The Simpson House Inn is Santa Barbara's most celebrated small inn and the romantic alternative to the big hotels. The main house is an 1874 Victorian estate home, a designated city historic landmark, set in about an acre of English gardens behind high hedges on East Arrellaga Street, a quiet residential block a short walk from the top of the State Street promenade. Step through the gate and the city disappears: lawns, roses, fountains, shady paths and garden seating surround the house, the Carriage House and the English Garden Cottages, which together hold just fifteen rooms, suites and cottages. The intimacy is the point. Rooms are individually decorated in a traditional style with antiques and fine linens, and the cottages and carriage-house suites offer extra privacy and space. What is included is generous: a gourmet breakfast each morning, an evening wine and hors d'oeuvres hour, self-parking (a real saving downtown), and bikes and beach equipment to borrow. The location balances calm and convenience. You can walk to the Arlington Theatre, the Museum of Art, the courthouse and the restaurants of upper State Street in minutes, and the Old Mission and Mission Canyon are a short drive uphill. Check-in is from mid-afternoon, reservations are essential, and the inn is entirely smoke-free. For anniversaries, honeymoons and anyone who prefers a garden, a breakfast table and a host to a lobby and a pool, this is the stay.
The inn is a link to a Santa Barbara that predates the Spanish Revival makeover. In the 1870s the city's wealthy built Victorian houses on the then-edge of town, and the Simpson House is one of the finest survivors, its garden a reminder of how much green space those estates held. The inn has long ranked among the most acclaimed bed-and-breakfasts in California, and the care shows in the garden's upkeep, the breakfast and the evening hour, which brings guests together over local wines in a way large hotels cannot.
Choosing a room: rooms in the main house have the most Victorian character; the English Garden Cottages and Carriage House suites are quieter and more private, often with extra space, and are the pick for honeymoons. Book well ahead for weekends and festival dates. Use the included parking and bikes: the beach is about twenty minutes by bike downhill, the State Street promenade much closer. Breakfast timing and the wine hour make natural bookends to a day.
Who should stay: couples above all, plus culture lovers who want to walk to the Arlington, the museum and downtown dining, and travelers who value calm. It is not the choice for families with young children seeking pools and activities, or for those who want to be on the beach; for that, look to the waterfront hotels.
Why stay here
- ✓1874 Victorian estate
- ✓Acre of English gardens
- ✓Fifteen rooms, suites and cottages
- ✓Gourmet breakfast included
- ✓Evening wine and hors d oeuvres
- ✓Free self-parking
- ✓Bikes and beach gear to borrow
- ✓Walk to State Street and the Arlington
Good questions
What is included at the Simpson House Inn?+
A gourmet breakfast, an evening wine and hors d'oeuvres hour, self-parking, and bikes and beach equipment to borrow.
Can we walk to State Street?+
Yes. The inn is on a quiet block a short walk from upper State Street, the Arlington Theatre and the Museum of Art. The beach is a longer walk or an easy bike ride downhill.
Which rooms are most private?+
The English Garden Cottages and Carriage House suites, set apart from the main Victorian house in the gardens.
