Before she changed the name to As Ever, Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand was called American Riviera Orchard. To the uninitiated, this might have sounded as fanciful as her signature flower sprinkles, but American Riviera is actually a longstanding nickname for her adopted home of Santa Barbara, California. With its beautiful coastline, temperate climate, red-tile roofs, and expensive real estate, the SoCal enclave more than lives up to its Mediterranean-inspired moniker.
If you fancy a visit to this area, I highly suggest making a beeline for Montecito, an unincorporated town in Santa Barbara County. That’s where you’ll find San Ysidro Ranch (and perhaps even the Duchess of Sussex herself, as she’s a regular). Founded in 1893, the historic hideaway is situated between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It’s less than 100 miles from Los Angeles but feels a world away. It’s an unequivocally luxurious, five-star experience that many reserve for their most special occasions, such as honeymoons and milestone birthdays. While undoubtedly expensive, bear in mind that the nightly rates, which begin at $2495, include complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Continue reading for my honest thoughts on the hotel’s rooms, grounds, activities, and dining options, all of which I was lucky enough to experience firsthand this summer. Plus, of course, I’m giving you the lowdown on some of the most famous guests in its 132-year history.
Accommodations
If you subscribe to the Nancy Meyers school of interior design, you’ll love the décor at San Ysidro Ranch. Here, the charming cottages practically beg for a rom-com soundtrack à la The Holiday, It’s Complicated, or Something’s Gotta Give. Clawfoot tubs, four-poster beds, Persian rugs, eclectic antique furniture, and stone fireplaces are just some of the many elements that make these hotel rooms feel like home. One unexpected detail I thoroughly enjoyed: floral wallpaper that, upon close inspection, sprang to life with 3D “petals” made of soft, fringed fabric. I was also obsessed with the customized block-letter sign outside my front door. (Luckily, there was just enough room to fit “Fitzpatrick” on the wooden shelf.)
Most of the 38 cottages are named after flowers or trees, with a few noteworthy exceptions, including the Kennedy Cottage, where Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy honeymooned in 1953, and the Churchill Cottage, which provided Winston Churchill respite from Britain’s winter of 1912. I stayed in the Gardenia Cottage (pictured top left and bottom right), and I was blown away by the private hot tub, outdoor shower, and deck with ocean views.
The Grounds
Here, “stop and smell the roses” isn’t just a suggestion—it’s practically a mandate. The resort has invested tremendous time and effort into its landscaping, and nowhere is this more evident than in the rose garden, which boasts nearly every color of the rainbow. Aside from the revelatory roses, elsewhere on the property, you’ll find sycamore, oak, olive, and lemon trees; wisteria, jasmine, and bougainvillea vines; and water lilies and papyrus plants floating in a tranquil pond. Oh, and how could I forget about the lavender that greets you when you first drive into the property? Not since I traveled to Provence have I seen so much lavender all in one place.
If your flora knowledge is lacking, don’t fret—people used to inquire about the resort’s flowers, trees, and vegetables so frequently that the staff decided to label everything with cute, discreet signage. All in all, the grounds are like the landscape version of an antidepressant. The only thing missing? The resort has not yet bottled its signature aroma, but if they do, I’ll be first in line at the gift shop to buy the perfume. (Can I get royalties for coming up with the idea?)
Famous Guests
Some hotels offer celebrities a place to see and be seen. San Ysidro Ranch, on the other hand, is where they go to remain decidedly undetected. (Unless, of course, they choose to share photos or videos of their stays on Instagram, as was the case with Sabrina Carpenter and Kourtney Kardashian!) In May 2025, Carpenter spent her 26th birthday in the Lilac Cottage, which boasts a massive, private backyard with a lawn so green it could make an emerald jealous. When she posted these photos on Instagram, I instantly recognized the hotel’s floral wallpaper designed by Colefax and Fowler. (My cottage had the same wallpaper, but in blue.) Another celeb who chose San Ysidro Ranch for her birthday: Kourtney Kardashian, who blew out her candles at the hotel’s Stonehouse restaurant in April 2023. The resort also hosted the May 2025 wedding of Hailee Steinfeld and Josh Allen.
Well before “Espresso” and Keeping Up With the Kardashians entered the pop culture lexicon, however, San Ysidro Ranch was the destination of choice for Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier’s 1940 wedding and Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy’s 1953 honeymoon (pictured above). Lucille Ball, Audrey Hepburn, Groucho Marx, Winston Churchill, and Bing Crosby also graced the grounds in their day.
Things to Do
Relaxing was my favorite thing to do on my visit. The property really sets you up for success if you too are seeking out capital-R Relaxation. During my massage, for instance, I got to choose from several essential oils, all grown in the resort’s gardens. (I chose lavender for its calming properties.) Next door to the spa is a salon for any of your haircare needs. A round of mini golf and a poolside reading session were also on my anti-anxiety agenda. If you’re slightly more activity-inclined than I am, the hotel can also help you charter a boat, book a tee time at the Montecito Club, loan you a bike, connect you with a yoga instructor, and show you where to hike nearby.
Dining
I won’t bury the lede. When it comes to dining, the most important thing to know is that the hotel’s nightly rate includes all food and drinks except alcohol. That means breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and mini-bar munchies are all complimentary, so come hungry. This is particularly good news for indecisive eaters like me. Can’t choose between the soufflé or the tiramisu, the oysters or the French fries? Order them all! It’s also well-suited to my desire to be surrounded by multiple beverages at all times. At breakfast, for instance, I ordered a latte, smoothie, orange juice, and sparkling water. Now that’s luxury!
Non-guests can also dine at the hotel. Many dishes at the main restaurant, Stonehouse, are prepared using fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits harvested from the resort’s organic garden. For dinner, one of my many favorites was the Grilled Summer Peach Salad (pictured above in the lower right-hand corner), with Sicilian burrata, purple watercress, heirloom tomatoes, basil, and sungold tomato vinaigrette. After dinner, you’ll want to slide into one of the red velvet booths in The Speakeasy, where Hailee Steinfeld hosted her wedding after-party.
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