Help us plan a girlfriends week-end in and around Santa Barbara
 

We're four friends--of an age. Not sweet young things, but nice and interesting/interested ladies who are looking to get out of of the LA area for just a little time out. We'll leave our homes early morning on Saturday, December 3, and will arrive in Santa Barbara by 10 or so.
Our budget--about $250 each for the weekend which will be comprised of our day of arrival (Saturday), our activities on Saturday, our hotel, and our activities for Sunday until we start for home around 4:00 or 5:00.
We're hoping to find a hotel for $150 or under a night--we would need two rooms, each with 2 beds--and this could prove a challenge because Santa Barbara hotels, I'm finding, are sky high.
Any suggestions? We need clean. And we don't want a dog. We might try priceline, but they can never guarantee 2 beds in the room rather than one king.. I have never had a problem getting 2 beds in a priceline room, but you never know.
We would like to do some wine tasting and are not opposed to joining a few others on a tour--not our preference, but we're on a budget.
So.......any suggestions on a hotel in Santa Barbara or Goleta or even in Solvang. And any suggestions re a wine tour. Were we to do our own, one of us could be athe
designated driver, but is would be nice if all four of us could participate in the tastings.
Any suggestions regarding restaurants where we could get good sea food. Remember, though, that our budget is $250 each for Saturday afternoon, hotel Saturday night (2rooms/2 of us in each room), Sunday morning and afternoon--and then we'll start home.
Many thanks. Looking forward to your input.

There's a very nice Motel 6 50 meters from the beach we stayed at.Paul

Another Motel 6 in Goleta. http://www.motel6.com/reservations/m....aspx?num=0028
Sounds like a fun trip. Probably cheaper places just as nice as Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara Inn has rooms at $189 that night, nice spot across from East Beach but quite a walk to the wharf and the trolley to downtown, if you're up for walking it would be a good choice.
For more of a bargain, Coast Village Inn in Montecito Village has small rooms, 2 double beds for $129, no tubs just walk-in shower but rooms here were re-done earlier this year. Village restaurants and the beach are a short walk, this inn is across from the Four Seasons Biltmore and Charlie chaplin's Montecito Inn.
Your time is so short, I don't think I'd plan a drive up to Santa Ynez wine Country, there are some nice wine tasting rooms in Santa Barbara including Kalyra which just won favorite wine room contest. Nice relaxing setting just two blocks from the beach on State Street.

http://www.santabarbara.com/winecountry/

For seafood there's a great casual joint right on the Wharf, the SB Shellfish Company.

http://www.fishousesb.com/shellfish-co/

This place serves a terrific Warm Seafood Salad and a great Pasta with Shrimp, for a Saturday you'd need reservations
:
http://www.opalrestaurantandbar.com/...enu_dinner.pdf

I have been looking for hotels in Santa Barbara for February and none would accept just one night on a weekend except motels and the Orchid Inn. Not sure if December is the same....

Thank you all for your suggestions. I appreciate the time you took to get back to me.

When my sisters and I stayed in Santa Barbara for a girls' get-away, we found there are few hotels there which have two beds in a room. Most have just a single queen or a king bed.

We found the Fess Parker Doubletree Resort, which had two queen beds and an oceanview room for a very good price, but it would be too expensive for your budget, unless you decide to share one room (probably not). Anyway, it's worth a look. Very nice place right across from the beach and an easy walk to the pier. Bike rentals on site, plus free tennis courts, very nice pool/spa.

Thank you, PeaceOut. I did check out Fess Parker's, but it is a bit pricey for us. Two of the ladies are on tight budgets right now.
I have made a reservation, which can be cancelled w/o penalty up to 24 hours before check-in at the Sandman Inn. Trip Advisor reviews are generally positive. Two double beds @ $110 each room. They accept one night bookings. Still open to suggestions, however.
Once again, thank you all for your suggestions, restaurants included

Sandman Inn is out on Upper State Street, on a "motel row", not far from the mall. Ho hum to say the least. Coast village Inn is a better suggestion at nearly the same price. Though the rooms are small, the neighborhood is much nicer (you might run into Oprah or Rob Lowe)...and you have the beach a short walk away. Really not any further from Santa Barbara pier than the Sandman . Much better dining and walking options nearby. -www.coastvillageinn.com

I stayed at the Beach Home Inn between Amtrak station and the beach with my mother, in a mostly residential neighborhood. Our room had 2 beds w/ plenty of space, a walk-through closet area, and a decent kitchen (separate room, pretty well-stocked and they rustled up whatever extra cooking gear I asked for). Very pleasant, clean, comfortable. I got a better price for mid-week and also 20% off for traveling via Amtrak than you would get but if you could get two of these courtyard rooms, I think you could still stay within your budget. I don't know if there's a 2-night minimum. Enjoy your trip!

Solvang's Hadsten House Inn and Spa in Solvang, CA is a Luxury Santa Barbara Wine Country inn, centrally located in the Santa Ynez Valley. Bed and Breakfast Hotels in ...

www.hadstenhouse.com

deals on betterbidding.com from $80 or so for me in the past

they only book for 2 easyto skooch more in do it a lot.

Beats most Motel Sixes I know... Hyatt pretty nice in SB

www.otel.com good no bid site for this from $170/nt or so.

Happy Hunting!

Thank you to all of you who've taken the time to help us with our plans. We've taken your input to heart. Since this is an older thread, however, I will be starting a new one with questions about specific activities. Once again, many thanks.