Our History:

Santa Barbara Tourist Hostel is Santa Barbara's first and only Tourist Hostel. It has been in existance in various forms since the early 1990's and has been known under a couple of different names such as The Santa Barbara International Hostel, The Banana Bungalow Santa Barbara (located in a unique Quonset hut at 210 E. Ortega St), and as The Hostel located at 409 State Street.

Although we are no longer officially assocaited with the Banana Bungalow Hostels, or the Banana Bungalow Hollywood, the Banana Bunaglow San Diego, we continue to refer guests back and forth.

Affilliations:

The Hostel Handbook

Bakpak Guide

Non-Discrimination:

The Santa Barbara Tourist Hostel does not discriminate, and strives to operate under California law and the Unruh Civil Rights Act, California Civil Code sections 51 through 51.3.

However please understand that this code does allow Innkeepers to implement policies which makes distinctions between various types of guests as long as the policy is not based on one of the prohibited grounds listed in Civil Code Section 51. Therefore you will see some unusual policies implemented in this Hostel, which you may not come-by in a traditional hotel.

The Santa Barbara Tourist Hostel Guest Policy:

Dorm Rooms are intended for international travelers who upon check-in may be asked to present a valid non-US passport, OR for US citizens a valid student ID along with another form of legal-ID OR a current US Passport together WITH a current out-of-state (non-CA) government issued ID (such as driver's license). People under the age of 18 are not permitted to stay in a dorm room, and must be accompanied by a parent or chaperone if staying in a private room.

Private Rooms have no such requirements