Mediterranean Vibes
The hotel is located on the edge of the Funk Zone.
Written by Caitlin White
Photographs by Iingrid Bostrom
Sun-drenched patios with coffee-colored wicker furniture are one of the defining features of the RIVIERA BEACH HOUSE, a new 41-room hotel on State Street that is tucked inside a 1928 building. A remodel has restored the property, which was previously Hotel Indigo, to its former splendor. Less than two blocks from the beach, it’s also close to the trendy Funk Zone.
As the name suggests, this guesthouse leans on the aspects of Santa Barbara that earned the town its American Riviera nickname, notably the sunny, temperate climate of southern Europe and the Mediterranean. The remodel, led by the owners of the landmark Culver Hotel in Los Angeles, includes a chic lobby with white-painted brick walls, marble coffee tables, and oversize cushions for lounging.
The second floor also houses a mini art gallery, part of an ongoing partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara. The hotel serves as a satellite location for the museum and will showcase two exhibitions per year. Sustainable touches like filtered-water stations on every floor (instead of plastic bottles in the room) give it a contemporary vibe. But the architecture and attentive, hands-on hospitality from the staff give the place an old-world feel.
In this European-style boutique, the rooms are cozy. But they’re done to the nines with large open-air terraces for all guests on the second floor and private outdoor spaces with garden views on the ground floor. Retro rotary phones, custom 300-thread-count linens, and “wet” bathrooms with collapsible glass shower doors and adjustable 8-foot shower heads keep things luxe even in tight quarters. 121 State St., Santa Barbara, rivierabeachhouse.com
