Ennisbrook

Rancho San Leandro is situated atop a ridge in Montecito, commanding stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains. This historic property boasts as its centerpiece one of the oldest and most authentic adobe homes in California.

This beautifully landscaped property of nearly 6 acres comprises olive groves, rose gardens, private courtyards, and professional quality equestrian facilities, all within the guard-gated security of Ennisbrook. Just minutes from Montecito's Upper and Lower Villages, Rancho San Leandro offers incredible privacy in truly idyllic, natural surroundings.

The adobe was built before 1850 as the principal residence of the Dominguez family and served as the ranch house of the original 430-acre Rancho San Leandro, the largest land grant in Montecito at that time. In the late 1800s the land was rechristened ‘Ennisbrook’ and, in the early 20th century, it was owned by Olympic polo gold-medalist Elmer Boeseke, who played host to Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, and Darryl Zanuck, among other famous polo celebrities. It was also used as the original clubhouse of the Santa Barbara Polo Club.

The current steward of this unique hacienda has maintained the historic elegance of the property, restoring the original adobe while lovingly bringing the entire property into the 21st century with newly constructed accommodation, sensitively designed to complement the original adobe construction..

The residence is accessed by a long gated drive, flanked by 120-year-old olive trees, and a cobblestone courtyard with a huge farm gate, large central fountain, and lush landscaping.

Interior accommodation within the historic adobe includes a Great Room of over 50 feet in length, with restored original fireplaces at each end, three-foot-thick walls with window seats, and a soaring peg-and-mortise ceiling graced with enormous beams. The master bedroom suite is located at the end of the origina ladobe, has windows on three sides, beamed wood ceilings, a massive fireplace, shower for two, and a large soaking tub. The elegant kitchen suite has been designed to accommodate family life, as well as to offer facilities for catering, and features top-of-the-line appliances alongside original details, such as a beaten copper sink in the butler's pantry.  The kitchen area features an open-plan family dining area, with a gas corner stove and french windows on three sides. The windows overlook the grass paddocks and the ocean, the kitchen garden, and the courtyard fountain and mountains. The subterranean pool room and wine cellar offer the ultimate gentleman’s den, accessed by a tiled stair from the kitchen area. Just outside the kitchen is a stunning garden with raised beds for fruits, flowers, and vegetables.

Extensive covered porch areas, including private courtyard gardens and an outdoor fireplace, link the original adobe to the two additional wings of this property, which include three guest suites, library, family room, and a second full kitchen. Additional accommodation comprises a three-car garage, exercise room, powder room, and lovely laundry facilities overlooking the outdoor horse corrals. A short walk down a winding cobblestone path lined with olive trees and lilies leads to the four-stall barn with rubber stall mats and pulverized rubber tiling beneath the wisteria-clad porches, as well as a regulation-sized rubber and sand dressage arena. The tile-roofed stable and rubber-matted washracks flank a cobblestone courtyard built around a flowering jacaranda tree.

In addition to the glorious surroundings and authentic ambiance of this elegant home, the new owners will enjoy all that the Ennisbrook community offers, including onsite private, gated access to the beautifully maintained Ennisbrook clubhouse facilities (clay and hard-surface tennis courts, pool, spa, and event facilities), along with miles of riding, walking, and jogging trails through Montecito along San Ysidro Creek, with woodland trail access immediately adjacent to the stables.

This incomparable offering grants the potential owner all of the benefits of residence within Montecito’s elite Ennisbrook estates, along with the elegant historic ambiance of one of Santa Barbara County’s oldest buildings, and the luxury of modern conveniences within the context of a truly authentic Early California lifestyle.