People were walking, jogging, biking and relaxing along Channel Drive and on Butterfly Beach on Saturday, but all was quiet and empty at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore in Santa Barbara.
The iconic hotel that sits across the street from the beach shut its doors on Saturday and plans to remain closed through April 15 over concerns about the spreading coronavirus/COVID-19.
On Monday, the Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito announced on its website that it was temporarily halting operations.
“We have made this decision in a community effort to contain the spread of COVID-19,” said the hotel. “We thank you for your patience and understanding during this period of global concern, as we continue to follow local and international protocols for the safety of our guests, associates and community at large. We send our thoughts of well-being to you and your families and look forward to welcoming you back to Rosewood Miramar Beach as soon as possible.”
Questions over reservations booked during the closure period can be answered by calling 1 888-767-3966.
Meanwhile, other hotels and motels in the community were operating and planning to remain open, albeit with limited amenities and low occupancy.
Fencing posted with “No Trespassing” signs blocked the main driveway and walkways into The Biltmore.
On Twitter, the hotel posted the following message: “Out of an abundance of caution in light of the evolving COVID-19 situation, #FSSantaBarbara will be closed until April 15, 2020. We may be closing our doors for a short while, but our hearts remain open to you, our valued community. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.”
The hotel’s website said that new reservations would not be taken until April 15 and that any questions related to upcoming reservations can be a directed to the hotel directly at 805.969.2261 or 800.819.5053.
At The Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Goleta, Amanda Moran, front office supervisor, said: “We are still open and accepting reservations. However, we are very limited in our amenities. Our spa is closed, fitness center and all the restaurants are closed. We have one dining outlet that is serving to-go orders right now.”
Moran noted that the hotel is not offering any special room rates, but resort fees have been subtracted from the bill.
Before the pandemic hit, the hotel staff was looking forward to the spring.
“We had big plans for this quarter,” she said. As of now, “we’re taking it day by day, but we are open.”
The front office representative at the Santa Barbara Hilton on Cabrillo Boulevard said Saturday that the hotel had guests in house and planned to remain open.
“As far as I know, we are set to stay open, absolutely,” said the representative, who didn’t want to give his name because he’s not authorized to speak for the hotel.
As for amenities, the pool is open and there is a coffee bar, Java del Mar, that offers take-out food such as sandwiches and pizza. The spa and salon are closed and there is no room service. Rental bikes are available for hotel guests.
“They are wiped down thoroughly after everyone rides them. They are always sanitized,” the representative said.
He noted that the hotel has taken a hit with cancellations for big events such as weddings.
Alex Garcia, the front desk representative at the Hilton Garden Inn in Goleta, said the hotel is planning to stay open, but it won’t be offering breakfast or dinner. He said there were guests staying this weekend but that the occupancy wasn’t close to capacity.
“We normally would be full,” he said.
The Santa Barbara Inn was open for guests, front desk representative Cathy Espiritu said.
The occupancy rate for Saturday night during the coronavirus pandemic was 10 percent. On a normal weekend in the early spring, it would be 60 percent to 70 percent, according to Espiritu.
The hotel’s in-house restaurant, Convivo, was operating under limited hours, from noon to 8 p.m., and was offering only take-out and room service. The pool and hot tub remained open.
After the recent stay-at-home order from Gov. Gavin Newsom, Espiritu said the hotel has received “a fair amount of cancellations, mostly just the upcoming two weeks.” She added that the hotel has adjusted its room rates.
On the budget lodging side, at Motel 6 near East Beach, desk representative Makio Kubo said the motel was half full on Saturday and there were a few reservations for next week.
She noted that motel staff is taking precautions when cleaning rooms. After guests check out, the cleaning staff waits three days before entering the room.
Motel 6 advised on its website that “all guests are encouraged to bring their own personal sanitizers and health items, pending continued shortfalls of available supplies.
“At Motel 6 and Studio 6, the health and safety of our guests and team members remains our top priority at all times. We continue to monitor the rapidly changing global health environment, as well as all guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local health departments.”
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.