Santa Ynez has a handful of places to stay: book early. The Genevieve is the full-service pick, with The Victor and a spa. Polo House has 14 keys, with breakfast and an evening aperitif included. Chumash Casino Resort Hotel has the 21+ rooftop pool, and Hotel Ynez has its own adults-only pool. Full up? Try Los Olivos or Ballard.
The short version
- The full-hotel treatmentThe Genevieve
- Couples who like breakfast handledPolo House, breakfast and aperitif included
- Grown-ups chasing a pool sceneChumash Casino Resort Hotel
- Quiet over sceneThe Ballard Inn
This week
- FriNov 6NatureTrack Film Festival · Visit NatureTrack Foundation
8th annual; reception 6pm, program 6:45pm at the SYV Grange Hall · $25 · by NatureTrack Foundation
- Nov6–8Buellton Fall Festival · Visit Buellton
Avenue of the Flags; Fri 4-10pm, Sat-Sun 12-10pm; carnival rides, live music on two stages; Ales on the Avenue beer and wine tasting Sat (tickets) · Free · by City of Buellton
- SatNov 7SYV Historical Museum Vaquero Benefit Dinner & Auction · Visit Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum
42nd annual · Tickets (early bird from Aug 1) · by Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum
- SatNov 7Alma Rosa Fall Harvest Dinner · Visit Alma Rosa Winery
Winery event; check access on the listing · Not published · by Alma Rosa Winery
Map
Map loads here. Each listing also has a Directions link.
Scroll the list and the map follows.
The best hotels
- Full service in town: The Genevieve, with The Victor restaurant, a spa and nightly wine and dessert. Budget for its daily guest amenity fee ($40 to $42 plus tax), which covers breakfast, parking and a winery tasting passport [4]. Our Genevieve guide has the dog rules.
- Small and intimate: Polo House Hotel & Bungalows, 14 keys in the township, with bungalows on Sagunto Street [1].
- Resort, pool, spa, casino: Chumash Casino Resort Hotel; shows and the spa are in our Chumash Casino guide.
- Gardens and adults-only pool: Hotel Ynez.
-
In town, full-service, The Victor restaurant · Santa Ynez
The Genevieve
The full-service hotel on Sagunto Street, in the middle of Santa Ynez's old western township. The old santaynezinn.com address now points here, and the site says it's under the same ownership. Breakfast is made to order every morning, there's a complimentary wine hour and a dessert reception, and dinner is at The Victor, which cooks over a Josper charcoal oven. A daily guest amenity fee of $40 to $42 plus tax covers breakfast, dessert, parking and a winery tasting passport.
Go if you want a full-service hotel in the middle of Santa Ynez.
Go for A stroll into town
More details
- Complimentary wine 5:30–6:30pm; dessert 8–9pm
- Daily guest amenity fee, $40 to $42 plus tax
- Day spa with dry sauna; fire pits
- The Victor Restaurant and Bar on site
3627 Sagunto Street, Santa Ynez, CA 93460 · 805-688-5588
-
14 keys, breakfast and aperitif included · Santa Ynez
Polo House Hotel & Bungalows
A 14-key boutique hotel built around the valley's polo culture, on the site of the former ForFriends Inn: six suites in the main house and eight bungalows across the estate, some on Sagunto Street. Every stay includes breakfast, specialty coffee and the evening Polo House Aperitif of area wine, charcuterie and flatbreads, and the hotel points guests to polo lessons, clinics and club matches at La Herradura Polo Club, minutes away. Dogs stay in Bungalows 1 to 6 for $75 per stay.
Go if you want breakfast and an evening aperitif included.
More details
- 14 keys: 6 suites in the main house, 8 bungalows
- Polo lessons and matches at La Herradura Polo Club nearby
- Pets in Bungalows 1 to 6 only, $75 per stay
- Sauna, wine garden, fire pit
- Formerly the ForFriends Inn
1121 Edison Street, Santa Ynez, CA 93460 · 805-362-0606
-
DocFreeman24, CC BY-SA 4.0 Big resort, casino, spa, 21+ pool · Santa Ynez
Chumash Casino Resort Hotel
The valley's big resort, and the one with a rooftop pool for guests 21 and over. The AAA Four Diamond-rated hotel is attached to the casino, with a spa (sauna, steam room, mineral pool, cold plunge) and several restaurants. You must be 21 or older to gamble.
Go if you want a big resort, a spa and a casino under one roof.
Go for Pool time
More details
- AAA Four Diamond-rated
- Rooftop pool, hotel guests 21+
- Spa with sauna, steam room and mineral pool
3400 East Highway 246, Santa Ynez, CA 93460 · 800-248-6274
-
“Transformed a disused 22-room motor lodge”
Michelin Guide, 2026 Editor's pick22 rooms, gardens, adults-only pool · Outside Solvang
Hotel Ynez
Michelin Guide In the 2026 selection
Twenty-two rooms on two acres of gardens, 'at the crossroads of Santa Ynez & Solvang.' The mailing address says Solvang, but it sits between the two towns. Adults get the heated pool (21 and over); everyone gets bonfire pits and an outdoor pavilion.
Go if you want quiet and an adults-only pool; plan on driving to dinner.
- Dogs
- $50 per dog, per stay
- Getting there
- On Mission Dr toward Santa Ynez, about 4 min by car from Copenhagen Dr
Go for Pool time
More details
Press In the Michelin Guide hotel selection: "transformed a disused 22-room motor lodge". Michelin Guide, 2026
Press Weekend guide pick. Krista Simmons, Condé Nast Traveler, Mar 8 2021
- 22 rooms on two private acres
- Heated 21-and-over pool, fire pits
- Wine shop on site
2644 Mission Drive, Solvang, CA 93463 · 805-697-5444
Nearby: Los Olivos and Ballard
If Santa Ynez is booked up, the neighboring towns are the next place to look. Los Olivos is built around its tasting rooms, and Ballard is a tiny hamlet nearby. For more detail, see Los Olivos hotels.
-
15 rooms, quiet hamlet · Ballard
The Ballard Inn
Quieter than Solvang, and that's the reason to book it. Fifteen recently refurbished rooms in tiny Ballard, a few minutes from Santa Ynez, some with fireplaces or balconies. Breakfast and a 4pm wine and cheese hour are included, and dogs are welcome for $40 a night.
Go if you want quiet, a wine and cheese hour and the dog along.
Go with The dog
More details
- 15 rooms, recently refurbished
- Dogs $40 per night, per dog
2436 Baseline Avenue, Ballard, CA 93463 · 805-688-7770
-
Walk to Los Olivos tasting rooms · Los Olivos
Fess Parker Wine Country Inn
Nineteen rooms on Grand Avenue in Los Olivos, with more than 20 tasting rooms within walking distance. Every room has a fireplace, a continental breakfast is included, and Nella Kitchen & Bar is on site. Pets aren't allowed.
Go if you want a fireplace room and tasting rooms you can walk to.
Go for A stroll into town · Pool time
More details
- 19 rooms, fireplaces in every room
- Continental breakfast included; pool
- Nella Kitchen & Bar on site
- No pets
2860 Grand Avenue, Los Olivos, CA 93441
-
Collette14713, CC BY-SA 4.0 Editor's pickLuxury, Auberge Collection · Los Olivos
The Inn at Mattei's Tavern
One Michelin Key 2026 Michelin Guide
An Auberge Collection resort built around the 1886 stagecoach stop in Los Olivos, with cottage-style rooms set among old palm trees. It's the valley's top-end splurge.
Go if it's the splurge weekend.
More details
Connections The Inn at Mattei's Tavern is an Auberge Collection hotel with a Michelin Key, and The Tavern is its restaurant. Source
Press One Michelin Key. Michelin Guide, 2026
- 1886 stagecoach stop, now Auberge Collection
- 52 rooms, 6 suites, 4 historic cottages
- Resort fee $75 per room, per night
2350 Railway Avenue, Los Olivos, CA 93441 · 805-693-2596
Toward Buellton, the Inn at Zaca Creek has six keypad-entry suites behind The Tavern at Zaca Creek, a steak and seafood dinner house open Thursday to Monday. It is about 20 minutes (8.9 mi) by car from downtown Santa Ynez, and dogs stay for $35 per stay [8].
Polo House Hotel & Bungalows
Book Polo House for the included extras: breakfast every morning, specialty coffee and the evening Polo House Aperitif of area wine, charcuterie, flatbreads and pizza, plus a sauna, wine garden and fire pit. The polo theme is real: the hotel sends guests to lessons, clinics and club matches at La Herradura Polo Club, minutes away. It has 14 keys, six suites in the main house and eight bungalows, on the site of the former ForFriends Inn [3].
Dogs are welcome in Bungalows 1 to 6 for $75 per stay, but not in Bungalows 7 and 8 or Rooms 9 to 14. Check-in is 4 to 6pm and the front desk is unstaffed overnight, so call ahead if you'll be late [2]. The hotel is 0.6 miles from Chumash Casino; see hotels near Chumash Casino.
Which Santa Ynez hotels include breakfast?
Polo House includes daily breakfast, specialty coffee and an evening aperitif. The Genevieve serves a made-to-order breakfast in The Parlour from 7 to 10am, covered by its daily guest amenity fee [4]. Over in Los Olivos, Fess Parker Wine Country Inn includes a continental breakfast, and The Ballard Inn serves a hot breakfast from 8 to 10am. If you'd rather go out, see our Solvang breakfast guide.
Adults-only pool
Two of them. Chumash Casino Resort Hotel's rooftop pool is open daily to hotel guests 21 and older, and its spa adds a sauna, steam room, mineral pool and cold plunge (book by phone) [5]. Hotel Ynez's heated pool and deck are 21 and over [6]. Gambling at Chumash is also 21+. Eating near the casino? See where to eat near Chumash Casino.
Santa Ynez or Solvang?
Stay in Santa Ynez if you want something small and quiet with a good restaurant downstairs. The town has S.Y. Kitchen and Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn for dinner. Stay in Solvang if you want choice and a walkable evening: our Solvang hotel guide covers 19 places, and you can walk between tasting rooms all evening. On a budget, Buellton by Highway 101 has the valley's chain hotels. If you're tasting, book a driver.
Plan your day
- MorningBreakfast first: Best coffee in the Santa Ynez ValleyBy town, plus where to work
- MiddayGo tasting: Los Olivos wine tastingTop-scored labels, one walkable town
- EveningBook dinner: Santa Ynez restaurantsVerona pasta, Red Barn steaks
- LateNight out: Solvang happy hoursSpritzes, Industry Night, 8pm deals
- OvernightFind a bed: Where to stay in Los Olivos1886 stagecoach inn or 19 fireplaces
Your next move
- Then readSagunto Street is a short walk from most of these rooms. Where to eat in Santa Ynez
- Every ThursdayWhat to eat, where to go and what to book this weekend. Get the weekend note
EV charging
Driving electric? The federal station locator lists 2 Tesla Destination chargers (Teslas only) under the former ForFriends Inn name, now Polo House, and the Chumash Casino Resort parking structure has 10 free Level 2 ports (ask the valet) [9]. Hotel Ynez has 2 Tesla chargers for guests, and The Genevieve's chargers are offline for installation through Dec 31, 2026. For a fast charge, the Santa Ynez Tesla Supercharger has 8 stalls at 2621 Highway 154, and EVgo has a CCS and CHAdeMO charger at El Rancho Marketplace on Mission Drive. More in our EV charging guide.
Good to know
Is there an adults-only pool in Santa Ynez? Yes. The rooftop pool at Chumash Casino Resort Hotel is for guests 21 and older, and Hotel Ynez has a heated 21-and-over pool. You also have to be 21 or older to gamble at Chumash.
Should I stay in Santa Ynez or Solvang? Santa Ynez is the quieter choice, with a few small, high-end inns. Solvang has far more rooms (our Solvang guide lists 19 hotels) and a walkable village with bakeries and tasting rooms. If you want a lively evening on foot, stay in Solvang. If you want peace and quiet, stay in Santa Ynez.
Quick answers
What are the best hotels in Santa Ynez?
In the township itself there are two small properties: The Genevieve, a full-service hotel with The Victor restaurant and a spa, and Polo House Hotel & Bungalows, a 14-key boutique hotel. Chumash Casino Resort Hotel is the big resort option on Highway 246. Hotel Ynez, with 22 rooms, sits between Santa Ynez and Solvang.
Which Santa Ynez hotels include breakfast?
Polo House includes daily breakfast with an evening aperitif. The Genevieve serves a made-to-order breakfast from 7 to 10am, covered by its daily guest amenity fee of $40 to $42 plus tax. Nearby, Fess Parker Wine Country Inn in Los Olivos and The Ballard Inn include breakfast too.
What hotels are near Santa Ynez?
In Los Olivos, Fess Parker Wine Country Inn has 19 rooms within walking distance of more than 20 tasting rooms, and The Inn at Mattei's Tavern is the Auberge Collection resort built around an 1886 stagecoach stop. In Ballard, The Ballard Inn has 15 rooms.
Is there a resort in Santa Ynez?
Yes. Chumash Casino Resort Hotel is the AAA Four Diamond resort on Highway 246, with a rooftop pool for hotel guests 21 and over and a spa with a sauna, steam room and mineral pool. For a ranch resort, Alisal Ranch is just outside Solvang on 10,500 acres.
Is there a Marriott or Hilton in Santa Ynez?
Not in the township itself. The Santa Ynez Valley Marriott is in Buellton, and the closest Hilton-brand stays are The Hadsten in Solvang (Tapestry Collection by Hilton) and the Hampton Inn & Suites Buellton/Santa Ynez Valley. Hotel Corque in Solvang is a Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel.
Which Santa Ynez hotels are pet friendly?
The Genevieve takes up to two small dogs (20 lb each) for $100 per stay, Polo House takes pets in Bungalows 1 to 6 for $75 per stay, and Hotel Ynez takes dogs for $50 each per stay. In Ballard, The Ballard Inn charges $40 a night.
Is there a bed and breakfast in Santa Ynez?
Two inns run like one. Polo House includes breakfast and an evening aperitif with every stay, and The Genevieve, formerly the Santa Ynez Inn, serves a made-to-order breakfast in The Parlour, paid for by its daily guest amenity fee. The Ballard Inn, nearby, includes breakfast and a 4 to 6pm wine and cheese hour.
What happened to the ForFriends Inn in Santa Ynez?
Its 14-room property at 1121 Edison Street is now Polo House Hotel & Bungalows, a 14-key boutique hotel.
Where should you stay in the Santa Ynez Valley?
Pick the base that fits the trip. Solvang has the most rooms (19 stays in our guide) and a walkable village, Los Olivos has 3 stays within reach of more than 20 tasting rooms, and Santa Ynez has a few small, high-end inns. Buellton has 8 stays right off US-101, and Los Alamos has 4, Skyview among them. Start with Solvang, Los Olivos, Buellton or Los Alamos.
Sources
tap to open
- Polo House Hotel & Bungalows
- Polo House Hotel & Bungalows: FAQs (pets, check-in)
- LoopNet: 1121 Edison St, Santa Ynez (ForFriends Inn, 14 rooms)
- The Genevieve: FAQs (amenity fee, pets, EV charging)
- Chumash Casino Resort: hotel and pool and spa
- Hotel Ynez: FAQs and hotel policies
- The Ballard Inn: hotel policies and amenities; Fess Parker Wine Country Inn; The Inn at Mattei's Tavern: FAQs
- Zaca Creek: FAQ
- U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Station Locator
- Each hotel's own website, linked in its listing above.
Last updated Oct 26, 2026. We list what each hotel publishes. We haven't stayed at every one, and we never copy guest reviews. We don't print nightly rates because they change daily. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
Tasting nearby? See Santa Ynez wineries.
