Cheshire Cat Inn, Santa Barbara

The Cheshire Cat Inn features two stately Queen Anne Victorians, an elegant Coach House with two suites, three 2-bedroomed cottages and a Spa room offering full massages, all surrounded by lush flower-filled gardens and patios. The Inn is just one block from Santa Barbara’s main shopping street, which is full of attractive courtyards and alleys. The Old Mission is an easy 20-minute walk in one direction and the beach, a brisk 30 minutes in the other.

Each one of the sunny guest rooms and cottages is uniquely furnished and ranges from the elegant to the whimsical. Some are larger split-level junior suites with private balconies; others have in-room Jacuzzi tubs and fireplaces. Other amenities may include TV/VCRSDVD, ironing boards and refrigerators. The Victorian guest rooms have been decorated with Laura Ashley wallpapers and fabrics and English antiques, while the cottages have oak floors, oriental rugs, pine furniture and Eddie Bauer down comforters. All the rooms have private baths, WiFi and direct-dial telephones.

The Inn is situated just one block from Santa Barbara’s main shopping street, which is full of attractive restaurants, great shops and some interesting historical sights. The Santa Barbara Mission is an easy 20-minute walk in one direction and the beach and famous wharf a brisk 30 minutes in the other.

Rates include breakfast served and local wine and hors d’oeuvres every evening