Highlights: Bacara Resort & Spa

•The Bacara Resort and Spa is in a gorgeous location on 78-beachfront acres in Santa Barbara, featuring casually sophisticated public and private spaces

•Concierge provides a wide range of services, from setting up a baby-sitting appointments to making travel arrangements for guests

•Miro, the main restaurant, serves Basque-Catalonian cuisine and a world-class wine selection

•High-tech business center and 25,000 square feet of meeting space caters to business travelers and corporate outings

•42,000-square-foot spa with 36 individual treatment rooms, well equipped fitness center, and delicious spa cuisine

•1,000-acre Ranch abutting the Los Padres National Forest offers guided hikes and picnicking spots

Amenities: Bacara Resort & Spa

• 360 rooms, 4 story. Pets accepted, some restrictions; fee. Check-in 4 pm, check-out Noon. Restaurant, bar. Children's activity center. Fitness room, spa. Three outdoor pools. , whirlpool. Golf. Tennis. Business center.

General Impressions: Bacara Resort & Spa

Bacara is the ultimate getaway for all types of travelers. Nestled on 78 acres of Santa Barbara coastline and bordered by the Santa Ynez Moutains, the setting is truly ideal for a relaxing vacation. Visitors to Bacara could delight in the views alone at this resort, but there are simply too many wonderful activities offered by the hotel other than gazing at the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean.

Naturally, the coastline creates the perfect playground for water sport enthusiasts. The 42,000-square-foot spa is certainly the resort’s centerpiece, with 36 treatment rooms and one of the most comprehensive treatment menus available. Tennis players will discover a terrific facility, pro shop, and lessons, while golfers are granted preferred tee times at two of the area’s courses. Three infinity-edge saltwater pools are ideal for exercise or relaxation. The 1,000-acre Ranch, part of the resort’s property, features expansive organic gardens that produce most of the fruit and vegetables served in the hotel’s restaurants. The resort features three restaurants and four lounges, serving a wide variety of cuisines.

Bacara is indeed a pleasure palace, though business travelers are far from turned away with a high-tech conference center and 25,500-square-feet of meeting space. Even little ones are invited to join in the fun at Bacara, where a children’s program entertains the smallest guests with arts and crafts, nature walks, and science experiments. It is rare that a resort can appeal to adults on romantic holidays or relaxing vacations, families with young children, and busy executives on business trips all at the same time, but Bacara manages to do so with style.

(+) Endless recreational opportunities and amenities for all types of guests

Guest Services: Bacara Resort & Spa

Bacara caters to a discerning clientele accustomed to higher-end amenities. Room service is available 24 hours a day, and the hotel maintains a collection of DVDs and CDs for enjoyment in the private rooms. Airline ticketing services are available and baby-sitting can be arranged through the concierge.

(+) Well-run hotel offers several helpful services to make guests feel well cared for

Guest Rooms: Bacara Resort & Spa

Bacara has 311 guest rooms and 49 suites spread throughout the lush grounds, consisting of one-, three-, or four-story Mediterranean-style villas. The décor of the rooms combines a refined British-Colonial elegance with laid-back California comfort. The ambience is fresh and modern, featuring crisp white and striking navy blue set against a backdrop of mahogany furnishings. The rooms and suites have rustic Spanish tile floors and beamed ceilings, adding a pastoral feel to the casually sophisticated accommodations.

Balconies are an added bonus in all rooms, and roughly half the rooms have gas or wood-burning fireplaces. Views look out over the gardens, village, pool, or ocean. From Frette bed linens and towels to Sony televisions and state-of-the-art entertainment systems, creature comforts are standard in all rooms. The bathrooms are luxuriously modern and attractive, with chrome fixtures, oversized bathtubs, and abundant gleaming marble.

(+) Casually sophisticated rooms stocked with creature comforts and high-tech amenities

Facilities & Activities: Bacara Resort & Spa

Bacara is the ultimate playground. Whether your idea of a vacation is reading a book by a shimmering pool or outdoor activities, this resort can cater to any traveler. Sun worshipers have their choice of locales, with three infinity-edge saltwater pools or two miles of golden beach. Water sports fanatics can kayak, snorkel, surf, sail, or even enjoy whale-watching excursions. Bacara guests are afforded privileged tee times at two of the area’s outstanding golf courses. Sandpiper, adjacent to the resort, is considered one of the top public courses in the country. For golf with mountain views, Glen Annie delights players of all levels. Back at the resort, tennis players can rally on four lighted courts, and rental equipment and lessons are also available.

Children staying at Bacara will find plenty to keep them entertained. While the spa is only available to older teens, the resort keeps little ones smiling with its Kid’s Club programs. The full-day program, designed for kids 5-12, alternates between indoor and outdoor activities. Guided hikes, kite flying, and treasure hunts are among the outdoor activities, while indoors, kids can enjoy puppet shows, face painting, and movie-making. There’s even a club pet, Sophie the chinchilla, for kids to pet and nurture.

Guided hikes, part of the fitness center’s daily programming, are available in three levels at the Ranch, the 1,000-acre property just minutes from the main resort. The Weirs hike is best for beginners, and starts at the Ranch and weaves its way through avocado and lemon groves. The Avocado Ranch Road is an intermediate-level hike with marvelous Pacific Ocean views, while the expert-level Condor Peak hike on loose and rocky terrain rewards with even better ocean views. The Ranch’s lovely gardens and grounds are also ideal for meditation or picnics.

Bacara’s fitness center offers a wealth of knowledge through its personal trainers and fitness instructors. Everything from yoga and Pilates to group meditation and tai chi are available here. Serious athletes will want to test their skills with the Bacara Triathlon, involving running, swimming, and biking. The Pacific Beach Challenge revs up the heart with running, circuit training, and abdominal work, all done on the beach.

The 42,000-square-foot spa captures the essence of the spa lifestyle in its soothing interiors, state-of-the-art facilities, and diverse treatment menu. Many of the treatments, such as the citrus avocado body polish, use regional and local ingredients. Therapies from the Far East inspire much of the menu, and a large section is devoted to Ayurvedic treatments. Other Asian-inspired treatments include Thai massage, Reiki, and reflexology. Salon services are also available through the spa.

(+) State-of-the-art spa plus limitless opportunities for active and restful pursuits

Dining & Lounge: Bacara Resort & Spa

Bacara’s three restaurants and four bars and lounges offer distinctive settings and gourmet food. Miró, named for the renowned Spanish artist, is the resort’s most refined restaurant. A rustic beamed ceiling, tailored leather seating, and geometric-patterned carpet combine to create a restrained, yet dazzling, décor. The striking views of the Pacific Ocean are the signature of this restaurant, which features Spanish cuisine from the Basque and Catalonia regions. In addition to inspired cuisine, Miró pleases wine lovers with its 12,000-bottle cellar. Like the resort’s other venues, this kitchen uses herbs and vegetables grown in the garden at Bacara’s Ranch.

Indoor and outdoor dining with marvelous ocean views are also available at The Bistro. This casually elegant restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dishes such as lemon-oregano-crusted rack of lamb and grilled wild King salmon are among the selections on this flavorful Mediterranean-influenced menu. Adjacent to the pool, the Spa Café puts taste back into healthy cuisine. Guests watching their waistlines and their health will appreciate the finely tuned, low-fat creations.

(+) Bacara’s mix of gourmet and delicious health-conscious cuisine is remarkable

Business Services: Bacara Resort & Spa

A grand resort with 78 beachfront acres, three pools, a spa, tennis, and nearby golf may not initially be considered the best destination for business travelers, but Bacara handles executives with care and consideration. The resort is more often chosen as a destination for corporate meetings and groups, but those with business in the Santa Barbara area will certainly feel comfortable with the resort’s in-room amenities, business center, and helpful staff.

Bacara caters to groups with 25,500 square feet of meeting space. The resort also boasts a 211-seat screening room, as well as a high-tech conference center. Companies who want to mix business with pleasure will find plenty of accommodations at Bacara.

(+) Fantastic facilities for corporate groups or meetings
(-) Not a natural choice for solo business travelers because of its vacation atmosphere, though it does handle them well