The Beach at Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort
The Fess Parker - A Doubletree by Hilton Resort's beach is acknowledged by professionals. Out of 4 professionals that we tracked, 5 acknowledged the beach, including Frommer's, Gayot and Fodor's.
Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort 
Frommer's
Gayot
Fodor's
Star Service Gayot
Frommer's "The hotel's location across the street from the beach and bike/inline skating path is ideal if you like to be in the middle of the action: It's close to Stearns Wharf, the harbor, the zoo, and the Funk Zone, a buzzing new arts district, which includes the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail"
Gayot "The DoubleTree has a great location across from the beach, but it's a long way from downtown; that said, the 25-cent shuttle will take you there and all along the waterfront"
Fodor's "A full-scale resort with seven buildings spread over 24 landscaped acres across from East Beach, the hotel was founded by the late TV actor Fess Parker, best known for playing Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone"
Star Service "This hotel has made a big footprint just off the beach, and community activists still hold protests, including "take the park back" picnics on the lawns of the hotel (some of which still actually belong to the city)"
Gayot "The DoubleTree has a great location across from the beach, but it's a long way from downtown; that said, the 25-cent shuttle will take you there and all along the waterfront"
