With its December 17th
opening, Santa Barbara’s Hotel Andalucia makes its mark on the downtown
skyline as the city’s tallest hotel. At five stories (60 feet), which
conforms to city building codes specifying the heights and styles of
downtown buildings, the 97-room Hotel Andalucia opens as the first
full-service luxury hotel and conference center in the historic city
center. A special $195 introductory rate (40 percent under rack rate) is
being offered, with restrictions, through February, to celebrate.Located on the corner of Chapala and Carrillo streets, the hotel features
a whitewashed facade and a red-tiled roof that is in keeping with the
Andalucian architectural style required of all newly constructed
buildings. The interior, turned out in characteristic Spanish Hacienda
fashion, houses 31 West, an 80-seat restaurant with a 40-seat bar; the Ro
Snell Gallery with works by many nationally recognized Santa Barbara
artists; and five distinctive meeting and event spaces including an
extensive outdoor, rooftop terrace with some of the city’s best views of
the Pacific coast, Channel Islands and Santa Ynez mountains. Here, guests
can enjoy the outdoor mission- style fireplace, rooftop jacuzzi and pool.

Developers Richard Sanders of Sanders Investments and John Tynan of the
Tynan Group secured investors and poured $32 million into the new hotel,
commissioning Cearnal Architects and J.G. Johnson Associates to design the
space. Los Angeles based interior designer Isabel Griswold was responsible
for the interior design.

To direct hotel operations, the developers brought in the Edward Thomas
Companies, a management company that operates the landmark Hotel Casa del
Mar and Shutters on the Beach properties in Santa Monica.

31 West, the hotel’s restaurant and bar, is under the direction of
Executive Chef Michael Reardon, who comes from Tra Vigne in the Napa
Valley. The menu will focus on casually elegant, American cuisine,
featuring a bounty of local Santa Barbara products. The restaurant will be
open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
——-