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The Upham Hotel embraces its legacy while providing modern day amenities with historic charm. As a boutique property, the hotel has 50 rooms and suites located in the original inn and surrounding garden cottages. With its iconic sweeping redwood verandas, the landmark property combines the intimacy of curated rooms and suites with the convenience of a full service hotel and conference facility. We are located in Santa Barbara’s vibrant downtown theatre, arts and historic district, surrounded by sun drenched beaches, Santa Ynez Wine Country and the Channel Islands.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Historic Hotel
Classic
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
1404 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-3027
The Upham Hotel
4.3 reviews
Getting there
Good for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
I come to Santa Barbara often, and this turned out to be my favorite place to stay. Charming, quiet, safe spot near the downtown area, and the staff were kind and attentive. My only gripes were just a couple of minor things: sheets were a little rough, cookies served were cheap store bought. Given how lovely this place turned out to be, I’d love to see those things get as much thought as everything else.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Michael Green, Guest Services / Front Office at The Upham Hotel
Responded Aug 8, 2024
Dear 951lindaa, Thank you for your valued feedback. We thank you for returning to Santa Barbara and staying at your favorite property here. We are happy to see you enjoyed our breathtaking but yet historical property, our beautiful premium location, and our amazing hardworking team. The desert we present with our happy hour are from a local bakery we have deliver here and we will discuss these items in our daily management meeting. We thank you for choosing to stay with us and we hope to have the pleasure to serve you once again in the amazing Santa Barbara. Best Regards, Michael Green, Front Desk Manager, The Upham Hotel Santa Barbara, CA
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
At first I was apprehensive staying in a hotel from 1871 since I am a terrible sleeper and enjoy modern conveniences. Bill, the manager, did not help when he said I had a terrible room for sleep. To his credit, he was able to switch me to an upper room that was peaceful and very functional with period furniture but modern amenities. The bathroom was spacious and the room, along with the entire property, was very peaceful. Not sure why the wall air conditioner had to be positioned right next to the desk and bed making it impossible to leave on when I was in the room. Luckily it wasn't too hot. Erica, at check in , was extremely helpful and friendly. A great resource during our stay and very pleasant to chat with over complimentary wine. The continental breakfast is nice and everything is individually wrapped and most appropriate for a pandemic. Hot food would be nice, maybe someday it will come back. The onsite restaurant is amazing. Excellent food, outdoor seating, and service. A little far from the beach as my non walker friend would complain, but otherwise a great choice.
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Date of stay: May 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Try not to face the street if you are a light sleeper
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tamara Bushnell, General Manager at The Upham Hotel
Responded Jun 20, 2022
Thank you so much for staying with us! We are happy that we were able to find you the accommodations for a restful stay. We appreciate the shoutout to the staff that helped make sure your experience was a great one. We hope to see you again soon.
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There was no disclosure about zero maid service either in the making of the reservation or during check-in. When we called for service, the front desk was not very nice. With or without Covid and California laws, there has been no other hotel in the nation that has denied housekeeping to us in the past year. Including the three nights in Newport Beach that directly preceded this stay in Santa Barbara. Despite my wanting to be generous and understanding about the whole thing, i found the handling of the situation to be far less then.
Otherwise, the room was cute. the wall a/c unit worked like a champ. there were no breakfast options on site--again probably due to Covid, but the hotel is easily walkable to many other great choices.
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Date of stay: May 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from William Bradford, General Manager at The Upham Hotel
Responded Jun 12, 2021
Thank you for your comments about your recent stay with us and I regret that we didn't meet your expectations regarding the housekeeping changes that have been made to accommodate pandemic driven guidelines. With that said I sincerely apologize for the staff response to your requests and will look further into how we can prevent that from happening again as we move forward. We hope you will consider staying with us again when you're in the Santa Barbara area. Meanwhile have a great summer and stay safe! Best, Bill
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I recently returned from a two night stay at the Upham. My husband and I stayed in room 61 in the main building.
The hotel is charming, with lovely grounds. The lobby is relaxing and the afternoon glass of wine by the fire place is a nice touch. I appreciated the bottle of wine we received at check in and the free on site parking. Not sure if all room categories receive a free bottle of wine.
Our room was on the second floor in the Main Building and I didn't see an elevator, so keep that in mind if you have mobility concerns. Our room was somewhat clean. However, the carpet was filthy and frayed and the door did not fit into the frame leaving a large gap for hallway light to come in at night. Our room was also extremely drafty and cold.
The hotel manager Bill did his best to address our concern that the heater in the room did not work. He gave us two space heaters, one for the bedroom and one for the bathroom. He also had weather stripping placed on the door to stop some of the draft and keep the light out. I am grateful to him for that. He of course could not address the carpet as it needs to be removed.
Parking at the hotel, while free, is very very tight and extremely limited. I chose to leave my car at the hotel for my entire stay and either walk or take ubber. The hotel is centrally located so I didn't need my car and I was afraid no parking would be availableif I did move my car. I would tell guests not to move their vehicle if at all possible because parking is nightmarish. All restaurants are within a 2 block walking radius from the hotel and the water front is about a 30 minute leisurely walk.
The room rate was about $250 a night not including taxes, so the Upham is definitely not a low cost option. Given the need for extensive room renovations I think the price is high. A complimentary continental breakfast is included.
All in all the hotel is not the most comfortable as far as rest and relaxation is concerned due to the size of the room, the need for renovations and draft. But it definitely wins in terms of convenience. I'm doubtful I would return without first trying other options.
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Date of stay: December 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Arrive early if possible for a parking space and try not to move your car. Make sure the heating...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Denise Spain, General Manager at The Upham Hotel
Responded Jan 11, 2022
Thank you Debbie for your valuable feedback...I was nice to speak with both of you during your stay. We will continue to improve the physical property as we head into the future as well address the flooring concerns which is underway as we speak. I regret that we did not meet all of your expectations during your recent stay but hope you will return again someday to have a better experience and enjoy the improvements that will take place over this next year. Meanwhile, safe travels and stay healthy. Best,
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From the outside the Upham still holds its charm. The grounds are beautiful, the staff is friendly, and the main reception area is quaint. Unfortunately, when you turn the key and open the door to your room, the quaintness disappears. Rooms are run down with cracked tiles, stains on the furniture, and a general lack of upkeep. Breakfast is prepackaged and uninteresting while the wine “happy hour” is some glasses on a counter with a quick pour from the front desk clerk. It’s time for a little rehab to bring the Upham back to life.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from William Bradford, General Manager at The Upham Hotel
Responded Jan 26, 2023
Dear JM, Thank you so much for the great feedback. We appreciate your honest opinion about your experience and where we can improve. I regret that we did not meet all of your expectations but want you to know that we are making progress in all those areas you mentioned as we start the new year, with the hopes of making significant changes to our operation and the amenities we have to offer. We will also take a closer look at your particular room to determine what actions or upgrades we can make that will have more of an immediate impact on our guest experience. We hope you will return again one day and enjoy the changes we have made up to that point. Take care and safe travels!
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Our recent visit was our third stay at the Upham Hotel over the past few years and sadly, probably our last. The hotel is well located in an appealing part of upper State street. Though the building still retains its inherent charm and the gardens are lovely and well-maintained, the furnishings and condition of the rooms have gotten progressively worse. The King garden room, at $400/night had a cheaply refurbished bathroom with a fan that made a lot of noise, but functioned poorly, and heating lights which similarly made a lot of noise, but provided zero heat. The main bedroom/living room had inadequate heating and the carpet needed a cleaning. I agree with several other reviewers in stating that this should not be called a bed and breakfast, the latter that they provide being virtually inedible.... the kind of breakfast that might be provided at a cheap roadside motel.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from William Bradford, General Manager at The Upham Hotel
Responded Feb 24, 2023
Dear Josees966, Thank you for your feedback regarding your recent stay with us. I regret that we did not meet your expectations, particularly as a return guest to our property. We are entering into a period of upgrading and will use this information to help plan for some of those changes. You are correct in stating that we are not a bed and breakfast and actually considered to be more of a boutique hotel given the services we provide. It is certainly a fine line and apologize for any confusion in the many publications and travel websites out there. Our breakfast will evolve at some point and I sincerely hope you will give us another opportunity at some point, to meet or exceed your expectation. Sincerely, Bill
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The reviews seemed good, the location was right but business practices leave a lot to be desired.
On a recent trip to Santa Barbara we tried the Upham for three nights. They offered breakfast included (the pictures showed eggs, fruit and other items of a complete breakfast). The reservation agent not the phone confirmed the breakfast.
When we show up, notwithstanding that they had a fully functioning restaurant on the promised, we were told a cookie and a scone was in our room but there is no breakfast due to Covid. Note the reservation was made during Covid as were the representations.
So at the time that we asked for directions to a place to get breakfast in town we gently inquired about a small credit to cover the three days of breakfasts. The answers .. astounding
"Well the cost of our hotel is cheaper than other hotels" "I understand you would like to bargain"
Wow. A few comments - The hospitality industry is build on doing the right thing. The reservation was booked with the understanding that certain services were going to be provided. It was advertised as such and confirmed as such. To suggest that ours hotel is cheaper than others therefore if we don't give you what we promise then to bad is exceptional in its level of bad business practice.
To suggest that a soft request for recompense for a promised service touted as part of the Upham "experience" is insulting at best.
And a final comment from the manager who was acting under the owners direction "i understand... but if we do it for you others will want it" Amazing - others should be offered it as they check in - they are paying for what they are not receiving!
This is not the way to run a hospitality business
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Date of stay: July 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from William Bradford, General Manager at The Upham Hotel
Responded Jul 7, 2021
Dear jane5555, Thank you again for your feedback regarding your recent stay with us. I sincerely regret that our current offerings in lieu of the continental breakfast that we offered previously were not what you expected, and that my decision not to offer you compensation for breakfast over the three days you were here, took away from your overall experience at the hotel. As I mentioned during our conversation in the lobby, we are moving as fast as possible towards a different morning alternative and hope that you will return and stay with us again someday to experience those changes, once things return to some normalcy within our community. Best,
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We booked a suite; sitting room separate from the bedroom. Unfortunately, we couldn't use the sitting room because there were no heating vents and the room was very cold (the temperature in Santa Barbara this morning was 39 degrees). So we really only had the use of one room where the heater is. Also, one needs to run the water in the shower for a long time waiting for it to get hot. As another reviewer wrote, it's not really a B&B because the "breakfast" is inedible fare: cellophane-wrapped pastries like you would find at a 711 store. I also agree with the other reviewer about the pathetic "happy hour" - better not to offer than to put out a glass of wine with no crackers or cheese. It felt very cheap. The lobby fireplace was nice though. The grounds are pretty and well-maintained. The bed was comfortable. Parking is good. The staff was very friendly but it is not on par with other B&B options nearby although prices are comparable to the Cheshire Cat B&B (which, last time we stayed, offered a lovely breakfast). We will not stay at the Upham again.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from William Bradford, General Manager at The Upham Hotel
Responded Feb 24, 2023
Dear Amy, Thank you for your detailed review of our property. I regret that we did not meet your expectations during your stay with us and want you to know that we will make changes to our operation as time goes on and hopefully address many of the concerns you mentioned. It has been a challenge to evolve after COVID and we will get there at some point with the hopes that someday you will give us another chance to impress you. Sincerely, Bill
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The Upham hotel is highly overrated -starting with the parking which is totally inadequate. When I inquired at the desk I was told "first come, first served". Because of the parking situation we felt we could not take our car out in the evening which put a real damper on our stay. Our king room was spacious but had a very unpleasant smell which didn't go away even with the windows open. And there was no heat in the bathroom. Breakfast was ample but not what we expected at a B&B. Everything was packed in plastic like you would find at your gas station market. The only positive of the Upham is it's location. It is definitely not an upscale experience.
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Date of stay: February 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Stay somewhere else
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from William Bradford, General Manager at The Upham Hotel
Responded Feb 24, 2023
Thank you Jean for your feedback on your recent stay with us. I regret that the parking situation took away from your experience and certainly has been a long-time challenge for our 152-year-old property. We try to let everyone know prior to arrival that on-site parking is complimentary but limited and that overnight parking is available on the surrounding streets. Again we apologize that information wasn't provided to you before you arrived. As for the continental breakfast we offer, please know that it will evolve soon as we experiment with different items that will we can introduce while still keeping COVID concerns in check and still making our guests feel safe about how we present them. We hope you will give us another opportunity to meet or exceed your expectations when visiting Santa Barbara again in the future. Sincerely, Bill
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Charming, comfortable room, great parking, perfect location. In the late afternoon they served free wine. The service was very good. The indoor garden gave an extra elegance to the environment. There was no breakfast included, like most hotels in the US, but they offered fruit at the reception.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Staff at the front desk are extremely helpful. We arrived by car but walked everywhere once we got to the Upham. Maps, public transport info etc all available from staff.
There are more places to choose from in the Santa Barbara area.
PRICE RANGE
$260 - $380 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the upham hotel santa barbara, upham santa barbara, upham hotel santa barbara
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSanta Barbara
NUMBER OF ROOMS
50
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including any mandatory fees. Taxes not included. Please see our partners for more details.
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