Santa Barbara Biltmore

The Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara is a luxury resort hotel located in Santa Barbara, California known for its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and gardens. It opened in 1927 as the Santa Barbara Biltmore, part of the Bowman-Biltmore Hotels chain. The hotel closed in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara
General information
LocationSanta Barbara, California
Address1260 Channel Drive
Coordinates34.41696°N 119.64196°W / 34.41696; -119.64196
Opening1927
OwnerTy Warner
ManagementFour Seasons Hotels
Design and construction
Architect(s)Reginald Davis Johnson
Other information
Number of rooms206
Website
Official website

History

The Santa Barbara Biltmore was designed by architect Reginald Johnson and landscape architect Ralph Stevens in 1926-1927.[1] Their design of the hotel and outdoor garden rooms synthesizes Mediterranean Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival and Moorish Revival styles of architecture. The $1,500,000 construction cost was funded by the Bowman-Biltmore Hotels Corporation of New York City, with a 5 March 1927 groundbreaking.[2]

Allied Properties of San Francisco bought the Biltmore in 1936. They sold the property in 1976 to Marriott for $5.25 million and the hotel was renamed Marriott's Santa Barbara Biltmore. Marriott sold the hotel to Four Seasons Hotels in 1987 for $55 million[3] and it was renamed the Four Seasons Resort Santa Barbara. In 2000, billionaire Beanie Babies creator Ty Warner purchased the hotel[4] for $150 million,[5] while retaining Four Seasons as the management company. He restored the hotel at a cost of $240 million and brought back the historic 'Biltmore' name soon after, renaming the hotel the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara. Since its 1927 opening, the hotel has been known popularly simply as 'The Biltmore.'[6] The hotel closed in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] The hotel has remained closed, due to a dispute between Warner and the Four Seasons chain.[8] In August 2023, it was reported that Warner and the company were nearing an agreement, and the hotel might reopen in late 2024.[9]

References
  1. Gebhard, David. Santa Barbara Architecture, from Spanish Colonial to Modern. Capra Press. Santa Barbara. 1980. (later editions avail.)
  2. Google Timeline—Santa Barbara Biltmore history. access date: 5/8/2010.
  3. RYON, RUTH (March 15, 1987). "Santa Barbara Biltmore to Close Escrow". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  4. "Beanie Babies' Warner Buys Santa Barbara Four Seasons". Los Angeles Times. May 24, 2000.
  5. "Spilling the Beans on Ty Warner's Toys and Troubles". March 26, 2015.
  6. The Los Angeles Times - Hotel Review "All dolled up -- but no stunner: The Beanie Babies creator's $240-million makeover raises the luxury factor, but some of the changes miss the mark." By Valli Herman, May 27, 2007.
  7. Pridgen, Andrew (February 11, 2023). "The Beanie Babies billionaire is holding a Calif. hotel 'hostage'". SFGATE. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  8. https://nypost.com/2022/10/02/nycs-four-seasons-hotel-in-standoff-with-beanie-babies-mogul/
  9. https://www.sitelinesb.com/ty-warner-and-four-seasons-appear-to-have-a-deal/
  • : Dunn, Jerry Camarillo . "The Biltmore, Santa Barbara: A history". Pub: Santa Barbara Biltmore Associates. 1990. ISBN 978-0-917859-90-8.
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