The Upham Hotel, Santa Barbara’s oldest continuously operating hotel, is celebrating 150 years of hospitality this year, having first opened in 1871.
When the hotel was first established by Amasa Lincoln, it was known as the Lincoln House and served as a “New England-style boarding house” to welcome settlers arriving in Santa Barbara.
Today, the hotel, now owned by developer Carl Johnson, serves guests from around the world in its 50 guest rooms across the original main building, the Lincoln Building annex, the restored Carriage House and seven garden cottages.
According to “The Upham Hotel: Celebrating 125 Years of Santa Barbara Hospitality,” a book written by Laura Kath Fraser in 1996 for the hotel’s 125th anniversary, the Lincoln family owned and operated the Lincoln House until 1880, after which multiple owners have operated the hotel.
In 1898, Cyrus Upham purchased the Lincoln House and renamed it the Hotel Upham.
Soon after, in 1904, Upham had the annex built, adding 12 guest rooms.
In 1915 and 1916, under the ownership of Ira Goodridge, the cottages were built, starting with the “Rose Cottage” and the “Iris Cottage,” followed by the “Lotus Cottage” in 1922 and the “Hibiscus Cottage” in 1929.
The Upham Hotel continued to be operated by several different owners until 1982, when current owner Carl Johnson purchased and restored the hotel with upgraded heating and hot water systems, gas-burning fireplaces and Victorian-style décor.
Johnson also restored the Carriage House in 1988.
“We’re always adding, always improving,” said current and newest general manager Bill Bradford, who has been at the Upham for about three months.
Bradford said he plans to hold a celebration for the 150th anniversary in the fall, to “do something nice” for guests and staff over a weekend at the hotel.
During the past 150 years, The Upham Hotel has survived two world wars, the 1918 pandemic, a 1925 earthquake and — most recently — the COVID-19 pandemic.
“[The Upham Hotel] always managed to stay open,” Bradford said.
The hotel remained open during the COVID-19 closures, and Bradford said the Upham had four or five long-term guests during the height of the pandemic. While many employees were furloughed, Bradford said that most of the staff has returned, including one housekeeper who has been with the hotel for about 36 years.
In the past, The Upham Hotel welcomed a lot of corporate or business groups, but now, according to Bradford, the hotel is focusing more on its leisure guests.
As COVID-19 restrictions started to loosen up, guest booking patterns changed as well.
“We used to get reservations normally three to four months out,” Bradford said. “Now it’s three to four days.”
Most of the hotel’s recent guests have been coming from within the state, such as from the Los Angeles area or from the Bay Area. Bradford said that guest reservations from across the country have started to pick up again, though.
Although specific plans for after the pandemic remain uncertain, Bradford said that he would like to eventually have spa services offered at the hotel.
He said the hotel is currently looking into mobile vendors, as well as how to convert one of its current meeting rooms into an area that can be used for spa treatments in a way that is still flexible enough to convert back into a function space when needed.
While The Upham Hotel may not offer as many special amenities as other hotels, such as pools or fitness centers, guests don’t seem to mind.
“I don’t get any complaints about that,” Bradford said. “People like the solace, they like to be able to just relax.”
Bradford said that one of the Upham’s main amenities is the outdoor garden area, which features a gazebo and chairs for sitting out in the sun.
The Upham Hotel’s “second claim to fame,” after its long history, is its location, Bradford said. On the corner of De la Vina and Sola streets, the hotel is near State Street and many parks, and close, but not too close, to the beach.
Over the years, The Upham Hotel has been recognized on both city and state levels, with the Santa Barbara Beautiful award in July 1976 and recognition from the California Historical Society as a Centennial Business in 1983.
The hotel’s original building and annex were designated as a city landmark in 1980.
While Bradford is relatively new to his position, he expressed an appreciation for the charm and history of the Upham and said he hopes to leave his legacy on the hotel.
“We kind of have our own uniqueness,” Bradford said. “As in any business, you try to identify who your competitors are. I honestly don’t know [who The Upham Hotel’s competitors are].”
— Noozhawk staff writer Serena Guentz can be reached at sguentz@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.