental is near a lake, pond or glassy coast, you will find enthusiastic SUPers. It is being embraced by all age groups, and people of any and all (or no) athletic abilities. You can glide around at a snail’s pace, or race around like a professional outrigger.

Santa Barbara vacation rental guests enjoy a great workout for your abdomen, arms, back and shoulders, but it also tones all of the leg and torso muscles you use to stay upright and balanced. Like any paddling sport, the more upper arm strength you have the better your endurance will be.
But have no fear ladies, in this sport, style counts as much as substance. Anyone can learn the strokes, postures, foot positions, angles and techniques to make an elegant turn and stay dry. And she who stays on her board instead of falling off will always be considered the better athlete. This could be why women account for almost 50% of all SUP board sales.

You may want to check out YouTube or http://www.supsurfmag.com/ to watch videos or read articles to get some hints and tips before you head out on the open water. Remember, the Pacific ocean can be cold. They give you a wetsuit for a reason.

Paddle Sports has many different packages available to suit any experience level from newbie to expert. Your Santa Barbara vacation rental concierge would be happy to organize the right package for you. The Santa Barbara Harbor facility is located conveniently close to several Santa Barbara vacation rentals including Mykonos Villa, Juniper Cottage, Santa Barbara Oceanview and the Anacapa Penthouses.

If you are interested in trying stand up paddling during your Santa Barbara vacation rental stay, book a Santa Barbara Luxury Rental today.

How to Select a Santa Barbara Beach House Rental for Your Summer Vacation

2010-07-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

Faced with an abundance of choices, finding the perfect Santa Barbara vacation rental can sometimes seem a little daunting. Use these tips to ensure you find the location, amenities, and service that you're looking for to make your vacation truly memorable.

Whether you’re planning your first trip to Santa Barbara, or making an annual pilgrimage, selecting the right Santa Barbara vacation rental can make all the difference. Staying in a Santa Barbara beach house rental is the perfect solution for many travelers. It offers all the luxury of staying in a high-end hotel, with the comfort and privacy of your very own home away from home.

How to Choose a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #1: Decide Where you Want to Stay.

Location is key when selecting your Santa Barbara beach house rental. Do you want a true beachfront property? Or would you prefer spectacular ocean views to easy beach access? Santa Barbara beach house rental properties that are close to the beach (1-2 blocks) may be located behind other homes so they won’t have an ocean view. Other beaches homes may have an awesome ocean view from atop the Riviera, but will be about a 5-10 minute drive to the beach. Property descriptions will often make these details as clear as possible for renters, but it's definitely important to ask to make sure you are getting what you want.

How to Choose a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #2: Make a wish list.

Consider your individual needs and prioritize your preferences for vacationing in Santa Barbara. Do you want to watch the orange sun set over the silvery horizon every night from your roof deck of your Santa Barbara beach rental, or do you want to be front and center on the sand with seaweed wrapped between your toes? Do you want to be within easy distance of a good jogging beach? Do you want to wake to the smell of sage and explore a new hilly trail every day in your Santa Barbara vacation rental? Or maybe you want to stroll Santa Barbara’s red-roof district and explore the art/food/shopping scene downtown? If you know what you want out of your Santa Barbara vacation rental, you’re a lot more likely to get what you want.

How to Choose a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #3: Get specific.

Don’t hesitate to ask detailed questions about everything from the beach gear that’s provided to sleeping arrangements at your Santa Barbara vacation rental. If you have kids and pets, then you will want to know which beaches are most kid-friendly and dog-friendly – along with the best way to get there from your Santa Barbara beach rental. A beach house that requires a steep walk to or from the beach, or necessitates that you bring all of your own beach toys and paraphernalia with you may not be the best match. Most properties provide sun umbrellas, beach chairs, beach towels, etc., and even sunshade and toy rentals for kids through concierge services, so you don’t have to schlep all your own beach gear on vacation.

How to Choose a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #4: Hit the Web.

Explore online resources and check out online Santa Barbara vacation rental travel-review sites. Some favorites include:

Photos of your potential Santa Barbara beach rentals are important, but they may not give the whole story. Pay particular attention to the visitors’ comments. If it was important enough for someone to write about, it will probably factor into which Santa Barbara beach rental you choose, too. Before you put down your deposit you’ll want to know whether the Santa Barbara vacation rental’s advertised “beach neighborhood” is actually a twenty-minute drive from the sand, or if the “friendly neighbors” mentioned in the ad peek into the windows at night.

How to Choose a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #5: Stick with the Professionals.

Obviously, if you deal with a professional Santa Barbara beach house rental agency, you have more protection and options. Mrs. Kravitz may not care that you don’t like the dilapidated shack she advertised as a romantic Santa Barbara beach rental cottage, but a professional will knock themselves out to help you find what you’re looking for. They want your business, and will do whatever they can to make your visit a special one.

How to Choose a Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Tip #6: Call the Source Directly.

Once you’ve found a few potential Santa Barbara vacation rental properties that seem to fit your criteria, call their managers and ask specific questions about the homes. Whatever is important to you should be important to the agency. They are experts in their field. If, after talking with them, you decide that a particular Santa Barbara beach house rental is not what you’re looking for, they may be able to make another suggestion that would fit the bill perfectly, even if it’s through another company. Is the staff friendly and helpful? That is a good sign that they will continue to be attentive during your actual stay in your Santa Barbara beach rental.

And there’s no reason to give up the high-end service you crave either. Some Santa Barbara beach house rental companies offer concierge service free of charge. These professional men and women will fulfill all of your requests as quickly and cheerfully as any Golden Key professional.

There are many, many options when it comes to choosing a Santa Barbara vacation rental. There is something for everyone. It may take a little digging, but it will be worth it when you find your ideal Santa Barbara beach house rental.

Simply put, Santa Barbara is your oyster. Pick your pearl of a Santa Barbara beach rental.

For more information on high-end, fully-furnished vacation rentals in Santa Barbara - including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes - visit www.sbluxuryrentals.com or call 800-715-8766.

Graham Farrar is a Santa Barbara local with specialized knowledge in the popular destination’s attractions and activities. He is a Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals expert and offers tips and advice for traveling to Santa Barbara on the www.sbluxuryrentals.com blog.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals is at Forefront of Travel and Tourism Trends Promoting Value and Service

2010-05-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

In light of the economic downturn, more travel-related businesses are offering added value and amenities for customers looking to stretch their budgets without sacrificing luxury or service. Yet Santa Barbara vacation rentals continue to offer guests a value-packed alternative to hotel rooms while providing amenities and comfort at a fraction of the cost. Travel expert Peter Greenberg recently delivered the keynote address at the Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau’s annual luncheon, sharing his thoughts on the travel industry, including his disgust over nickel-and-diming schemes and ideas on what travelers really want from a destination.

At Santa Barbara vacation rental homes we are at the forefront of the current trend to promote value and services, offering exceptional ammenities and flexibility for travelers looking to enjoy affordability without sacrificing comfort or luxury.

More and more travel-related businesses are realizing that the days of nickel and diming guests are over. Savvy travelers are looking beyond glossy travel brochures to online resources and blogs with local news and insider travel tips that fit their unique budgets and needs.

For example, for less than the cost of a hotel room, vacationers can rent a whole Santa Barbara vacation rental home, such as the Ocean Oasis (pictured above) while enjoying countless benefits and avoiding the unnecessary expenses of a hotel stay like room service, tips, laundry, and internet fees.

This is a great time to travel to Santa Barbara and take advantage of growing travel trends that offer greater value and flexibility to better fit various lifestyles, needs and budgets. Meanwhile, staying at a vacation rental in Santa Barbara will remain a cost-efficient alternative to staying in traditional hotel accommodations while offering great perks and prices to travelers who want and deserve more from their vacation experience.

About Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals

Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals is your one stop source for high-end, fully-furnished vacation homes in Santa Barbara including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes.

Visit our website to view our properties www.sbluxuryrentals.com or give us a call at 800-715-8766. We'd be delighted to assist you.

Santa Barbara Beach House Vacation Rentals Offer the Ultimate Summer Getaway

2010-07-05T16:55:00.000-07:00

Renting a luxurious Santa Barbara beach house with ocean views and countless amenities helps you make the most of your summer vacation for a fraction of the cost of traditional hotel accommodations.

While California is famous for its legendary beach lifestyle, only a tiny fraction of its almost 40 million residents live within shouting distance of the coast. So when visitors flock to the popular destination for summer vacation, they tend to look for Santa Barbara beach house rentals with amenities like ocean views, backyards, porches, decks, fire pits and Jacuzzis for the ultimate summer getaway experience.

Additionally, vacationers who book a Santa Barbara beach house rental enjoy immense value and greater overall living space for less than the cost of a stay in a 400-sqft hotel room. Santa Barbara beach house rentals also help guests save time, stress and money by providing conveniences and amenities like outdoor showers, spas, BBQ grills, beach bicycles, towels and lounge chairs.

Beach access is probably what most people are concerned about. Guests of Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals enjoy being an easy walk away from popular spots like Butterfly Beach and West Beach. Santa Barbara is really paradise for both nature lovers and sun goddesses, and Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals's beach houses are designed to help make the most of your summer vacation.

Ocean Oasis is one of the most in demand Santa Barbara beach rentals with its oceanfront location where there is nothing but bluff between guests and the unspoiled and un-crowded beaches. A hot tub is perched on the deck with gorgeous views of the water where guests can watch birds and dolphins frolic from the backyard of their Santa Barbara beach house rental.

A recent guest from Seoul, South Korea, David H. said of the property, “[Ocean Oasis] is truly just that, with the most jaw-dropping views of the Pacific that I have ever seen. The hot tub, perched on the very edge of a 90-foot cliff, is well positioned to take advantage of the great views and gorgeous sunsets. It was unforgettable.”

About Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals

Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals is your one stop source for high-end, fully-furnished vacation homes in Santa Barbara including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes.

Visit our website to view our properties www.sbluxuryrentals.com or give us a call at 800-715-8766. We'd be delighted to assist you.

Making the Most of the Great Outdoors

2010-06-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

Many Santa Barbara vacationers find heaven-on-earth in a Santa Barbara beach house rental. Whether you’re planning to hit the hiking trails every morning before sunrise, or laze in your beachside Jacuzzi all day, there’s a Santa Barbara beach house rental tailor-made for you.

California is famous for its beaches and legendary beach lifestyle. As a Santa Barbara vacationer you have an advantage over the native Californian. While only a tiny fraction of almost 40 million Californians live within shouting distance of the coast, you get your pick of Santa Barbara beach house rentals to watch the waves lap the sand 24/7.

Santa Barbara Beach House Rental Great Amenities for Outdoor Living Tip #1: Enjoy the Great Outdoors.
A Santa Barbara beach house rent al means different things to different people. Some guests are happy to scrunch sand between their toes while they watch and listen to the mesmerizing surf. Others will use their Santa Barbara beach house rental’s sound system to crank up their Best of the Beach Boys CD while enjoying mai tais on the back deck.

Regardless of what kind of vacation you’re planning, Santa Barbara beach house rentals can help you enjoy the great outdoors. Additionally, while some are just a few steps from the beach, other Santa Barbara beach house rentals also provide proximity to shopping and great restaurants.

Santa Barbara Beach House Rental Great Amenities for Outdoor Living Tip #2: “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”
Some Santa Barbara beach house rental guests come to town eager to play, play, play! Fortunately, there is plenty to do in the Santa Barbara area for even the most ADD among us. Staying at a Santa Barbara beach house rental is perfect for anyone looking to enjoy the ocean by day and the local attractions by night. Santa Barbara is home to many great lounges and nightclubs that offer dinner, dancing, drinks and theme parties including Eos, the Wildcat Lounge and even a few pubs like the James Joyce.

If you wake up with a hangover, visit Cold Spring Tavern, a former 19th-century stagecoach rest stop to nurse yourself back to health. A little off the beaten path, it is now a laid-back rustic restaurant that features four fireplaces, indoor/outdoor dining, live music during summer afternoons and delicious American-style food (their breakfasts are especially renowned) just like mom used to make.

Santa Barbara Beach House Rental Great Amenities for Outdoor Living Tip #3: It’s a Dog’s Life.
If Fido is due for a vacation too, there are lots of places for you to play together. A Santa Barbara beach house rental gives you and your four-legged best friend a vacation to remember.

Not far from many Santa Barbara beach house rentals are some great spots that dogs can visit. Many parks and hiking trails welcome dogs on leashes, but if you want your furry friend to run free off-leash and feel the wind in his fur there are a few options. Douglas Family Park, at the end of Medcliff Road & Selrose Lane, is a 70-acre facility that features both a beach and stunning hiking trails. Hale Park, at Camino Viejo and Eucalyptus Hill Road, has lots of tree-lined walking trails. Orcutt Park, at Alameda Padre Serra and Moreno, is a long narrow exercise park that the locals favor.

If you’re planning on renting a Santa Barbara beach house in mid-July, get your dog spruced and pruned for the annual Poodle Parade at the Santa Barbara French Festival (all breeds are welcome).

As with any doggy outing, bring a leash, your own poop-pick-up bags and water. Santa Barbara authorities are particularly keen that dogs visiting public places use their best guest manners.

Santa Barbara Beach House Rental Great Amenities for Outdoor Living Tip #4: Life’s a Beach.
Some people come to Santa Barbara for the mountains or the valleys, but let’s face it, most visitors are here for the ocean. There’s something cathartic about listening to the pounding surf while you watch a seagull weightlessly ride a coastal air current. When you’re choosing a Santa Barbara beach house rental, consider whether it has all the amenities you’ll want. A Santa Barbara beach house rental that already has the toys you’ll need can save time, stress and money. Here’s a partial list of things to ask about when booking your Santa Barbara beach house rental for a beach vacation:

Beach bicycles
Beach chairs
Beach games like volleyball and Frisbee
Beach mats
Beach towels
Boogie Boards
Kayaks
Roll-away ice cooler
Sun umbrella

Santa Barbara Beach House Rental Great Amenities for Outdoor Living Tip #5: Eat, Drink and Be Merry.
One of the best parts of staying in a Santa Barbara beach house rental is being able to cook and eat outside in the temperate California coastal climate. Whether your preferences run to creating your own molto bene meals or dialing 1-800-BRING-DINNER, make sure your Santa Barbara beach house rental has all of the al fresco amenities that you want, including:

Gas BBQ grill and accessories
Local menus and dining guides
Mountain or ocean views
Outdoor dining area
Private deck with table, chairs
Seating area

Santa Barbara Beach House Rental Great Amenities for Outdoor Living Tip #6: Embrace The Good Life.
Once you settle into your Santa Barbara beach house rental, you’re not going to want to leave. And why should you? It’s got every outdoor amenity a body could possibly want in a little slice of heaven, including:

Courtyard
Doggy door
Games: basketball hoop, croquet set, pool table
Fire pit
Fireplace
Fountains/water features
Heat lamp
Jacuzzi
Local entertainment guides
Lounge chairs
Observation deck
Outdoor shower
Outdoor speakers
Outdoor TV
Pool
Private balconies
Redwood sauna
Rooftop terrace
Spa
Steam shower
Umbrellas
Wireless internet (WiFi)
Wraparound covered porch
Yard with fruit trees, lawn and flowers and/or herb garden

The only question is, which Santa Barbara beach house rental will you choose? With so many possible amenities we recommend the sensible approach. Try them all until you find your favorite Santa Barbara beach house rental.

For more information on high-end, fully-furnished vacation rentals in Santa Barbara - including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes - visit http://www.sbluxuryrentals.com/ or call 800-715-8766.

Hiking Santa Babara: Great Santa Barbara Hikes

2010-05-31T22:52:00.000-07:00

In addition to all the other advantages of having a Santa Barbara vacation rental as your home base during your vacation, here’s one most people don’t think about. After a day of hiking in Santa Barbara, you’ll look as weathered as Indiana Jones after the truck sequence in Raiders. Which would you rather do - track dirt through the lobby of a luxury hotel or come to your homey Santa Barbara vacation rental where you can flop down in your own living room and stagger into a refreshing private hot tub or pool?

To get you started on the right foot, here are six tips for enjoying your Santa Barbara hike.

Santa Babara Hiking Tips for Great Santa Barbara Hikes #1: There’s a great Santa Barbara hike right at your doorstep. No matter which Santa Barbara vacation rental home you choose, you’re going to be close to a great hiking trail. If you want to check how close your Santa Barbara vacation rental is to some great hiking trails, go to these maps at Trails.com. You will have to register with this pay site to get the full benefit of trail guides and topographical maps, but the overview map can give you some very clear ideas about which Santa Barbara hiking trials are closest to you.

Santa Babara Hiking Tips for Great Santa Barbara Hikes #2: Get a map. Trail maps are available at Pacific Travelers Supply, 12 W. Anapamu St. (at State St.; tel. 888/PAC-TRAV or 805/963-4438), at the Santa Barbara visitor center, and from Traffic Solutions (tel. 805/963-7283).

Santa Babara Hiking Tips for Great Santa Barbara Hikes #3: Pace yourself. Santa Barbara hiking trails have hikes for all skill levels. Some Santa Barbara beach walks are short and level, while some treks into the mountains can be strenuous, steep, all-day affairs. To get started, one of the most popular Santa Barbara hikes is also one of the easiest (maybe there’s a connection there). The Seven Falls/Inspiration Point Trail starts on Tunnel Road and takes you right by the mission and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

Santa Babara Hiking Tips for Great Santa Barbara Hikes #4: Check out the most popular Santa Barbara hikes. The best way to begin your Santa Barbara hike is to start by surfing the top Santa Barbara hiking sites.

The Santa Barbara Independent lists the best Santa Barbara hikes, displaying photos, suggestions and loving details about what sights to check out.along the way: http://www.independent.com/news/outdoors/day-hikes/.
Santa Barbara Hikes is the most detailed with levels of difficulty, GPS coordinates, updates from fellow hikers, etc: http://santabarbarahikes.com/.
The Santa Barbara Trail Guide has scheduled hikes, the latest hiking news, trail photos, GPS coordinates, trial hazards, geology, wildflowers, etc: http://www.santabarbaratrailguide.com/index.shtml.
Local hikes lists the top Santa Barbara hikes: http://www.localhikes.com/MSA/MSA_7480.asp
Santa Barbara.com breaks down Santa Barbara hikes into categories like common hikes, beach hikes, mountaintop hikes, inland hikes: http://www.santabarbara.com/activities/hikes/.
Santa Barbara Outdoors also has a section for mountain biking: http://www.sb-outdoors.org/.

Santa Babara Hiking Tips for Great Santa Barbara Hikes #5: Go with a group. Beginning Santa Barbara hikers as wells as pros are welcome to join the Sierra Club’s regular Santa Barbara hikes on Wednesday night, Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. The group is very friendly, but you must download the standard sign-in waiver and bring a signed copy to join the hike. Get details at: http://www.swt.org/hikesierra/ or check out the Los Padres Sierra Chapter: http://lospadres.sierraclub.org/santabarbara/outings/index.html.

Santa Babara Hiking Tips for Great Santa Barbara Hikes #6: Go with a guide. If you are looking for a little one-on-one guidance for your Santa Barbara hike, check out Santa Barbara Adventure Company’s guided day hikes: http://www.sbadventureco.com/adventures/day-hikes/. If love to hike and kayak, check out the guided Gaviota Kayak/Hot Spring hike tour by Captain Jack Tours: http://www.captainjackstours.com/.

Hikers love all the Santa Barbara hiking trails. Santa Barbara hikers hike by day and then enjoy the culture, festivities and nightlife the city has to offer. You can go on a great Santa Barbara beachside hike in the morning, come home to your Santa Barbara vacation rental to get refreshed and then go wine tasting in the afternoon and to dinner at a wonderful restaurant. How your end your nights in your Santa Barbara vacation rental is up to you.

Tips for Traveling Smarter: How to Take Advantage of Travel and Tourism Trends Promoting Value and Service

2010-05-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

Trends for the travel industry point towards businesses offering added value and amenities for customers looking to stretch their budgets without sacrificing luxury or service. Savvy Santa Barbara vacation rental guests can take advantage of these trends that promote service and value with these smart travel tips.

In light of the economic downturn, more and more travel-related businesses are realizing that the days of nickel and diming guests are over. Those who want to rebound from the recession are now offering great perks and prices for travelers. Businesses that offer great value and amenities let travelers on a budget enjoy affordability without sacrificing service or luxury. Santa Barbara vacation rental guests can take advantage of these top industry trends that promote service and value when planning their next trip!

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Travel Smart Tip #1: Book a Santa Barbara vacation rental for the fraction of the cost of a hotel.

Booking a Santa Barbara vacation rental offers so many more benefits than a hotel. More space, more privacy, more money saved, and no one will levy your 401k if you so much as look at the mini-bar. Paying all of those mandatory hotel fees, taxes and service charges is like being nibbled to death by ducks.

Staying in a Santa Barbara vacation rental home allows for flexibility and a more relaxed approach to planning your day. Would you rather eat your eggs Benedict outside on your beachside patio or hurry through a hotel buffet line surrounded by hot and smelly chafing dishes? Dining in your Santa Barbara vacation rental is simply a more soothing and cheaper option than the frenetic process of eating out three times a day.

Santa Barbara vacation rentals offer a wide variety of choices, from large lodges and cozy cottages, to beachside bungalows and hot city homes. Some Santa Barbara vacation rentals offer a free concierge service so you have the insider knowledge of a seasoned expert at your fingertips. And no one will charge you ten bucks for a cup of coffee or an extra blanket at your private Santa Barbara vacation rental home.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Travel Smart Tip #2: Take the train and avoid the hassle and added expense of air travel.

If you’ve flown lately, you know what a nightmare it can be. Depending on the airline, you may have to pay extra to redeem frequent flyer miles, change tickets, check your bags at curbside (heck, check your bags at all!), use the airport wi-fi, use a pillow or blanket, get a snack or even down that drink you desperately need to keep from losing your cool. One airline is even requiring passengers to empty their bladders before they board while another is considering charging for using the restroom!

Or you can arrive calmly and coolly by train. Amtrak’s Coast Starlight is widely regarded as one of the most stunning train trips in the world, and a great way to arrive at your Santa Barbara vacation rental relaxed and refreshed. Running daily from Seattle to Los Angeles, this 35-hour trip meanders down the gorgeous California coast between Oakland and L.A., and includes a stop in Santa Barbara.

It’s a good value, too. If you book Sleeper Service accommodations, all of your meals on board are included in the price along with fresh linen and towel service, complimentary bottled water and daily newspapers. And no one will extort $25 before they load your luggage on board.

For more information, call 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/AM_Route_C/1241245648567/1237405732511.

Rolling through the Santa Barbara station at 6:17 p.m. on the southbound leg, and at 12:48 p.m. northbound, you arrive at your Santa Barbara vacation rental just in time for a delicious meal. This brings us to our next money-saving suggestion.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Travel Smart Tip #3: Look for value-driven prix-fixe menus to enjoy a gourmet meal and unique dining experience.

Many restaurants are reacting to the recession by offering affordable prix-fixe menus. The concept is simple. For a given price, diners are offered a multi-course meal that usually consists of an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Within those categories are three or four options to choose from, enough choices to satisfy the most discriminating palate.

There are a lot of delicious dining choices in Santa Barbara. You’ll find everything from haute cuisine prepared by chefs who trained in multi-starred Michelin restaurants to holes-in-the-wall with scrumptious offerings that only the locals know about. Ask your Santa Barbara vacation rental concierge to help you find the perfect place to dine and save.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Travel Smart Tip #4: Look beyond glossy brochures to online resources and blogs with local news and insider travel tips.

A lot of businesses have banded together with other non-competing venues to offer great deals and discounts. Some examples might be: buy a movie ticket and get half off an ice cream cone at the creamery next door, or buy a family membership to a small local museum and get into other more expensive museums nearby for free.

You can find a lot of these opportunities with a little digging online. Tourism sites, travel blogs, local news sites and other web sources are great ways to get up-to-date information, plan ahead and stick to your budget without compromising your dream vacation.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Travel Smart Tip #5: Bring your friends and family for a shared participatory experience.

More and more people are discovering the joys of vacationing together. Family travel surged after 9/11, and accelerated again with the current recession. People band together when they’re under stress, and discovering a new, or rediscovering a favorite, destination or activity with family and/or friends makes a vacation a lot more relaxing and rewarding.

Staying in a Santa Barbara vacation rental with a group, especially a multi-generational one, opens up a world of possibilities. Grandpa might discover that making sand castles really is a fun way to spend a day. The grandson who groaned at the thought of visiting a stuffy old mission might be enthralled by the history and stories of real people who walked the same passages he is treading.

Traveling with loved ones can enrich relationships, and there’s no more fun and beautiful place to do it than Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals understands that travelers want and deserve more from their vacation experience. These smart travel tips are provided to help guests stretch their budgets without sacrificing luxury or service. Take advantage of these trends and plan your next to trip to Santa Barbara with these tips for enjoying added value and amenities.

Farmer Markets Offer Fresh Local Produce for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests

2010-05-31T11:53:00.000-07:00

A feast for all five senses awaits you at the Santa Barbara area farmers markets. Offered every day of the week except Monday, there are innumerable opportunities to taste, sniff and feel the produce, listen to entertainers and watch the fascinating mix of people go by.

Whether you’re staying at a Santa Barbara vacation rental in or near downtown, old town, Goleta, Carpinteria, Montecito or Solvang, you will find a weekly outdoor market offering a wide variety of fresh and locally produced bread, dried beans and fruits, flowers, fruits and vegetables, fruit juices, honey, jams, nuts, olive oil, organic cheese, pies, soaps, souvenirs, wine and countless other treats.

The most popular and populous market takes place on Saturday morning, in downtown Santa Barbara. It can be a bit of a crush, but is well worth jostling with the amiable crowds to get a real sense of how the locals like to shop. It is also an ideal place to meet new friends, get the inside scoop on what is going on in the community and feel like you’re a part of it.

The Santa Barbara area farmers markets are:

Saturday – Corner of Santa Barbara and Cota streets in downtown Santa Barbara
Sunday – Camino Real Marketplace, corner of Storke and Hollister in Goleta
Tuesday – 500 and 600 blocks of State Street in old town Santa Barbara
Wednesday – La Cumbre Plaza Shopping Center in Santa Barbara; Copenhagen Drive and 1st Street in Solvang
Thursday – Calle Real Center, 5700 Block of Calle Real in Goleta; 800 Block of Linden Avenue in Carpinteria
Friday – 1100 & 1200 blocks of Coast Village Road in Montecito

For more information, please visit http://www.sbfarmersmarket.org/ or call (805) 962-5354.

For more insider tips, check out our local area guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: http://www.sbluxuryrentals.com/SantaBarbara-vacation-rental/local-area-guide-travel-tips.html.

Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals is your one stop source for high-end, fully-furnished vacation homes in Santa Barbara including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes. Our Santa Barbara vacation rentals are ideal for romantic vacations, family gatherings and reunions, or wedding parties and wedding accommodations. We also offer pet-friendly vacation rentals on select properties. Our full-service staff and concierge services are available to assist you with all your Santa Barbara vacation rental needs. For more information or to make a reservation, please call 800-715-8766. We'd be delighted to assist you!

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tips

2010-04-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

Now that you’re enjoying the comfort and convenience of your Santa Barbara vacation rental home, what’s next? How do you plan to spend your time in Santa Babrara? Where can you mix and mingle with the locals? What you need is a Santa Barbara native to give you the kind of useful insider tips only local knowledge can give.

Whether you are interested in dining, seafood, shopping, art, ocean, hiking, antiquing, wineries or farmers markets, we’ve got you covered. And to get your custom-tailored vacation tips, contact your Santa Barbara vacation rentals concierge.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #1 - Sunday Treat: Every Sunday afternoon Cold Springs Tavern, a tucked away restaurant/bar on the way to wine country, features live music, a colorful assortment of characters and the best tri-tip sandwiches in town.

Photo Credit: www.coldspringtavern.com/

Take Hwy. 101 to Hwy. 154, drive up the mountain to the top, then one mile down the valley side turn toward Stagecoach Road. Then take a direct onto Stagecoach Road and go down the canyon for about 1.5 miles to the Tavern.http://www.coldspringtavern.com/

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #2 – Beautiful Beach Combing: Butterfly Beach in Montecito is one of the prettiest beaches in town. Take the Olive Mill exit from Hwy. 101 and take Olive Mill west toward the ocean, Olive Mill becomes Channel Drive. After you pass the Four Seasons Resort on your right, begin looking for parking.Web: http://www.santabarbara.com/activities/beaches/butterfly/

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #3 – Enjoy a Seafood Feast: If you want to create a seafood feast at your Santa Barbara vacation rental home, go to Kanaloa Seafood for the freshest, highest quality fish available. From Hwy. 101 take the Garden exit up to Haley, take a right on Haley, another right on Quarantina, and another right on Gutierrez. Kanaloa is located at 618 E. Gutierrez, on your left hand side. Web: http://kanaloa.com

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #4 – The Happiest Happy Hour in Santa Barbara: The Boathouse restaurant on Hendry’s Beach offers a great happy hour. Watch the surfers and the sunset while you wash down your pulled pork sliders with a cold beverage. Take the Las Positas exit and head towards the ocean, continue straight until you hit the T in the road, and take a right at Cliff Drive and pull into the parking lot on your left. Web:http://www.sbfishhouse.com

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #5 – A Hike Everyone Will Like: If you’re in the mood for some outdoor activity, Seven Falls hiking trail offers amazing views and swimming pools. Drive past the Mission towards Foothill Rd., take a right on Foothill and a left on Mission Cyn. Rd. Take a left on Tunnel Rd. and drive all the way up. Follow the trail signs from the trailhead and don’t forget to bring your water and good walking shoes. Web: http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/hikes/frontcountry/7falls.shtml

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #6 – Set Your Sail for Adventure: Take a cruise aboard the Double Dolphin catamaran or Sunset Kidd sailboat. You might spot whales and you will likely see dolphins, but the beautiful coastline views are guaranteed. Web: Double Dolphin: http://www.sbsail.com/double_dolphin.html, Sunset Kidd: http://www.sunsetkidd.com/

Photo Credit: www.stearnswharf.org/

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #7 – Enjoy the Santa Barbara Wharf Experience: Stearn’s Wharf is a quintessential Santa Barbara experience. Take a walk down the pier and head to the Shellfish Company. With indoor and outdoor seating, nearby fishermen and the smell of the sea, this historic locale is the perfect setting for your lobster taco meal. Web: http://www.sbfishhouse.com/shellfish/

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #8 – Meet Santa Barbara’s Local Artists:The Cabrillo Beach Show is a weekly arts & crafts show that runs along East Beach every Sunday. Enjoy a colorful, leisurely stroll and pick up some quirky local art. Web: http://www.santabarbara.com/community/art/artshow/

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #9 – Go Gallery Hopping: The first Thursday of every month all the local galleries open their doors to the public, often featuring music, snacks or drinks. You can download a program atwww.santabarbaradowntown.com.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #10 – Discover New Antiques: Summerland is a quaint, seaside town just south of Santa Barbara that has a variety of antique shops. The Summerland Antique Collective across from the freeway onramp is our favorite. 2192 Ortega Hill Rd., Summerland, CA 93067 Open every day 10-5. Phone: 805-565-3189. Then head to the Nugget afterward for lunch or dinner. Read reviews of Nugget here:http://www.santabarbara.com/Dining/review_read.asp?pk_restaurant=825.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #11 – Wine and Dine Your Way through Santa Barbara: Carr Winery (http://www.carrwinery.com/), located at 414 N. Salsipuedes St. in Santa Barbara, opens their doors every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from 5 pm to midnight, offering wine tasting and live music.

The Anacapa Penhouses and Villas are right on the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail.

The Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail includes a variety of other wineries, all within biking distance of each other. If you fall in love with a specific winery, be sure to join their wine club. You will then be eligible for greater access to savings as well as receiving select varietals before they are released to the public. If you can’t wait to open up your new favorite wine, purchase a couple bottles at the tasting room and bring them back to your Santa Barbara vacation rental. For a map of these wineries visit: http://www.santabarbaraca.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=263.

Local Area Guide for Santa Barbara Vacation Rental Guests: Insider Santa Barbara Travel Tip #12 – Taste Mouthwatering Treats at the Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market: Santa Barbara’s Local Farmers Market is a great place to stock up on produce, artisan cheeses, flowers and much more to enjoy in your Santa Barbara vacation rental. The Tuesday afternoon market takes place on State St. between Ortega and Gutierrez, and the Saturday morning market takes place in a large parking lot on Santa Barbara St., between Ortega and Cota. Web: http://www.sbfarmersmarket.org/

The real benefit of a Santa Barbara vacation rental home is not just the great price (although it provides tremendous value to guests, often half the cost of a luxury hotel), but the dedicated Santa Barbara vacation rentalsconcierge who can help you every step along the way, offering supportive assistance and invaluable information about all that Santa Barbara has to offer. The Santa Barbara vacation rental concierge is dedicated to creating a memorable vacation experience of the highest quality, giving all guests the utmost consideration and quality service during their stay at SBLR’s vacation rentals in Santa Barbara. These tips are just a starting point, call your Santa Barbara vacation rental home concierge to start planning the perfect Santa Barbara vacation custom tailored just for you.

For more information on high-end, fully-furnished vacation rentals in Santa Barbara – including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes – visitwww.sbluxuryrentals.com or call 800-715-8766.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Welcome Parents, Family and Friends to Local Commencement Ceremonies

2010-04-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

While offering all the conveniences of home for guests during graduation week, Santa Barbara vacation rentals provide a value-packed alternative to hotel rooms — offering greater comfort, luxury, and flexibility for a fraction of the cost.

Spring is upon us and graduation season is just around the corner. Whether visitors are attending commencement ceremonies in late May or mid-June, now is the time to plan where to stay during graduation week.

Santa Barbara vacation rental homes are a cost-efficient alternative to staying in traditional hotel accommodations. Instead of paying $300 a night per hotel room, families and friends can enjoy the comfort and convenience of staying under one roof for a fraction of the cost – while also taking advantage of greater amenities and flexibility.

Staying at a vacation rentals in Santa Barbara offers great value because you get more for your money—affordability plus comfort, luxury, and convenience to make your entire family feel right at home. Since our vacation home rentals are roomy and full-furnished, guests can enjoy celebrating in their own private space or using it as a central meeting point when they’re not out sightseeing or celebrating out on the town.

Also, many Santa Barbara vacation rental guests can enjoy making the most out of graduation weekend by living like a local and enjoying all the conveniences of home. And in addition to avoiding the hassle and crowds of conventional hotel accommodations, guests also enjoy the convenience of being centrally located within walking distance of popular venues and activities

“We rented the Anacapa Penthouse (pictured here) for our daughter's graduation from UCSB after first considering multiple B & B rooms,” said Cynthia Gregory of San Diego, CA. ”We will definitely visit the Anacapa penthouse again! My only regret is we didn't find it until our daughter's senior year. We spent too much money on hotels over 4 years that didn't compare to the villa!”
About Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals
Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals is your one stop source for high-end, fully-furnished vacation homes in Santa Barbara including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes. Our luxury rental properties are ideal for romantic vacations, family gatherings and reunions, or wedding parties and wedding accommodations. We also offer pet-friendly vacation rentals on select properties. Our full-service staff and concierge services are available to assist you with all your Santa Barbara vacation rental needs. We strive to create a memorable vacation experience of the highest quality, giving all our guests the utmost consideration and quality service. To view our properties, visit http://www.sbluxuryrentals.com/

Travelers Encouraged to Book Early to Secure Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals This Summer

2010-03-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

As one of California's premier summer vacation spots, Santa Barbara offers something for everyone. With summer travel expected to rebound this year, you’ll want to book a Santa Barbara vacation home early to enjoy this popular vacation destination and all it has to offer.

With many industry experts predicting travel to rebound this summer, travelers are encouraged to book early to secure a Santa Barbara vacation rental home for their summer vacation.

In addition to spectacular beaches and mountainscapes, summer vacation in Santa Barbara boasts an abundance of fun and exciting events including music, multicultural, family-friendly, sporting, art, beach, wine and food events. These unique activities draw visitors from all over the world so you'll want to plan ahead to make the most of your Santa Barbara summer vacation.

People who value travel and look forward to the summer as an opportunity to spend time with their families tend to book their vacation rentals in Santa Barbara early. We even have guests who reserve their favorite Santa Barbara vacation rental a year in advance so they can return to the place where they’ve created so many great memories, only to create many more.

Santa Barbara vacation rentals are also growing in popularity as an ideal alternative to hotels, providing more room and amenities than a hotel room. For example, Santa Barbara beach home rentals offer unparalleled convenience for enjoying ocean breezes and spectacular views as well as convenient access to sand and surf.

Many Santa Barbara vacation rental homes are within walking distance to popular events and activities, plus a Santa Barbara vacation rental concierge can provide insider tips and help you get the most out of your vacation in Santa Barbara. Savvy travelers who know the benefits of planning ahead are already booking their Santa Barbara vacation rental homes now - before it’s too late.

Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals is your one stop source for high-end, fully-furnished vacation homes in Santa Barbara including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes. We strive to create a memorable vacation experience of the highest quality, giving all our guests the utmost consideration and quality service. To view our properties, visit http://www.sbluxuryrentals.com/ or call us directly at 800-715-8766.

Families Turn to Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals for Fun, Enriching and Affordable Spring Break Vacations

2010-02-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

Planning a Spring Break getaway for your family? While vacations can be notorious for breaking the family budget, many travelers are discovering that it is often more enjoyable and affordable to get away in the spring than during peak summer travel season.

One of the little known secrets to enjoying all the family-friendly activities that Santa Barbara has to offer – including great outdoor adventures, shopping, historical sites as well as cultural and educational opportunities designed for families – is being able to get twice the square footage for your family spring break vacation budget.

I know that when you have kids in school, your family spring break vacation has special meaning for you. And staying in a two- to three-bedroom beautifully appointed home (like Le Petit Chateau pictured here) offers more comfort, convenience and flexibility than a generic hotel room at a property that may not necessarily cater to you family's needs.

Santa Barbara vacation rentals can be the perfect solution for anyone looking to stretch their vacation budget - plus you can still enjoy a full range of hotel amenities including having the Santa Barbara vacation rentals concierge team assist in planning various family-friendly excursions in Santa Barbara.

Guests who have stayed in our beautifully appointed Santa Barbara vacation rental homes also like being able avoid the spring break crowds while enjoying the peace of mind of having a place where they can be at home with their kids without having to worry about bothering other guests.

Finally, it’s also important for families to book ahead if they want to secure a Santa Barbara vacation rental home for the exact week that they have off. There's nothing like returning home to your Santa Barbara vacation rental after enjoying all the fun and enriching activities offered in Santa Barbara that your family will cherish forever.

Visit our website to view our properties www.sbluxuryrentals.com or give us a call at 800-715-8766. We'd be delighted to assist you.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Best Kept Secrets: Top 8 Family Spring Break Vacation Tips

2010-02-23T10:40:00.000-08:00

If you've got kids in school, your family spring break vacation has special meaning for you. The kids get a week off and it's probably the only real vacation they (and you) get during those six long months between the winter holidays and summer. Everyone needs a family spring break vacation. You've marked off the family's spring break vacation dates on your calendar months in advance, and everyone is jonesing to hit the road.

How can you make the most of this precious spring break? You want something fun, enriching and affodable. What you need for your family spring break vacation is a Santa Barbara vacation rental home. You can give your family a fantastic Santa Barbara spring break vacation for half the price of an expensive hotel with a Santa Barbara vacation rental. Here are the seven secret tips to planning a family spring break vacation so jam-packed with exploring the outdoors and the ocean as well as cultural, educational and family-friendly activities that your family will cherish forev

er.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Family Spring Break Vacation Tip #1 - Escape The Rowdy Crowd: The phrase "spring break vacation" conjures up TV news footage of drunken bashes and out of control college students trashing hotels. When

you're planning a family spring break vacation, party central is the last place you want to be. The simple way to avoid these rowdy spring break revelers is to go where they aren't. Santa Barbara is a great place to take your family on spring

break, and a Santa Barbara vacation rental is the ideal place to base your trip. (Enjoy privacy away from the crowds like in the Mykonos property featured here).

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Family Spring Break Vacation Tip #2 - Control Your Environment For Half The Cost: For a family, the simple tactical advantages of a Santa Barbara vacation rental are enormous. You get double the square footage for your family spring break vacation dollar. You get a two- to three-bedroom beautifully appointed home, instead of a generic hotel room with paper thin walls that will allow you and your children to hear everything the party animals are doing in the next room. (Aside from the noise level, there are some discussions you don't want to have with your young kids: "Mommy, what's a Jell-o shot?").

By using a Santa Barbara vacation rental home for your family spring break vacation, you control the environment. You share no walls, you have your own porch, your own backyard (like at Le Petit Chateau pictured here), your own place to breathe without having to keep an eye on questionable hotel guests.You have your own media center, your own big screen TV, a place where yo

u and your family can have all the loud fun and wholesome games you want without having to worry about someone banging on the wall. You get your choice of Santa Barbara vacation rental home each with its own view, unique style (Greek, Spanish Mission, Modern, Italian, French, etc.). Beyond doubling your family's spring break vacation space for the same money, a Santa Barbara vacation rental home has a unique character so your kids will recall the details of your family spring break vacation for years to come.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Family Spring Break Vacation Tip #3 - Santa Barbara Is Family Friendly Destination: A Santa Barbara vacation rental home is more than just gorgeous house to have spring break fun in. What makes a great Santa Barbara family spring break vacation is Santa Barbara itself. Santa Barbara has tons of family-friendly activities and events that come into bloom during spring break. Downtown Santa Barbara has glorious shopping, family-friendly restaurants, historical sites and galleries to explore. There are lots of places that are specifically designed for families. There are so many family friendly activities that many families come back to Santa Barbara year after year for their family spring break vacation.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Family Spring Break Vacation Tip #4 - Santa Barbara Makes It Easy To Find Unique Family-Friendly Events: Year round Santa Barbara is bursting with festivals, events, shows and activities. On any given weekend during your family spring break vacation you will be able to choose from a wide variety of family friendly events. To get a listing of all events go to http://www.santabarbara.com/calendar/. If you're looking for the latest in family friendly goings-on check out Santa Barbara Family's Calendar of Events: http://www.sbfamilylife.com/coe.htm or Santa Barbara Parent.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Family Spring Break Vacation Tip #5 - Explore The Outdoors: Santa Barbara has 300 days of sunshine a year, making it the perfect place to plan an outdoor family spring break vacation. Here are some of the most popular outdoor family spring break vacation activities:

• Bring your dog. Unlike many hotels, you can bring your dog to enjoy Santa Barbara vacation rentals along with you on your family spring break vacation.

• Walk along Santa Barbara's many beaches.

• Explore the grounds of the Santa Barbara Mission.

• If you want a lovely stroll, go to the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens or the Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens. If you love orchids, the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate is a must-see attraction that draws orchid lovers from around the world.

• Find inner peace at Ganna Walska Lotusland

• The whole family can rent individual bikes to check out the many available bike trails or you can rent a fun, covered, four-person Surrey bike.

• If you love horses visit the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club or spend spring break horseback riding through the wilderness.

• Play Frisbee in the backyard of your Santa Barbara vacation rental home or in one of our many parks such as Alameda Park, Chase Palm Park (which has a Merry-Go-Round).

• Go camping.

• Day trips through the greater Southern California area (Oxnard, Ventura, Los Angeles, Hollywood, etc).

• Play tennis year round.

• Hike along the Santa Ynez Mountains or along the beach. No matter which Santa Barbara vacation rental home you choose for your family spring break vacation, you're not far from a hiking trail.

• If you've got skaters in your family, Skater's Point is Santa Barbara's rocking skateboard park.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Family Spring Break Vacation Tip #6 - That Big Blue Wet Ocean Thingy Can Be Fun: Your Santa Barbara vacation rental home is never far away from something the natives like to call the Pacific Ocean. While the rest of the country may still be shivering in the cold, your family spring break vacation is the perfect time to enjoy seaside fun such as:

• Santa Barbara has many of California's best beaches: Arroyo Burro Beach, Goleta Beach, East Beach, Leadbetter Beach. Butterfly Beach (a little hard to find) is where the locals go to have a great beach experience.

• Cruise Santa Barbara's beautiful waterfront on the Santa Barbara Water Taxi.

• Boat lovers can go to the Yacht Club, charter a boat or do some sport fishing.

• If you'd love to see what spring looks like under the sea, you can get supervised scuba diving and snorkeling lessons.

• Grab your wet suit and go surfing.

• Fishing is popular at the many lakes and ocean fishing is also available to give your family an unforgettable adventure.

• For those of you with older children looking for spring break adventure, Santa Barbara is great for kayaking where your kid can get up close with dolphins, sea lions and more.

• There is no better place on the coast for whale watching than the Santa Barbara Channel.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Family Spring Break Vacation Tip #7 - Don't Tell The Kids They're Learning: The deep dark secret of a Santa Barbara family spring break vacation is that you can turn off your brain, but you don't have to. There are plenty of cultural and educational opportunities you can enjoy on your family spring break vacation:

• Take the trolley tour, which will teach you the history of Santa Barbara in 90 fun-filled minutes.

• The Ty Warner Sea Center is a great place for hands-on science.

• Visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

• Santa Barbara's Zoological Gardens is one of the best small zoos in the country.

• For the museum minded, explore the Contemporary Arts Forum, El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, The Museum of Art, South Coast Railroad Museum, the UCSB Art Museum.

• For evening fun you have your choice of theaters playing comedies, musicals and dramas.

• In addition to Santa Barbara's thriving music scene you can listen to the symphony, chamber orchestra, choral society and more.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Family Spring Break Vacation Tip #8 - You Don't Have To Stay With The Kids The Whole Time: Finally, if you want to take a spring break from your own children, the concierge of your Santa Barbara vacation rental home can arrange to have your kids entertained by experienced (and vetted) professional babysitters. While your kids are having fun with one of the baby sitters, you can explore the other side of Santa Barbara, one of the most romantic destinations on the planet.

Your Santa Barbara family spring break vacation will be the highlights of your year, a cherished memory that will last a lifetime. Families fall in love with their Santa Barbara vacation rental home and keep coming back year after year, sometimes stretching into the third generation. That's the best kind of family spring break vacation, the one that keeps giving long after you leave.

For more information on high-end, fully-furnished vacation rentals in Santa Barbara - including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes - visit www.sbluxuryrentals.com or call 800-715-8766.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Best Kept Secrets: Top 7 Romantic Santa Barbara Getaway Tips

2010-01-28T16:15:00.000-08:00

Creating the ultimate Santa Barbara romantic getaway for half the price of a luxury hotel is easy with Santa Barbara vacation rentals. The challenge is planning a romantic Santa Barbara getaway for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, honeymoons or that special retreat you'll never forget. For that you'll need these romantic Santa Barbara insider secrets.

As fairy-tale destinations for lovers go, a romantic Santa Barbara getaway tops the list. From scenic Stearns Wharf and the beautiful Santa Barbara Mission to the tree-lined State Street shopping district and glorious sandy beaches, renowned wineries, spas and art galleries, a romantic Santa Barbara getaway is just what the doctor ordered. And Santa Barbara vacation rentals can help you create the special retreat for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, honeymoons or that dreamy romantic tryst you’ll remember for the rest of your lives.

Travel writers have waxed rhapsodic about many romantic Santa Barbara activities but instead of a simple list of romantic tourist attractions (I’ve included those at the end), these tips will help you create the ultimate romantic Santa Barbara getaway.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Romantic Santa Barbara Getaway Tip #1: How to compose your perfect Santa Barbara love symphony
Planning the ultimate romantic Santa Barbara getaway is easy. Romantic Santa Barbara offers a full orchestra of locales and activities at your disposal. All you have to do is compose the most romantic Santa Barbara getaway for your beloved. As with any great piece of music, the secret to a romantic Santa Barbara getaway is varying the pacing.
Mix slow leisurely beach walks (or art gallery walks, if you prefer) with high-energy activities like dancing. Start with lyrical passages like getting a massage at a local spa. Up the tempo with an invigorating horseback ride. Build to a romantic crescendo with a candlelit dinner at a fine restaurant. Then segue over to a passionate evening of poetry reading (or whatever else comes to mind).

One of the best ways to pull off a memorable romantic Santa Barbara getaway is to get a Santa Barbara vacation rental home (like the Mykonos Villas pictured here). A musical masterpiece should be played in a venue worthy of it. But beyond a great showplace, picking the right Santa Barbara vacation rental home can inspire romantic activities based just on the location. A Santa Barbara vacation home gives you so much more opportunity to create great romantic moments than an anonymous hotel room.

Imagine your Santa Barbara vacation rental home just steps away from Shoreline Park and the sand, with easy access to Ledbetter Beach. When you stay at a Santa Barbara vacation rental you can enjoy a morning stroll through the park. There is also a children’s playground and seating areas for afternoon BBQs in the sun. Watch the surfers at the beach, take a walk through the harbor area, and enjoy the oceanfront atmosphere of beautiful downtown Santa Barbara.

The physical layout of a Santa Barbra vacation rental home is also important. For example, imagine the relaxing you can do on your own private rooftop patio with incredible views of Shoreline Park and the Pacific ocean in both directions. Each individual feature of a Santa Barbra vacation rental home is a piece of music waiting to happen.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Romantic Santa Barbara Getaway Tip #2: Set the stage for love
The best way to enjoy a romantic Santa Barbara getaway is to completely control your environment so that you can set the stage for love. Santa Barbara vacation rentals can help with this. A Santa Barbara vacation rental home costs half as much as a luxury hotel for more than twice the square footage, plus you have an outside oasis all your own.

With a romantic Santa Barbara vacation rental home, you can drop a trail of rose petals, light all the candles you want, even light a roaring fire in the fireplace. Almost every romantic Santa Barbara vacation rental home has a multimedia system to play any mood music you like.

One of the best ways to set the scene is to choose a romantic Santa Barbara vacation rental that fits your mood or style. If the sound of waves crashing on the shore causes insomnia, maybe you’d prefer a home on a beautiful tree lined street in Montecito. You’ll still be close enough to enjoy the beach, but you’ll also have easier access to shopping and fine dining. Instead of going out, maybe you’d like to cook on a gas BBQ grill and relax with your honey in a hammock.

Santa Barbara vacation rentals offer concierge service to help you set the scene according to your specifications before you arrive. The dedicated Santa Barbara vacation rental concierge staff will have your favorite wines, food and flowers ready for you and will even arrange for your personally selected mood music to be playing when you arrive. This perfect "Wow!" moment is priceless. Prepare to pick your beloved's jaw up off the floor.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Romantic Santa Barbara Getaway Tip #3: Rule your personal love nest. With a Santa Barbara vacation rental home, you won't have to worry about hotel conventioneers making lots of noise or crowding out all your romantic moments. You control the environment. Instead of a noisy hotel, imagine your own private villa with outside decks (like the Santa Barbara Oceanview pictured here) , including a "living roof" terrace, a fireplace, a fountain and 360-degree views of the ocean, mountains, Santa Barbara Harbor, Mission and Riviera. It is like having all of the beauty and amenities of a luxury hotel, but all the privacy of a private home.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Romantic Santa Barbara Getaway Tip #4: Enjoy Santa Barbara's top flight hotel amenities at half the cost.
The San Ysidro Ranch has often been called Santa Barbara's most romantic hotel. Take your significant other to the Ranch to walk the grounds and eat at their delicious and headily romantic Stonehouse restaurant. You can enjoy the ambiance of the hotel, but enjoy a beautiful nearby Santa Barbara vacation rental home for half the price.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Romantic Santa Barbara Getaway Tip #5: Have the best of Santa Barbara come to you
Once you arrive at a Santa Barbara vacation rental home for your romantic Santa Barbara getaway, you don't have to leave it. You can have the best of romantic Santa Barbara come to you. Many of Santa Barbara's finest restaurants will cater your romantic dinner in your very own Santa Barbara vacation rental home. Santa Barbara vacation rentals also offer in-home massage and spa treatment services.

Let a Santa Barbara vacation rentals concierge team arrange to bring the very best of Santa Barbara to your door. Although Santa Barbara has a lot of outside activities to enjoy, sometimes it is the inside activities that visitors remember best from a romantic Santa Barbara getaway.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Romantic Santa Barbara Getaway Tip #6: The way to a lover's heart is through the stomach
If your honey is a foodie, you don't have to book a worldwide cruise. Santa Barbara has cuisine from all over the world. You can sample an English breakfast, then an Asian lunch and finally a seven-course French dinner. While some of the area's finer restaurants (such as the Four Seasons Biltmore) may require reservations well in advance for your romantic Santa Barbara dinner, you can often get an equally romantic lunch reservation the same day.

To make sure your gourmet trek is flawless, engage the Santa Barbara vacation rentals concierge to make all the arrangements. Not only will the concierge know all the best places, but they might be able to get you a deal or an elusive reservation at the impossible-to-get-into restaurant your beloved would love to try.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals' Romantic Santa Barbara Getaway Tip #7: Surprise is on your side.
One of my favorite romantic Santa Barbara getaway stories is about a husband who secretly booked a Santa Barbara vacation rental home as a surprise for his wife. The husband asked one of her friends who lived in Santa Barbara take her out to lunch, while he secretly checked into the romantic Santa Barbara vacation rental home. After lunch the friend followed the husband’s instructions and asked the wife to look at a Santa Barbara vacation rental home the friend said she was interested in buying. When they walked in to inspect the property, her husband was there and announced to his shocked wife that he was surprising her with a romantic vacation.

Don't feel you have to cram every activity into one romantic Santa Barbara getaway. There's one thing better than your first romantic Santa Barbara getaway, and that’s returning to your Santa Barbara vacation rental home for your second romantic Santa Barbara getaway.

Helpful links for romantic Santa Barbara getaways:

Santa Barbara's Top 10 Places To Swoon Over: http://www.lovetripper.com/issues/issue-44/santa-barbara-top-10.html

Amour Along the American Riviera: http://www.lovetripper.com/issues/issue-44/santa-barbara-romantics.html
Santa Barbara Romantic Attractions and Things To Do for Couples: http://attractions.uptake.com/california/santa_barbara/romantic/182341388.html
101 Free Things To Do In Santa Barbara: http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/101-free-things-to-d-351/
Santa Barbara Nude Beaches: http://gocalifornia.about.com/cs/clothingoptional/l/bl_nb_ctysb.htm
Fun Things For Couples To Do In Santa Barbara: http://www.essortment.com/travel/funthingscoupl_tuil.htm
Santa Barbara Romantic Things to Do: http://www.eromance.com/travel/things-to-do-in-santa-barbara.html

For more information on high-end, fully-furnished vacation rentals in Santa Barbara - including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes - visit www.sbluxuryrentals.com or call 800-715-8766.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Help You Plan an Affordable Romantic Getaway

2010-01-19T11:41:00.000-08:00

This year, create the ultimate Santa Barbara romantic getaway for half the price of a luxury hotel with insider Santa Barbara vacation rentals tips for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, honeymoons and other unforgettable romantic getaways!

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, couples planning a romantic getaway on a budget don’t have to compromise on comfort, privacy or amenities when booking accommodations for their unforgettable retreat. Romance doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg: just check out the Mykonos Villa (pictured above).

Santa Barbara vacation rentals can cost half as much as a luxury hotel for more than twice the square footage, plus you can also enjoy an outside oasis all your own. It’s the perfect solution for anyone looking for romance on a budget because you can still enjoy a full range of hotel amenities including having the Santa Barbara vacation rentals concierge team assist in planning your Santa Barbara romantic getaway. Stay at our SB Oceanview house and breathe in the fresh sea air while knowing that our concierge team is ready to tend to your every need.

We also offer concierge service to help you set the scene for romance according to your specifications, including having your favorite wines, food and flowers ready for you and arranging to bring the very best of Santa Barbara to your door.

Additionally, insider tips can also help couples enjoy top-flight hotel amenities at a fraction of the cost. Santa Barbara vacation rental guests often enjoy taking in the ambiance at the San Ysidro Ranch, which has been called Santa Barbara's most romantic hotel, by walking the grounds or dining at their romantic Stonehouse restaurant. And then they go home to their very own beautiful, private nearby Santa Barbara vacation rental home for half the price of a hotel room.

Ultimately, it’s like having all of the beauty and amenities of a luxury hotel, but all the privacy of a private home for your most romantic day of the year. We understand how priceless these special memories are to our guests and can help you create a special retreat for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, honeymoons or that dreamy romantic getaway you’ll remember for the rest of your lives.

Visit www.sbluxuryrentals.com to view our high-end, fully-furnished vacation rentals in Santa Barbara - including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes - or call 800-715-8766. We'd be delighted to assist you!

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Best Kept Secrets: 10 Reasons To Choose a Vacation Home Over Pricey Santa Barbara Hotel Rooms

2009-12-28T15:54:00.000-08:00

I've blogged before about how you can rent a luxury Santa Barbara vacation rental property at a fraction of the cost of a ho tel - which makes it possible to travel with more friends and family – as well as travel more frequently!

I've compiled our Top 10 reasons why renting a Santa Barbara vacation home (like the Anacapa Penthouse pictured here) makes sense for travelers looking for comfort, convenience and value.

Whether your Santa Barbara vacation home is just for two, or an entire wedding party, a Santa Barbara vacation rental is such an outstanding value that it changes the very economics of travel.

1) With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, you get six times more space for the same cost
On square footage alone, you get on average six times more bang for your buck with a Santa Barbara vacation home than a single room in a high-end Santa Barbara hotel. For value, there is no contest.

2) With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, character is destiny
We've all been in generic, forgettable small hotel rooms. Santa Barbara vacation rentals are your vacation home. Each villa has a unique view and a character all its own. How many hotel rooms have private fireplaces, oceanside decks or mountain view lawns? These Santa Barbara vacation homes are finely decorated in a way that will inspire memories.

3) With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, there are no crowds
In your Santa Barbara vacation r ental you won't ever have to wait in line for parking, the check-in line in the lobby or all the other places you can get crushed by a thousand fellow hotel guests. With Santa Barbara vacation rentals, you don’t have to deal with crowds at every turn.

4) With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, privacy is paramount
If you want to have a romantic rendezvous, you are free from prying eyes. Likewise, if you are arranging a business deal that requires discretion, a Santa Barbara vacation rental is a much more controllable environment.

5) With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, there is no waiting for fine dining
Every home has a fully equipped kitchen so you'll never have to wait in line behind a velvet rope. Whether you want to prepare a bowl of cereal, a romantic dinner for two or prepare for a full dinner party, a Santa Barbara vacation rental has an open kitchen that lets you show off your culinary artistry. (There is also catering available.)

6) With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, you can entertain in style without fussing in your own home
You want to entertain in style but your house isn't up to the challenge without an 18-person cleaning crew? A Santa Barbara vacation rental gives you a picture perfect palace that your guests will always remember.

7) With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, there is room for your entire party
When far-flung friends or family members meet at a hotel, they can get lost in the throng. If you stay at a Santa Barbara vacation rental, you'll have all the benefits of home without the headaches. You can spend time together swapping stories, sitting together reading or running around on the lawn playing games. You own the place. Do whatever you want in your Santa Barbara vacation rental home.

8) With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, your schedule is your own
Want to have a three-hour meal? Want to use the exercise equipment without waiting? Want to dip into the private hot tub at 3 a.m.? You decide. With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, the place and the timing of every detail are all yours.

9) With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, you have a safe, kid-friendly home that's free from twitchy business travelers
If you travel with children, you are tired of constantly apologizing to or keeping a wary eye on other hotel guests. You can never truly relax. In a Santa Barbara vacation rental, your kids can do what they want and you can breathe easy.

10) With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, you can be as noisy or noise-free as you want
Even the finest hotels can have paper-thin walls. You often hear everything the other guests are doing and vice vera, they hear you. With a Santa Barbara vacation rental, you can watch the big game on a large flat panel TV, and cheer your team on to victory. You can sing Karaoke at the top of your lungs. You can play touch football in the yard and no one will complain.

So after saving lots of money with your Santa Barbara vacation rental, not only can you travel to more new places but you can also enjoy the best kind of vacation. And you will always look forward to a return trip to your very own Santa Barbara vacation home.

Visit www.sbluxuryrentals.com to view our high-end, fully-furnished vacation rentals in Santa Barbara - including private beach houses, California holiday villas, and large luxurious vacation homes - or call 800-715-8766. We'd be delighted to assist you!

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Offer Off-Season Discounts for Travelers in Search of Winter Sun

2009-12-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

While the holiday season can be an expensive time to travel, it’s also one of the best times to take advantage of off-season deals, especially since winter can be a slow season for vacation-home rentals.

However, when taking advantage of winter travel discounts, its important to keep in mind that many destinations have slow periods due to inclement weather or other unfavorable conditions that preclude visitors from enjoying the destination’s top attractions or activities.

The most common reason for off-season deals is unfavorable weather conditions. However Santa Barbara offers a comfortable and temperate climate year round so you can still enjoy all the seaside city has to offer while paying less for your wintertime getaway when you stay in vacation rentals in Santa Barbara.

Even popular travel destinations like Santa Barbara experience an ebb and flow of visitors with the seasons. We recommends calling our Santa Barbara vacation rentals company directly to find out about off-season deals that can help significantly slash vacation costs.

Santa Barbara vacation rentals offer a great way to enjoy the winter sun on a budget. At the 5-bedroom Vista Riviera (pictured here), guests can take in views of the ocean and city and enjoy soaking in the private pool or relaxing in the sauna. They can also take advantage of all the amenities of a luxury hotel including pre-arrival grocery, in-room spa treatments, and other concierge services.

If you have a few extra days off from work, you’d be surprised at the last-minute travel deals you can get on airfare and accommodations during the holidays. Combine that with off-season discounts on luxury vacation homes in Santa Barbara and you’ll find that it’s actually possible to getaway and soak up the sun for less!

Visit our website to view our properties www.sbluxuryrentals.com or give us a call at 800-715-8766. We'd be delighted to assist you.

Featured New Santa Barbara Vacation Rental: Riviera Oceanview Retreat

2009-12-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Santa Barbara Luxury Rentals is proud to introduce our newest Vacation Home in Santa Barbara. The Riviera Oceanview Retreat is a gorgeous 5 bedroom home in the hillside Riviera neighborhood that overlooks the city and harbor. This spectacular, one of a kind property allows guests an experience of Santa Barbara living at its finest. Newly remodeled and restored to the original design of architect and artist Joseph Plunkett, with all the modern upgrades and amenities that one would expect in a luxury home, this incredible home embodies the best of both worlds. Beauty and charm, comfort and quality, with the best ocean views that Santa Barbara has to offer.

Offering 4600 square feet of living space on two levels, the main house is artfully designed and decorated, with no expense spared. The lower level boasts walnut hardwood floors and original Spanish tile. Upon entry to the house the great room (pictured left) opens up to a lovely seating area, complete with a 40 inch plasma television above the wood burning fireplace and a breakfast nook that seats six. The adjoining kitchen is a chef’s dream come true, with a 60 inch Wolf range, Sub Zero fridge and state of the art appliances. Featuring custom cabinetry and Italian marble counter tops, the fully stocked gourmet kitchen will beautifully accent every meal. The adjacent formal dining room seats up to 10 people comfortably. The family room features a lovely seating area and is adjacent to the media room/library (pictured right), which features a 50 inch plasma television and wood burning fireplace.

Three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms comprise the upper level, which features designer carpeting and views from every bedroom. The master suite offers a king size bed and a private balcony to enjoy a glass of wine or morning cup of coffee. Leading into the master suite is a private sitting room (pictured below) with a 40 inch plasma, cozy sofa and large desk. The master bath features marble tiles, radiant heating, a large tub and dual sinks. Two additional guest bedrooms feature queen size beds.

The separate guest house offers one bedroom that looks out to the courtyard fountain, and a private sitting room overlooking the pool. Complete with a bathroom and wet bar these accommodations will create a memorable experience for every guest. A beautiful terrace sits between the main house and the guest house, featuring an outdoor dining table and comfortable seating area with an outdoor fireplace. The swimming pool (pictured below) has a nearby pool house with a conveniently located half bathroom for swimmers.Nestled in the hillside neighborhood of the Riviera, the unobstructed views of the ocean and harbor are unparalleled. Nearly every room in this gorgeous home offers fantastic views…you’ll find yourself anticipating your return to this incredible Santa Barbara Vacation Rental every time you leave. With the gorgeous grounds, fantastic furnishings and the inviting pool and spa, you might just spend your entire vacation at the Riviera Oceanview Retreat and still feel like you did not miss a thing! Come experience the Santa Barbara lifestyle for yourself in this beautifully appointed vacation home.

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals Offer Stress-Free Christmas and Holiday Getaways to California

2009-11-20T19:04:00.000-08:00

This holiday season, snowbirds, families, and vacationers alike are headed south to enjoy affordable and luxurious accommodations in Santa Barbara vacation rentals.

For a growing number of travelers, going home for the holidays means celebrating with loved ones at a sunny and exotic home away from home. While snowbirds have always enjoyed heading south for the winter, more travelers than ever choosing to get away and enjoy sun-filled beach vacations during the holiday season.

Santa Barbara vacation rentals makes it easy to vacation with the entire family during the holidays. Our spacious holiday villas (like the Ocean Oasis pictured below) and private beach properties can house several generations of family members comfortably under one roof at an affordable price. Plus you can enjoy hotel amenities including pre-arrival grocery, in-room spa treatments, and other concierge services that can help you take advantage of all Santa Barbara has to offer.

When spending the holidays away from home, our guests often pack decorations or a few special items to help bring their family traditions and rituals with them. Many of our clients also start new traditions by planning on returning to Santa Barbara every year for truly relaxing getaways that allow them to leave all their stresses behind.

Santa Barbara vacation rentals can also alleviate any burden on relatives who need to house out of town guests during the holidays. Whether you are escaping the cold, taking a much-needed break or visiting relatives in town, Santa Barbara vacation homes offer a great opportunity to relax in comfort and luxury while celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, or the New Year.

Enjoying a beach vacation lets you soak up the sun and take in ocean breezes in the middle of the winter. Sharing that experience with your loved ones can be priceless – and that’s certainly something to be thankful for this holiday season.

Visit our website to view our properties www.sbluxuryrentals.com or give us a call at 800-715-8766. We'd be delighted to assist you.