Casa del Herrero

Hubby and I tour houses, mansions and castles everywhere we go, and he was dying to see this because of the lovely stone work outside of the front door. We also like Spanish/​Moorish style. So this was a nice stop. Only complaint: the tour was over 90 minutes long and could have been completed in 40 minutes easily. Our tour guide was lovely but just talked too much. Would be more fun to tour it with an audio guide so that you could control what you hear. Even just a paper guide would be fine. But it’s worth the stop if you like this type of thing.

It was a fun field trip to see this cute old house with interesting antique tiles and pretty details. Our docent was so fun and nice and knowledgeable. The only thing I wished was that he had made himself rich by manufacturing something nicer to people than projectile ammunition that was used for World War.

House is nice but could easily be seen with a much more efficient docent in 20 minutes, not 2 hours. The garden and shop are far more interesting than the main house, and the tour doesn’t give you time to see these

I didn’t have any trouble getting a reservation here. I called on a Wednesday and left a voicemail, they called me back later that day and I booked a reservation for that Saturday. You have to pay up front on the phone so be ready for that.
It was a beautifully sunny day in Santa Barbara when we went — the sun added so much to the lighting of the house and the gardens. There were about 11 of us on the tour. They first made us watch a quick informational video on the history of the house and family. The tour covers two aspects of the house, the family history and the history behind the house and furniture. I frankly didn’t care too much about the family history — it’s some old rich family with lots of old money — but seeing how they sourced the house is fascinating.
The interior of the house is actually a lot smaller than I thought. Then again I was thinking ‘mansion’, but i should have been thinking on the scale of ‘big house.’ The inside is nice though, with lots to look at and unique well thought out architecture. However I definitely enjoyed the tour of the grounds more. Sprawling plants that have been there for a hundred years, fountains, rose gardens, a succulent garden, orchards, and a fascinating old dragons blood tree. They even let us pick at the fruit and herbs that were growing.
This was a great highlight to our Saturday morning and it lasted about two hours long. This is a great place to visit if you enjoy architecture and pretty things. I wouldn’t bring kids though… or people who don’t enjoy house tours.

It is very hard to obtain a reservation here, so call ahead. Tours run only Wednesdays and Saturdays. Parking is very limited. It was a lovely tour by docent Sally Green. She was a perfect guide, lots of details and back ground information given in an interesting way. The house and gardens are a gem. Never had heard of it, just saw it listed on Tavel Advisor and highly rated. We were a party of seven and were warmly greeted upon arrival. The tour starts in with a short film then continues into a beautifully paved stone entry way in front of the house. I liked the detailed information about the plants, many of which are quiet old.

A wonderful place to visit. Not too hard to find and well worth the drive to get there (the driving directions they provide are most helpful). The docents are very knowledgeable and friendly. The pace is leisurely and not rushed. The house is fascinating and the grounds lovely. All in all a casual retrospective of what makes Santa Barbara so memorably Californian.

While staying Montecito I googled historic homes and found this place. I called and it turned out there was room in the 10am tour the next morning, which was perfect! We have been to Hearst Castle on many occassions so this had some similarities and ties to some of the building of Hearst and the Santa Barbara courthouse too, which is where we got married so I have been there many times. Fascinating to find a home in its practically original state with the original furnishings intact. Museum quality items! And to find an original intact Silversmith Workshop is amazing. Just wish we could have taken pics without a flash in there! Lots of beautiful gardens to walk through also. Our tour guide ran a little over and so we got a 2 hour tour, which I prefer to get more info, just gets a little tough to stand that long so be prepared for that. So glad this family took the time to preserve the home and all that is within it. A true gem.

If you like house tours, this is an excellent one — well worth the cost. To my mind, the exterior is a little less interesting than the interior, but the grounds are nonetheless gorgeous, and in its entirety the tour is a wonderful glimpse into old (well, early 1900’s) California. This is a truly special property that, by the way, many locals don’t even know about. Tip: Try to go when Ethel is the guide; she’s a font of information and truly passionate about the casa — she really made our tour.

Casa del Herrero is one amazing place. It has incredible architecture, landscape designs, antiques — it’s like a mini Hearst Castle! The docent leading our tour was wonderfully gracious and informed — very nice pace and timing. This is a must see and I became a member to enjoy other events around the year.

This place is a gem in Santa Barbara! The house is very well preserved. The tour was lovely and very educational. It is worth every penny. The docent was very nice and gave a great tour! It’s worth a check out! Just know that tours are only given Wednesday and Saturday and you have to have a reservation. Each tour is limited to about twelve people and are given twice a day.

I couldn’t disagree more with the posting stating that the tour is too long and the docent «drones on.» It depends on your expectations: first off, you can’t just wander around this historic home, you have to be on a tour. That’s just the way it is. Secondly, some people revel in historical anecdotes and others find them uninteresting (the previous poster was obviously in THAT camp). I thought the stories were fascinating. I also found it very easy to imagine what it was like to live there — as all the Steedman’s original furniture, personally chosen antiques and artworks, and even Mr. S’s workshop are fully intact! This isn’t a «renovation» like many historic homes — it is as if they still live there! Don’t miss it! But do plan in advance — tours are Wednesdays and Saturdays, by reservation only.

A GORGEOUS estate, only problem is the docent afflicted with talker’s disease. You’ll be forced to stand at attention 90 minutes while your would-​be comic drones on mercilessly. You’re not permitted to simply be there. Or imagine. Or look at your own pace. Instead you’ll listen to which chemicals produce what results in the tilework, not to mention details of the heir’s flourishing egg business. Comparisons will be made to the worth of stuff in other mansions, and if any art piece contains a saint you must learn the nature of the saint’s story. Editorial asides and abundant commentary never give you a minute’s rest. You emerge wishful and wasted. See if there’s a tour for the deaf where they speed it up a bit. Truly remarkable estate of yet another robber baron with a fondness for puns.

Amazingly well-​preserved classic California estate. The walking tour is worth it!