With the growing popularity of winter vacations, many resorts have become year-round institutions. In cold climates skiing and other winter sports are enjoyed by vacationers. Conventions help to assure off-season occupancy of resort properties. The residential Santa Barbara hotel caters to permanent residents rather than to travelers. These Santa Barbara StateCode1 hotels are similar to apartment buildings except that they provide maid and valet service, and often have dining facilities.
Lodgings are available on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.
The location of Santa Barbara hotels has always been related to the transportation available. During colonial times Santa Barbara StateCode1 hotels were usually situated in seaport towns, but by the end of the 18th century, when the stagecoach had increased travel within the U.S., many inns and taverns were constructed to offer lodgings along highway routes. After the construction of railroads in the 19th century, larger hotels were built near railroad stations to accommodate railway travelers. Standards of service and comfort rose appreciably and in the larger cities the types of lodging offered by certain hotels became luxurious. The old Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City and the Brown Palace in Denver, Colorado, were among the first such luxury hotels, but their rates were too high for the average traveler.