History

Santa Barbara is very different than when the Virginia Hotel was built between 1916 and 1925. Many streets were unpaved, the horse and buggy was still a viable mode of transportation and some of the city’s citizens were far from home on the battlefields of World War I.

In its early years the hotel catered to travelers and visitors who came for business, relaxation and the healing waters of Santa Barbara’s spas.  At that time Santa Barbara wasn’t quite the lush resort town it is today. But magnificent mountain and ocean views, combined with an ideal climate, brought pleasure-seekers and business people alike.

In 1916, on lower State Street, brothers Malcolm and Allan Loughead established the Loughead Aircraft Company (later changed to “Lockheed”). At State and Mission Streets the world’s largest motion picture studio, the American Film Company (Flying A Studios) turned out the entertainment of the day. Thanks to Santa Barbara’s early motion picture industry, our ocean and mountain vistas have doubled for everything from Swiss Alps to South Sea Islands.

More recently, the “Virginia Hotel” fell on hard times and was in need of some tender loving care. It received that and more during an extensive $5 million renovation in 1998, including an earthquake retrofit to ensure the highest safety standards, along with the addition of many, modern comforts. Now, in the simple elegance of the interior, enjoy a quiet, friendly atmosphere not found in large resort hotels.  A second renovation of the rooms furnishings was completed in January 2005 to maintain the high quality expected by today's guests.

Always mindful of its proud past, the Hotel Virginia - Holiday Inn Express is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and careful restoration of the hotel’s façade earned it a “Santa Barbara Beautiful” award. And so much that Santa Barbara has to offer, the beach, world class shopping and dining, theater and art galleries awaits just a leisurely stroll away.

As you walk through the doors into the lobby and gaze at the lovely tile fountain, remember those visitors through the years who came to relax or do business with the Loughead brothers. Think of the travelers who made the trek from Los Angeles by way of the newly opened Rincon Causeway or took an early train ride from San Francisco. Like them, you have just become a part of the story of this special place.