The renovated Belmond El Encanto has once again become a go-to spa-weekend getaway for chic Angelenos. The lobby and wine room got a facelift; original artworks by Damien Hirst and other A-listers were added; a saline pool—always kept at a balmy 86°—was installed; and a new spa with massage rooms, a nail studio, and hair salon was built. The 7-acre,1918 property has a revamped restaurant to match, giving local Santa Barbarans plenty of reasons to visit too. The eatery’s menu focuses on local seafood, farm-to-table produce, herbs grown in an on-site garden, and cheese made from the milk of Ellie, the resort’s cow. Opt for a white umbrella–shaded table on the terrace: You can see the Pacific below and the Santa Ynez Mountains above, and listen to the bells of the Old Mission Santa Barbara, less than a mile down the hill.
The renovated Belmond El Encanto has once again become a go-to spa-weekend getaway for chic Angelenos. The lobby and wine room got a facelift; original artworks by Damien Hirst and other A-listers were added; a saline pool—always kept at a balmy 86°—was installed; and a new spa with massage rooms, a nail studio, and hair salon was built. The 7-acre,1918 property has a revamped restaurant to match, giving local Santa Barbarans plenty of reasons to visit too. The eatery’s menu focuses on local seafood, farm-to-table produce, herbs grown in an on-site garden, and cheese made from the milk of Ellie, the resort’s cow. Opt for a white umbrella–shaded table on the terrace: You can see the Pacific below and the Santa Ynez Mountains above, and listen to the bells of the Old Mission Santa Barbara, less than a mile down the hill.
