The Upham Hotel

Completely outdated and a relic from a bygone age. Terrible to non existent Wi-Fi. Old plumbing in the bathroom that stunk of sewage. Noisy floorboards in the room above. Old stained tile in the shower, indicative of a lack of remodeling in the last 20 years. Absolutely gross, cheap and unpleasant wine served at happy hour. Unhealthy processed cookies served at cookie hour. Very limited parking. No pool or hot tub. The restaurant was under renovation without any notice given prior to booking. The only pleasant part of our stay was the landscaping. This place made me feel like I was 80 years old. Would not recommend. No value for the price.

The grounds were peaceful and well maintained. The parking was not so great.

It was walking distance to the food hall and restaurants. Easy parking

everything was amazing except for the construction of one of the cottages at 7 o’clock in the morning. Must have woken everybody up in that vicinity. Also parking very limited but not a problem. Apart from that everything else was enjoyable. Staff was incredible. Having coffee in the morning wine at night also was great. And the landscaping super beautiful.

Parking is down hidden alleyway street so if driving at night go slow and look carefully! Overall, a wonderful experience and beautiful little place around the heart of downtown!

Garden setting and communal areas give the feeling of a bye-gone era. Off street parking included. Lovely staff.

This is a quaint old home converted to a hotel, so yes it's a smidge dated, but it's charming. The parking was full due to a wedding, so walking 3 blocks with luggage wasn't awesome, nor was hauling bags up steps, something we didn't consider. The room is plenty spacious, bed was comfortable, plugs are inconveniently located. It is very close to restaurants and shopping so that's a real plus. Real con, if you are a light sleeper, this isn't likely the place for you. we could hear everything around and above us, and late nighters and early morning bag flingers down the stairs were very disruptive. Then came the cleaning crews. But if you bring ear plugs or sleep like a coma, it would be no issue. Overall it's a great place, but it definitely has a few components that kept it from getting more stars.

The bathroom outlet did not work, parking spaces are too small and rarely available. Street parking is only 90 minutes. The garden area is very cute

The Inn is lovely - staff is pleasant and the “extras” are nice. Two issues with our stay - parking is tough, the lot was full but we were fortunate to get street parking. Also, it is an older Inn. Our room was a ground floor next to a stairway. It was very noisy. Our upstairs guests were very loud coming in and walked around the creaking floors until almost 12.30 and then were up again early. Sleeping was rough. We did like it there and if I came back I would select and upstairs room away from a main entrance.

The property is a set of Victorian-looking buildings and bungalows, connected by outdoor pathways. While the place seemed like it could offer an interesting boutique-hotel experience. we found it really underwhelmed relative to the price point. The property is minimally modernized -- like the device-charging options are minimal, lighting in the rooms is dim, and the AC did not succeed in cooling the room. "Complimentary parking" is listed as an amenity, but the hotel has 25 parking spots and 50 guest rooms, so 1/2 of guests have to park elsewhere. Between having to park offsite, and the fact that you have to go up and down stairs to get between the buildings and up to your room, trudging luggage around is a slog. Some of the hotel staff were very nice and very helpful, but others acted like guests' requests and questions were burdensome. Altogether staying here was not a good experience! Other places we've stayed in Santa Barbara were happy to have us and much better equipped.

Lovely hotel which is well situated to explore the centre of Santa Barbara. We walked to the shopping streets in a matter of minutes, although we drove to the main beaches at the end of our stay as we were short on time. Hotel grounds are nicely landscaped and well maintained, offering areas where you can sit and relax in the gardens for some quiet downtime. Out room was small, but perfect for our single overnight stay. Charming cottage style, of sorts. A nice mix of modern and traditional styling. Both the room and bathroom were clean, and there was also a little private gated terraced area where you could sit, just outside of the entrance to the room. Check-in was quick and simple, with the reception staff being polite and welcoming. Check-out was also very quick. On-site parking wasn't an issue for us, although I suspect it may be problematic in high season if the hotel is fully booked. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this accomodation, and I would certainly consider staying here again if in the Santa Barbara area

The grounds are beautiful and well kept. The room was spacious, but the furniture was very old, sofa stained, no counterspace in bathroom and closet was weird. I also had to carry my luggage up a large flight of carpeted stairs. The smell was musty. The cottages may be better. Luckily, I found parking on the grounds but didn't dare use my car to go anywhere for fear of having to find parking on the streets.

Property needs some maintenance. The rooms can be cleaner. Need power outlets and USB outlets. Bathrooms need exhaust vents.

The room smelled like mildew and the bathroom had hairs on the carpet from the previous guest. The location to the Main Street was excellent.

The hotel is historic and has lots of vintage charm especially in the common rooms. The gardens were beautiful and well manicured. Our room was nice, bed and pillows were comfy. The room did have a funky odor, like an old house smelll, but it eventually went away once we turned on the air conditioner. The place offered a continental breakfast which was basic with muffins, mandarin oranges, and coffee. Bagels, more fruit and juice would have been nice. The staff were friendly and helpful.

It’s a cute hotel from outside but rooms are terrible. My room was smelling so bad. Mist probably, there was mold everywhere. The furniture is old and smelly too. Bathroom is terrible too. The quality/price ratio is very poor.

Overall the experience at the Upham was satisfactory; the staff, the lobby, the grounds and the happy hour all added to the experience. However, given the price ($500) for one night, the room was extremely small, the air conditioner was poor, the carpeting was stained, there was no television signal, the bedding/bath linens were only mediocre and the hallway carpeting was filthy. Unfortunately, with all the other options in Santa Barbara, we won’t be returning to this property.

I recently stayed at the Upham Hotel in Santa Barbara, and unfortunately, my experience left much to be desired. It's with disappointment that I share this critical review of my stay, as I had expected more from this supposedly historic and charming establishment. The cleanliness of the room was far from satisfactory. The shower in our room was plagued with mold, which is not only unsightly but also poses health risks. Mold in a hotel room is simply unacceptable, as it reflects a lack of proper maintenance and cleanliness standards. Our sheets and duvet on the bed were stained with a mysterious yellow substance, and it left me wondering about the overall hygiene of the room. Another major issue we encountered was the noise disturbance. The hotel failed to inform us in advance about the ongoing construction outside our room window. Waking up to the sound of construction work was not the peaceful and serene experience I had hoped for when booking this stay. This lack of transparency regarding the construction was a major inconvenience and disruption to our vacation. To make matters worse, one morning, a trash truck arrived at 5 am, and its noise was nothing short of deafening. This early wake-up call was unexpected and extremely unpleasant. It's baffling that the hotel did not take measures to minimize this disturbance for its guests, such as scheduling trash pickups at more reasonable hours. The prices were quite high to not have a good night's sleep...

One of the best hotels have every state at. Very Charming and very clean

Grounds are very pretty but room is outdated, smells a little moldy, lack of outlets. Way overpriced for comfort and amenities.

Staff was great, area was clean. Rooms are small but nice little patio

The property is lovely and the room very nice. Only down sides were the difficult parking, no Netflix/streaming service, and the room was very damp/musty. It could use a dehumidifier.

Room was cute but a little small.

Rooms are small and extremely outdated. Air conditioning barely works. Smells old - like staying in your grandmothers attic.

Rooms in main building are spacious and well set up. Rooms in the back of the property around the property are poor upkeep, no place to hang clothes or travel bags, very noisy fans that made it impossible to sleep, extremely small cabins, and just lukewarm water. Check in was a bit haphazard directions to get to the cabin type room that we were assigned to, which was nothing like the posted pictures of the rooms. After the first night, the Front desk representative moved us to a proper room in the main building, which was quite nice and very spacious, likely an upgrade. Absolutely would not recommend any rooms in the back of the property. Breakfast is pretty lean pickings with not very fresh pastry selections

Nice hotel, my favorite for the money in Santa Barbara. It was comfortable, clean, and cozy with great outdoor garden to lounge in. Dry nice staff. My only complaints would be that there were no plugs beside the bed on my side of the bed for my CPAP machine, and the WiFi was so weak in our room that it was essentially non-functional at all. In 2025 you would think a strong WiFi signal in every room would be a given, but not so. If we wanted a strong WiFi for internet we had to go to the lobby.

This is a quaint old home converted to a hotel, so yes it's a smidge dated, but it's charming. The parking was full due to a wedding, so walking 3 blocks with luggage wasn't awesome, nor was hauling bags up steps, something we didn't consider. The room is plenty spacious, bed was comfortable, plugs are inconveniently located. It is very close to restaurants and shopping so that's a real plus. Real con, if you are a light sleeper, this isn't likely the place for you. we could hear everything around and above us, and late nighters and early morning bag flingers down the stairs were very disruptive. Then came the cleaning crews. But if you bring ear plugs or sleep like a coma, it would be no issue. Overall it's a great place, but it definitely has a few components that kept it from getting more stars.

Omg, The Upham is a great hotel & cottage place to stay in Santa Barbara! The staff Veronica, Samantha & Ana were superior to my stay for 3 nights. I gave it 4 stars because of the WiFi. If you have work to do plan for slow wifi or set time for work getting done in a nearby cafe. Otherwise, enjoy your stay!! If you need anything, just ask the front desk. It’s a great experience.

Very comfortable, spacious room, great bed. Wine time, cookies, great coffee. Only complaint is not enough water pressure in shower.

The property is a set of Victorian-looking buildings and bungalows, connected by outdoor pathways. While the place seemed like it could offer an interesting boutique-hotel experience. we found it really underwhelmed relative to the price point. The property is minimally modernized -- like the device-charging options are minimal, lighting in the rooms is dim, and the AC did not succeed in cooling the room. "Complimentary parking" is listed as an amenity, but the hotel has 25 parking spots and 50 guest rooms, so 1/2 of guests have to park elsewhere. Between having to park offsite, and the fact that you have to go up and down stairs to get between the buildings and up to your room, trudging luggage around is a slog. Some of the hotel staff were very nice and very helpful, but others acted like guests' requests and questions were burdensome. Altogether staying here was not a good experience! Other places we've stayed in Santa Barbara were happy to have us and much better equipped.

The staff was very helpful allowing me to store my luggage as i arrived earlier than expected. Their restaurant recommendation was great and I enjoyed my lunch. Loved the greenspace in the middle of the compund. Enjoyed a glass of wine from happy hour while taking in the garden and watching the wildlife. Can't say enough about the staff making me feel at home!

All personnel were very helpful especially Natalia and bill bradford Will be back soon

The property itself is very nice and has a quaint Santa Barbara cottage vibe. However, we had a situation with our room where it was supposed to have two beds versus one. The front desk was so aggressive and rude about the situation and unhelpful. I also witnessed them being incredibly disrespectful to an older gentleman who was trying to find his group. I’d be wary of staying here again because of this. However, the young lady at the front was very sweet.

The front desk person was wonderful - friendly and attentive.

Checked in late, about 2330. The clerk only offered an upstairs room with a long narrow staircase (Lincoln Bldg). He didn'to meñtion the unique requirements to get room service. We spent three nights and never received room service. It seems you have the place the placard requesting room service on your exterior door knob or you don't get any. This is totally unacceptable at this price point.

Very disappointed in this hotel. The people above us partied all night until 2 pm. Called the front desk and they did nothing. They offer to move us but it was 1 in the morning and we were leaving at 7. Who changes room at 1 in the morning.

Great staff and stay.

This hotel was perfect one of my most comfortable stays rooms tidy and nice. Complimentary wine was delicious. Front desk was extremely helpful and nice. Shout out to Veronica at the front desk made the experience feel so comfortable and welcoming.

Staff was exemplary, manager Bill was awesome and natalia was as well. They were helpful and supportive, my daughter was getting married at the courthouse and they made our stay so pleasant!!

Staff was very nice

Lovely hotel which is well situated to explore the centre of Santa Barbara. We walked to the shopping streets in a matter of minutes, although we drove to the main beaches at the end of our stay as we were short on time. Hotel grounds are nicely landscaped and well maintained, offering areas where you can sit and relax in the gardens for some quiet downtime. Out room was small, but perfect for our single overnight stay. Charming cottage style, of sorts. A nice mix of modern and traditional styling. Both the room and bathroom were clean, and there was also a little private gated terraced area where you could sit, just outside of the entrance to the room. Check-in was quick and simple, with the reception staff being polite and welcoming. Check-out was also very quick. On-site parking wasn't an issue for us, although I suspect it may be problematic in high season if the hotel is fully booked. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this accomodation, and I would certainly consider staying here again if in the Santa Barbara area

Nice property. Like 5 min uber ride to state street.

Amazing stay at the historic Upham Hotel. The gardens were beautiful. The amenities were nice as well: wine hour, cookies, and a continental breakfast. Wonderful location and very comfortable. I would definitely stay there again!

A lovely place to stay very close to downtown.

This is a very charming property and the grounds are beautiful! The bed was comfortable but the room was very cold in the mornings. We were able to walk to restaurants and shops.

The hotel is in a really good location. Easy to walk to State Street where there are a lot of shops. But also to attractions, museums, historical sites, and the wharf area. Our room was cozy and quiet. The grounds are nicely kept. The only negative is a small one. There are not enough electric outlets for charging our electronics at the same time.

Nice location, quiet

Great location, easily walkable to state st. and food. Lovely property.

Great location. Beautiful grounds. Friendly staff.

Very cute and simple, fantastic location. Walkable to downtown.

The common areas, inside and out, were quite pleasant. Great to have coffee and pastries in the morning, and a glass of wine at night.

Quiet, comfortable, with an old Santa Barbara vibe. Very nice spread for breakfast and walkable to the center district-if you like to walk. I’ll stay again.

Safe, quiet. Terrible breakfast with stale pastries.

This is a lovely property very convenient to walk to restaurants, shopping and coffee shops. Pillows could better but didn't diminish our enjoyment of the lovely porch and happy hour! The restaurant was closed but will definitely make a nice option when available

Wonderful hotel and staff. Close to dining and State st. We would absolutely stay there again. The continental breakfast could be upscale…Particularly the coffee and baked goods

Amazing stay at the historic Upham Hotel. The gardens were beautiful. The amenities were nice as well: wine hour, cookies, and a continental breakfast. Wonderful location and very comfortable. I would definitely stay there again!

Beautiful grounds and excellent breakfast options (selections included oatmeal, boiled eggs, pastries, bagels, orange juice, coffee, yogurt, apples and bananas) The room was very clean and tastefully decorated.

Overall a good stay but we really miss the restaurant and the actual breakfasts they used to offer

Rooms are small and cold, poor lighting, bouncy/uncomfortable bed, and privacy is a concern. No breakfast available. Grounds were beautiful and front desk attendant was great, but other than that, not much to offer.

Bring back breakfast