Very disappointed by the condition of the property. It was in a bad state in desperate need of repair. You had to goto another hotel across the alley to check in and the neighborhood was scary; a lot of homeless and drug activities.
Owner came by while we were in parking lot that looked like burgeoning homeless camp. Shouldn't be listed on Orbitz.
This property is very convenient to the beach and the shopping/restaurant areas. The front desk staff was very nice and Nolin especially was very accommodating. BUT, the fact that there is no staff on site made for an extremely noisy few nights. Other guests were very loud and were having a party in the parking lot, complete with motorcycles blaring in and out after 1:00am. Also, the sheets and towels were quite old and very visibly worn out. We hung the sign on the door asking for a room freshening on our 3rd day, but nobody ever showed up. Sad.
The rooms in front have a lot of potential. Not recommended for families, lots of questionable people around. Even though it was beachfront it was not acceptable. However, the staff was amazing and upgraded us with no charge to a cottage which was more than accommodating. I hope the owners gives this place the attention it needs so the staff doesn’t have to be the middle man in accommodating unhappy customers. Seems like it was not their first rodeo and they were awesome.
I would never return to this place, motel 6 comper to this place is a 5 stars hotel
This is a small operation. Staff gone before we left for dinner. Breakfast was dismal. Coffee and a Danish in a wrapper. Of course our desk clerk recommended a place for breakfast as we checked in. Parking area is small and i had to park on the street. Beautiful view of the ocean and walking distance to the pier.
The owner was kind and conscientious about insuring a peacefully quiet environment. I really appreciated the surprise upgraded room! So lovely.
Nice view, really liked old school look building. Checkin was easy. Good place if you just need the night to stay while you're out enjoying the day. But there were issues with cleanliness and old, non-working appliances inside. The TV remote didn't work. No AC, just fans, some handtowels had bleach stains, pillows and blankets smelled dusty. There's also a lot of transient/homeless people staying in rooms too and they would make a lot of noise (arguing/music) at odd hours of the night. I didn't feel safe having my car parked in their lot since too many transients would just hang out and pass through there. But I guess that's how downtown and beachside places are, you get used to it.
Didn't know it was a motel untill we arrived there. The listing is pretty deceiving. No A/C in the rooms, the air was musky, couldn't sleep until figured out how to open windows and getting some fresh air in. There were people, just outside of our room, making loud noises and banging on something till 1-2am. If it wasn't the noise and the lack of A/C, it would have been an ok 1-night stay, but I will definitely not coming back there. I paid $250 for a night, probably the worst price/quality for a hotel I've gotten ever.
Great hotel right across the street from the beach. Can walk anywhere in downtown SB
The room was very nice, clean and pretty. But the building is falling down, the office person was rude. There were clearly people living there that had serious drug problems and disfunction. Loud banging on door downstairs until I called at 1 am. Too much money for this.
Great location! Nice room with a great bed and clean bathroom. I was surprised to see a nice clean jacuzzi in the room too.! Overall great value. Will look forward to staying again.
NICE CLOSE TO BEACH ROOM HAD NO AC THOW IT WAS HOT SINCE IT WAS UP STAIRS
While the location was awesome, the hotel was the worst I had ever stayed in. First of all, we booked a king bed and got two twins or fulls, perfect for my boyfriend and I’s romantic getaway. The door barely fit on the hinges and their locks were loose and made me nervous. There was no air or screens on the windows so it was insanely hot. There were also no clocks and no phone. The bathroom was dirty and a lot of the fixtures were broken. Worst of all, there was no hot water and, when my boyfriend called about it, the guy said just to turn it to the hot side. Brilliant, why didn’t I think of that. The shower was insanely dirty too. We spent almost $200 and it was the biggest waste of money ever!
Basically, it's an unrennovated 1960ish motel in a primo location. No ac, but you don't need it , except the smokers will be getting their fix right outside your open window. No closet or drawers, so live in your suitcase. And it's easy to have a nice conversation with your neighbors in the adjacent room, or listen in on their fun. Free parking is a big plus, and the staff if very helpful. Just don't expect the Ritz. Not recommended for a romantic weekend.
This hotel is directly across from Stearns Wharf and convenient to everything. It is a shame to waste such a great location and view with this property. It was foul and disgusting. The room reeked of smoke, there was no toilet paper or soap, let alone a hairdryer or working ceiling fan. There was an exposed hole in the wall with a tin shelf of some sort, and rusted towel racks with no towels. It would take very little effort or money to buy some inexpensive hardware and a little paint, along with some cheap carpet, and this property would actually be functional. The deck appeared to be unsafe, but merely had yellow caution tape across it. The owners obviously don't even care to try to complete even basic maintenance, which would make a world of difference. Would not recommend this to anyone.
Always have loved this property. Great location and convenient to everything 'Santa Barbara'. Classic surfside motel. This property has been in need of repair and upgrades for quite some time (disappointed the viewing deck was closed because of disrepair), but I feel this will go the way of 98% of all the kitchy California beach town motels, motor lodges and Inns....it will be razed for a $$$$$ property sooner rather than later.
Located in Santa Barbara Beach, Ala Mar by the Sea is a leisurely stroll from popular sights such as Stearns Wharf and Leadbetter Beach. This 18-room motel welcomes guests with free breakfast and conveniences like free in-room WiFi and free self parking.
Start your day off right with a free continental breakfast, served each morning from 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM.
All of Ala Mar by the Sea's 18 individually decorated rooms provide microwaves, refrigerators, and fans. Flat-screen TVs come with digital channels, and free WiFi keeps guests connected. Rooms also include free toiletries.
Guests staying at Ala Mar by the Sea enjoy free WiFi in public areas, a terrace, and an ATM. You can take advantage of free parking if you drive. The front desk is staffed 24/7 to help with tours or tickets, and answer any questions about the accommodations.
Very disappointed by the condition of the property. It was in a bad state in desperate need of repair. You had to goto another hotel across the alley to check in and the neighborhood was scary; a lot of homeless and drug activities.
Owner came by while we were in parking lot that looked like burgeoning homeless camp. Shouldn't be listed on Orbitz.
This property is very convenient to the beach and the shopping/restaurant areas. The front desk staff was very nice and Nolin especially was very accommodating. BUT, the fact that there is no staff on site made for an extremely noisy few nights. Other guests were very loud and were having a party in the parking lot, complete with motorcycles blaring in and out after 1:00am. Also, the sheets and towels were quite old and very visibly worn out. We hung the sign on the door asking for a room freshening on our 3rd day, but nobody ever showed up. Sad.
The rooms in front have a lot of potential. Not recommended for families, lots of questionable people around. Even though it was beachfront it was not acceptable. However, the staff was amazing and upgraded us with no charge to a cottage which was more than accommodating. I hope the owners gives this place the attention it needs so the staff doesn’t have to be the middle man in accommodating unhappy customers. Seems like it was not their first rodeo and they were awesome.
I would never return to this place, motel 6 comper to this place is a 5 stars hotel
This is a small operation. Staff gone before we left for dinner. Breakfast was dismal. Coffee and a Danish in a wrapper. Of course our desk clerk recommended a place for breakfast as we checked in. Parking area is small and i had to park on the street. Beautiful view of the ocean and walking distance to the pier.
The owner was kind and conscientious about insuring a peacefully quiet environment. I really appreciated the surprise upgraded room! So lovely.
Nice view, really liked old school look building. Checkin was easy. Good place if you just need the night to stay while you're out enjoying the day. But there were issues with cleanliness and old, non-working appliances inside. The TV remote didn't work. No AC, just fans, some handtowels had bleach stains, pillows and blankets smelled dusty. There's also a lot of transient/homeless people staying in rooms too and they would make a lot of noise (arguing/music) at odd hours of the night. I didn't feel safe having my car parked in their lot since too many transients would just hang out and pass through there. But I guess that's how downtown and beachside places are, you get used to it.
Didn't know it was a motel untill we arrived there. The listing is pretty deceiving. No A/C in the rooms, the air was musky, couldn't sleep until figured out how to open windows and getting some fresh air in. There were people, just outside of our room, making loud noises and banging on something till 1-2am. If it wasn't the noise and the lack of A/C, it would have been an ok 1-night stay, but I will definitely not coming back there. I paid $250 for a night, probably the worst price/quality for a hotel I've gotten ever.
