ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel

2.0 star property
Hostel with free breakfast, 8-minute walk to Santa Barbara Harbor

Photo gallery for ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel

City view from property
Exterior
Living area
Living area
Front of property

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Air conditioning
  • Laundry
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

View map
134 Chapala St, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
  • Place, West Beach
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Santa Barbara Harbor
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Place, Stearns Wharf
    ‪10 min walk‬
  • Airport, Santa Barbara, CA (SBA-Santa Barbara Municipal)
    ‪14 min drive‬

Room options

Economy Shared Dormitory

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
(7 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Hairdryer
Rainfall showerhead
  • City view
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed

Classic Shared Dormitory, Women only

8.6 out of 10
Excellent
(4 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Hairdryer
Rainfall showerhead
  • City view
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed

Classic Shared Dormitory

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
(7 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Hairdryer
Rainfall showerhead
  • City view
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed

Basic Double Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Hairdryer
Rainfall showerhead
  • City view
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

Basic Double Room

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
(3 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Hairdryer
Rainfall showerhead
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

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About the area

Santa Barbara

ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel puts you in the heart of Santa Barbara, within steps of Reagan Ranch Center and MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation. Highlights at this hostel include free daily breakfast. .This hostel has free WiFi in public areas, a garden and barbecues. Other amenities include laundry facilities, a picnic area and locker space. Each morning free on-the-go breakfast is offered between 8:00 AM and 9:30 AM. There's also the convenience of self parking. .Attractions within a 10-minute drive of this Santa Barbara Beach hostel include Santa Barbara Harbor and Santa Barbara Zoo.

What's nearby

  • West Beach - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Santa Barbara Harbor - 7 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Santa Barbara City College - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Stearns Wharf - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Santa Barbara County Courthouse - 3 min drive - 1.9 km

Getting around

  • Santa Barbara Station - 5 min walk
  • Santa Barbara, CA (SBA-Santa Barbara Municipal) - 13 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Jeannine’s American Bakery And Restaurant - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪SB Biergarten - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Chad’s - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Finney’s Crafthouse & Kitchen - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Loquita - ‬4 min walk

About this property

ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel

Hostel with free breakfast, 8-minute walk to Santa Barbara Harbor
Free breakfast is served daily. Public spaces have free WiFi. Barbecue grills, a vending machine, and a garden are also featured at ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel. Parking is available for a fee.

Smoking is allowed in designated areas at this Santa Barbara hostel.

  • 9 guestrooms or units
  • To-go breakfast (free)
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Garden
  • BBQ grill(s)
  • Outdoor picnic space
  • Smoking in designated areas
  • Locker space
ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel offers 9 air-conditioned accommodations, with a hairdryer. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access (speed: 25+ Mbps). Bathrooms include a shower with a rainfall showerhead. Housekeeping is provided on request.

Similar properties

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • In-room WiFi speed: 25+ Mbps
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Parking on site (USD 20 per night)

Food and drink

  • Free on-the-go breakfast available daily 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Lockers
  • Vending machine

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (on request)

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Firepit
  • Garden
  • Outdoor entertainment area
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Picnic area

Accessibility

  • No lift

More

  • Designated smoking areas (fines apply)

Room amenities

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

An adult aged 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
The front desk is open daily from 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Self-parking fee: USD 20 per night

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit and outdoor lighting
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, debit cards and cash. For guests' safety, the property includes a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit and outdoor lighting in all accommodation.

Property is also known as

I.T.H. Santa Barbara Beach Hostel
ITH Santa Barbara Beach Hostel Santa Barbara
ITH Santa Barbara Beach Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation

Frequently asked questions

What is the cancellation policy at ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel?

ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel offers free cancellation on select room rates. Check out the cancellation policy for more info.

Is parking available at ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel?

Yep, ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel has a self car park for USD 20 per night.

Are there any beaches close to ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel?

Yep, ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel is a short 4-minute walk from West Beach. Fun beach activities include surfing, snorkelling and body boarding. You can also find boat tours.

Does ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel serve breakfast?

You bet, complimentary on-the-go breakfast is on offer daily between 8:00 AM and 9:30 AM.

Is there a free airport shuttle available at ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel?

No, ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel does not offer an airport shuttle service.

What time are check-in & check-out at ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM. Check-out time is 11:00 AM.

Are pets allowed at ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel?

No, pets are not allowed.

ITH Santa Barbara Surf Hostel Reviews

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 122 out of 163 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 20 out of 163 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 11 out of 163 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 163 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 7 out of 163 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

8.8/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Karey

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Laurie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice friendly hostel

Loved the friendliness of the staff. Bed was comfy and private enough. Breakfast was nice -real eggs and pancakes. and they had a bbq dinner in the evening. Centrally located to downtown sb. I was nervous because i had never stayed at a hostel before but it was better then expected. My only complaint is that the ice machine wasnt working
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Quick solo trip

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Keiren

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

John

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Alicia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Everything exceeded expectations!!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Angela

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
this was my first time staying at a hostel, and I was nervous that I would be one of the older clientele and somehow feel out of place. It was not like that at all. It was a varied group of people and everyone was very nice. Pancakes and coffee were a bonus
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Safe, great spot to meet new people, friendly staff, clean and quiet.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Christine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Gabriela

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

2/10 Terrible

Mary

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
While I waited for someone to show up, I noticed the property was very unkept. Old cars are on the property, cars that don’t an to even run. While waiting, I saw a couple of women with children arrive. I did not know there would be children there. I ended up leaving at about 5 to 4. I had gotten out of my car and rang the bell and walked around trying to find someone before I left.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Miguel

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I stayed at two other hostels, and this one was the best of all. The attendants were friendly, especially Rosie, and the guests were friendly. This place is set up to have conversations with others, which makes it nice, due to the large dining/hangout area. The place also has a relaxing patio with a modified short bus where you can also hang out inside and read a book or talk to others. The place also has planned activities every day, free of charge, which far surpassed my expectations. The beach is 4 minutes walking distance and so is a skate park. Great place! Will visit again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Kuniko

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jaipreet

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Zachary

Liked: Cleanliness
Great stay! Clean like a European hostel
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

4/10 Poor

Elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The main door to my dorm needed a key for entry. Yet the window did not have a screen, was big enough for a person to climb in, was next to a public sidewalk and parking lot. I got up to close the window once it became dark outside. Someone reopened the widow. The curtains that covered the bunks may have housed more than one person. I did not feel safe. As I prepared to leave a day early on a non-refundable ticket, I mentioned to the receptionist I was leaving. She stated that I give her the key, no problem. Yet she did not mention for me to check the food I had brought in. Leaving in a hurry since I was stressed about people having access to my sleeping area during the night, I let about $50 worth of food. A liked the manager, yet I did not feel respected by some of the other employees. There was marijuana smoking in the building during the day that I complained about. The black handle was very sticky that I used to climbed into my upper bunk.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Yue

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nathaniel was welcoming and friendly. :) Property location for Amtrak travelers can't be any better. Very relaxed, but organized atmosphere.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Luciano, Cordoba

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Awesome place to stay. Good breakfast, friendly staff, good vibes.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Calvin

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

stephanie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025