The Upham Hotel

We loved our stay at the Upham! We had a great room in the Lincoln building! The room was so clean, and big! We even ate at the hotel restaurant - highly recommend! Close to all of the fun spots in Santa Barbara! Can’t wait to come back!!

Parking was easy

This hotel was opened in 1876 by a relative of Abraham Lincoln. It is a really charming property and our favorite of the 4 hotels we stayed at during our trip up the California coast. It was the only hotel that still provided daily maid service unless you put out your "do not disturb" sign. Personally, I only ever need towel and trash service for a short stay, but I was so happy that the hotel is doing well enough to continue this tradition. The gardens around the property were beautiful and well-maintained. Everywhere we looked there were employees tending the garden, cleaning the property, and making repairs (the gazebo was being repaired while we were there). We saw more employees at this small, boutique hotel than at any of the larger hotels we stayed at. It is basically a bed and breakfast, since they provide a bountiful continental breakfast in the mornings, wine in the evenings, and cookies and milk at night. The location is so close to State Street (the main street in downtown Santa Barbara) that we just walked to breakfast, lunch and dinner, unless we wanted to go somewhere a bit farther away. We would gladly stay there again!

There was a lots of noise from above floor until 11 pm

Polished & Constructive The property has a lot of charm, and I’ve enjoyed staying here in the past—particularly in the suite—but this recent visit was disappointing. The bungalow rooms are in serious need of an upgrade. The bathroom, in particular, was difficult to use (the shower setup felt cramped and outdated), and the room had a noticeable musty smell. Another major issue is the noise—walls are extremely thin, making it easy to hear everything from neighboring rooms unless you’re in a more secluded (and pricier) unit. Service was also underwhelming. The front desk staff came across as somewhat disengaged and not especially solution-oriented. For example, when the property’s ice machine broke, the response was more dismissive than helpful, and basic alternatives weren’t proactively offered. I really loved my stay back in 2021, but this time around, the experience didn’t justify the price. Without some meaningful updates and improvements, I’d be hesitant to return.