46 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} It’s not the typical notepad you see on a hotel room desk. Instead of those sterile white sheets you’d use to jot down a reservation time or quick reminder, this decorative cream-colored paper explicitly invites pause and introspection: “My intention for today is …” At the storied resort known as El Encanto, set against the backdrop of the Santa Barbara hills with sweeping views to the Pacific, the raison d’être is filling in that blank. And any answer is the right one. PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF SEAN HAZAN / COURTESY OF SAMUEL ELKINS THE ALLURE OF THE AMERICAN RIVIERA The same Highway 101 we use to traverse the Peninsula also leads—factoring in about a fivehour drive—to Santa Barbara. For many, this Central Coast gem is a familiar destination, known for Spanish-style architecture, laidback beaches, buzzy restaurants and a world-class wine scene. Dubbed the “American Riviera” more than a century ago, Santa Barbara leans into the nickname, embracing its Mediterranean climate, red-tile roofs and gentle ocean breezes. The quintessential Santa Barbara getaway evokes visits to State Street Promenade, Stearns Wharf and wine tasting in the Funk Zone. There’s a slew of family-friendly, swimmable beaches, along with hiking, kayaking and sailing. But in the Golden Age of Hollywood, celebrities like Clark Gable, Carole Lombard and Hedy Lamarr turned to Santa Barbara—and specifically, a property called El Encanto—for a different kind of escape. Above the hubbub of the city, they discovered a secluded hilltop haven. LUXURIOUS ESCAPE Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains, the original craftsman structures here served as school housing, before being converted into a cottage-style resort in 1918. Over the years, “the Enchanted Place” evolved, weaving additional Spanish colonial-style bungalows into seven landscaped acres of gardens, while cultivating a reputation for serene privacy. Today’s El Encanto, a Belmond Hotel, embodies a splurge-worthy hideaway steeped in wellness. After winding up the final picturesque bend, we are greeted with an offer of tropical iced tea with notes of wild roses. Befittingly, the resort infuses the experience of an El Encanto stay with “seven touch points of tea”—distinctive blends ranging from welcome (arrival) to wake up (in-room), relax (spa) and replenish (fitness studio).
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