Murphy O'Brien
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Pieter Ruig: pieter@murphyobrien.com
Kurstin Farone: kfarone@murphyobrien.com

THERE'S A NEW REASON TO HOST YOUR NEXT EVENT AMIDST THE CHARMS OF DOWNTOWN SANTA BARBARA

Hotel Andalucia to Unveil the Only Dedicated Meeting Space in the City Center

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (10/2004) - When it opens in December, the Hotel Andalucia will feature downtown Santa Barbara's first full-service conference rooms, with 5,000-square-feet of flexible meeting and event space for 10 to 170 guests. The sophisticated boutique hotel, on the doorstep of great State Street shopping and a short distance from top museums in the historic city center, features dramatic event spaces like a roof-top terrace that, with spectacular 360-degree views of the Santa Ynez mountain range and the Pacific Coast, provides a unique backdrop for weddings and private events.

Highlighted with hand-tinted vintage photos of city landmarks, posters from the city's celebrated Spanish Days Fiesta and the works of visual artists, the hotel's five dedicated meeting rooms range from 500 to 2,000 square feet and feature distinctly local themes:

» The Gallery showcases a rotating collection of contemporary art, including paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photography and mixed media; the space accommodates meetings, private parties, hotel receptions and exhibition-related events
» Mission Board Room presents a suite of 21 etchings depicting California's famed missions by artist Leonardo Nunez, who has also created museum-quality editions.
» Riviera Ballroom offers a mural of Santa Barbara as the "American Riviera"
» Valley Meeting Room features large-format landscape photography by Susan Jorgenson who lives in the Santa Ynez Valley.
» Channel Islands Conference Room showcases fine photographs of area beaches and islands by Macduff Everton and a stunning coastal scene in oil.

The hotel's outdoor terrace offers a more intimate setting for private events. Rising up above the red-tiled roofs of Santa Barbara, the 4,000-square-foot space enjoys exclusive status as the highest rooftop hotel venue in the city. Here, guests can enjoy some of the city's best views, along with a mission-style fireplace, a jacuzzi for eight and a pool that also serves as a lighted fountain for private events.

"One of the benefits for meeting planners is the flexibility of these gorgeous new facilities," says Lauri Baker, director of marketing for the Hotel Andalucia. "A meeting planner can take over the entire space and make it an exclusive venue for their event."

And with such specialized hotel sites as the picturesque rooftop and the progressive art gallery, Baker says event planners can go beyond what's expected to offer gallery tours and even outdoor yoga breaks in their preparations.

The hotel's art program, which is featured prominently in the pre-function areas as well as in each of the meeting rooms, was developed to highlight the history and natural heritage of the surrounding Santa Barbara landscape. The collection includes traditional and contemporary works culled from some of the region's most prominent names, including Santa Barbara photographer Susan Jorgenson, local artists Leonardo Nunez and Macduff Everton, Italo Scanga, Harry Reese, and Dane Goodman.

About the Hotel
The new Hotel Andalucia offers downtown luxury, urban convenience and unparalleled views in beautiful Santa Barbara - a gorgeous stretch of land known as the American Riviera. Combining Old-World Spanish charm with urban flair, the 97-room property will open as the only sophisticated boutique hotel in the city center. Vaulted ceilings, decorative arches, colorful tiles and wrought iron embellishments have spun the space into an urban translation of the opulent manors and villas found in Andalucia-the southern part of Spain known as the Costa del Sol.

The hotel is situated in the heart of Santa Barbara's downtown, within a five-minute stroll of high-end stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and open-air courtyards filled with restaurant, boutiques and art galleries. Other area destinations include the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, with its outstanding European and Asian collection; the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, which houses Chumash Indian artifacts; the Santa Barbara Mission established in 1786; and the historic El Presidio and the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, the flagship of the city's Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style.

The Hotel Andalucia is located in Santa Barbara at 31 West Carrillo Street where room rates start at $325 per night. The property hosts a business center; 31 West, an 80-seat restaurant, with 40 seats in the bar, featuring simple, creatively prepared American cuisine; and underground parking.

For further information or to make a reservation, call toll-free 1-877-468-3515 or 1-805-884-0300.