The agenda for this Thursday’s Montecito Board of Architectural Review meeting includes a long list of items at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara, as it’s officially called.
First, the resort isn’t just proposing to build a family pool—it’s proposing to build two family pools, across from the Coral Casino in a complex totaling 18,000 square feet. One is a normal-style pool; the other is a squishy-shaped loop with an island in the middle, home to restrooms, outdoor showers, “snack stands,” and a bar. The bar does not appear to be swim-up. Both pools have “rock waterfalls” and “sand-beach entry”—coals to Newcastle, you might say, given the resort’s location on Butterfly Beach.
To achieve that, the hotel would move two historic cottages over to Hill Road. And the aquatic fun doesn’t stop there: it would like to demolish five spas and build 38 new ones. (Note the specks of blue in the upper part of the floor plan below.) Six-foot fences will be added throughout the property. And the existing pool will be for adults; its bar will get a kitchen for food service.
Of more interest to locals: a new 125-seat restaurant, with outdoor dining. The floor plan is confusing, but the new establishment appears to be adjacent to where Bella Vista was. (That space has been rumored to become an outpost of the Nobu chain.) I have to imagine the goal is to have different rooms for breakfast and dinner. UPDATE: J. points out that an ad on the front page of a recent edition of the Montecito Journal pretty much confirmed that Nobu is opening at the Biltmore.
The site plan below also shows how retail will be a much larger part of the experience in the main building.
Management has announced its intention to open in 2025, “barring any significant permit challenges or delays.” Given the scope of the changes—the kids’ club and fitness center are also being moved—that may be a tall order.
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I’m a little shocked the Four Seasons and Ty Warner are up for something as pedestrian as a lazy river.
A lazy river with rock waterfall and sandy beach on property with the historic Santa Barbara Biltmore which is a Spanish Revival hotel (once a private mansion) with 6 foot fences blocking this magnificent property? It sounds like that beautiful property is being turned it to a joke with a non cohesive vision of two different styles. One of the visions is Disney’s Aulani hotel. It makes me sad for all who have fond memories visiting this classic hotel through the decades.
Why surprised? Look at what he did to The historic Montecito Country Club and Coral Casino -Disneyland and Vegas
A beach? Really, that would work in Las Vegas or Scottsdale which are both hundreds of miles away from a beach. But C’mon Ty, there’s a real beach across the street.
Definitely not what the Biltmore should become. Such a beautiful old property that should be treated with class and respect. His redesign of the Ty lounge some years back was awful. The final product ended up looking like it should have been a set design for Game of Thrones. That big marble slab bar in the middle looked like a sacrificial altar. All that money and zero sense of taste. Do better Ty!!!!!!
It was hideous !!!
I so agree with you—it was so tacky. He did the same thing to the once-charming Plow and Angel—early 20th century bordello style for both of those spaces… ????????
We renamed that bar “Draculas Den” after the remodel. Just awful.
An abomination. RIP beautiful Biltmore. It’s a shame that Ty has to have such a heavy hand in the “design” of his properties.
Also, doesn’t the ad they ran on the cover of the Montecito Journal “Mr. Whistle can’t decide where to eat, at Thomas Keller or across the street at Nobu” sort of serve as a press release to confirm Nobu is indeed opening there?
It sure seems that way. That’s what I get for ignoring those ads…. Thanks!
The pools sound incredibly vulgar. There’s a place for those kinds of resorts. I have a kid, I get it. It’s just sad that this is happening at the Biltmore. Bacara seems ripe for this kind of tweak in my mind. Destroying the Biltmore is shameless.
Ty Warner has a lot of money but precious little taste. His design themes are usually rather strange, see the Montecito Club and the new “speakeasy”. He doesn’t really care about making money as he is a billionaire many times over and can be irrational all he wants. Still making a clown show out of an iconic property in such a great location is a travesty. The Miramar needn’t be worried.
What a tacky plan for a beautiful, historic hotel. So sad…
Ty Warner ruined the Plow and Angel at SYR. His aesthetic leans casino. An abomination.
Only been to MCC once but not impressed. Yeah can’t believe he’s taken away the Plow and Angel and his redesign for the Biltmore sounds tacky.
Went to SYR for dinner last night and ambience was a 10 but the food was a 5. Crazy prices for pretty boring food that has definitely slipped in the last few years. I think they get most of their business from hotel guests since you now pay for room and board when you stay there. The Plow and Angel remodel is truly hideous and so dark we could barely find the bar to pick up drinks for a pre dinner stroll. Took away all the charm and looks like a Vegas idea of a speakeasy. Next year we go for a drink (we got married there and always go there for our anniversary) and then splurge at Lucky’s or Tre Lune.
This could be an amazing property once done. if done tastefully with the proper landscaping (which i dont doubt is part of the plan, this could be a pretty epic place. I dont understand all the naysayers beating up a plan without envisioning how it could be worked into the property and not even be seen by the locals.
I think people are distrustful of his taste levels after some of his other projects.
Look at the Disneyland Rick Caruso made of the Miramar. This is a case of one billionaire trying to out do the next billionaire. Just because people have a lot of money doesn’t mean they have a sophisticated good taste. Just saying.
Thanks Karen