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Architectural Downtown View home -4 bed/ 5 bath

5.0
Architectural Downtown View home -4 bed/ 5 bath in Santa Barbara, California, United States — photo 1
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Vacation House in Santa Barbara

4 bedrooms·5 beds·5 bathrooms·sleeps 8
Carla Trott

Hosted by Carla Trott

5 years hosting

Visit Carla Trott's site

In South of Cota, near the Funk Zone

About a 5-min walk to Funk Zone wineries and the El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park

Whimsical architectural home

A Jeff Shelton-designed home with custom glass fixtures, colorful tiles, and a private courtyard

A warm first impression

One guest described it as a lovely home in a great neighborhood

About this space

EL Zapato is a delightful fun indoor/outdoorJeff Shelton home which has won many architectural awards. It is often described as Gaudi meets Dr Seuss with 5 baths and 4 bedrooms ,two kitchens, numerous outdoor decks and living spaces, spectacular views of the mountains and the house. The third floor features a penthouse great-room and rooftop deck/living room with 360 degree views. There is a very private courtyard, free parking and the house is handicap accessible. (ADA Bath /one elevator)

The space
The apartment is designed by Jeff Shelton and a feels like Dr Seuss meets Gaudi- it will make you smile and is very FUN. It is walking distance to everything- leave your car and never drive while you visit. El Zapato is entered from the front door of the building and the inside unique staircase up is shared with the owner's unit , The Turquoise Penthouse on the third floor.

Guest access
You will have access to the apartment and private second floor deck and garage (and likely the rooftop for cocktails if the owner is there!) You also will have two more bedrooms on the first floor off the courtyard - the Lobster Studios - One had twin beds and one a queen and they share a large bath. The first floor lobster studios each have a sink in them but the actual bathroom is right beside them on the private courtyard. You do not have the whole house, just the first and second floor. (The entire home can be rented if available) The third floor is the Turquoise penthouse ( not included in this rental.

Other things to note
Upstairs if the amazing rooftop deck and Turquoise penthouse- this is available separately or you can inquire about entire home rental. Reserve ahead.
The house has custom architectural details, unique glass light fixtures and colorful tiles throughout -if you like architecture you will absolutely love El Zapato.
Look of Jeff Shelton Architect of you want to see more.

Where you'll stay

1 / 4

What this place offers

Air conditioning
Balcony
Bed linens provided
Internet & WiFi
Towels Provided
Full Kitchen
Dishwasher
DVD player

Minimum 3 night stay

Add your travel dates for exact pricing

Things to know

House rules

  • children welcome
  • no smoking
  • events not allowed
  • no pets

Safety & property

  • smoke detector
  • carbon monoxide detector
  • fire extinguisher
  • first aid kit

Cancellation policy

Cancel up to 5 days before your trip and get a full refund.
Cancel within 5 days of your trip and the first night is non-refundable,
but 50% of the cost for the remaining nights will be refunded.


Damage and incidentals
You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.


House Rules
Check in after: 3:00 PM Check out before: 10:00 AM
Children allowed
Pets Not Allowed
Events Not Allowed
No Smoking
Max Guests: 10
Minimum age of primary renter: 25

5.0 · 11 reviews

Overall

5.0

11 reviews

Cleanliness

5.0

Accuracy

5.0

Check-in

5.0

Communication

5.0

Location

5.0

Value

5.0

K

Katherine

August 2024

A lovely home in a great neighborhood!

H

Hugh

July 2023

In a word: unique. We have stayed in a converted coal warehouse loft in Bologna, a yurt in Portland Oregon, and a fairy cottage near Mt Ranier, but this house that Carla commission…

B

Becky

December 2019

We really enjoyed our stay here!

The house is absolutely beautiful with amazing views of the city! The design of the house is whimsical and fun--gorgeous tiles and ironwork! Everyday we discovered something new ab…

R

Randolph

October 2019

Home away from home

There’s nothing like staying in an art object, albeit a big one. The kaleidoscopic collars give homage to Gaudi’s Park Guell home in Barcelona, which we visited last year. The arti…

M

Michael

September 2019

Wonderful

Our stay at El Zapato was our best experience to date. Our host Carla was wonderful and helped us with every step of the planning, booking and enjoyment of her home and all it had…

H

Healdsburg

August 2019

What a wonderful house and experience.

If you ever wanted to live IN a work of art, this would be your opportunity! Custom tile and metal work abounds, creating an atmosphere to please your senses! With close proximity…

Where you'll be

302 E Cota St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA

Located in Santa Barbara, this vacation home is in the city center and in the mountains. Travelers looking for local activities can try Stearns Wharf and Santa Barbara Harbor, while those looking to experience a bit of culture can stop by Santa Barbara Bowl. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Earl Warren Showgrounds or UC SB Events Center. Jet skiing and kayaking offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with mountain climbing and ecotours nearby. What's nearby Santa Barbara Historical Museum - ‪7 min walk‬ Presidio Santa Barbara - ‪8 min walk‬ Lobero Theater - ‪10 min walk‬ Santa Barbara County Courthouse - ‪16 min walk‬ Santa Barbara Harbor - ‪20 min walk‬ Getting around Santa Barbara Station - ‪13 min walk‬ Carpinteria Station - ‪15 min drive‬ Goleta Station - ‪17 min drive‬ Santa Barbara, CA (SBA-Santa Barbara Municipal) - ‪17 min drive‬ Santa Ynez, CA (SQA) - ‪47 min drive‬ Restaurants 365 Happy Hours - ‪2 min walk‬ Mother Dough Bagels - ‪3 min walk‬ Taqueria Rincon Alteno - ‪3 min walk‬ Jill's Place - ‪3 min walk‬ The Black Sheep SB Brasserie - ‪3 min walk‬

Important Information

Check-in

3:00 PM

Check-out

10:00 AM

Pets

Not allowed

Tax

12%

Cleaning fee

$325

Damage deposit

$500

Meet your host

Carla Trott

Carla Trott

11

Reviews

5.0

Rating

5 Years

Hosting

Response rate: 95%

Responds within a few hours

Available: Anytime

Speaks

About Carla Trott

Welcome to my little corner of the world! I’m a widow with two grown sons, an incurably curious traveler, and a lover of culture and architecture. I split my time between my home in Maine and El Zapato, my colorful, whimsical shoe-shaped house in downtown Santa Barbara, designed by artist Jeff Shelton. It’s filled with playful details, including lobster tiles celebrating Maine. I call it “Red Shoe Living”: live for today, be happy, and give back!

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Starting at$1,000/night