Fast checking/out. No frills hotel, yet very pricey. A bit convoluted to get to rooms and parking is sketchy. Truly not worth $25 per night. Rooftop was okay, yet the flooring was not secure. Very noisy from street, traffic and pedestrians. Yet has good location. For $, I will stay at La Bahia next time. read more

Marea Sol Hotel - Partial view from rooftop - Hotels Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Tried to contact hotel to explain my bad review and complaints. Got a reply saying management team would reach out to me. Two weeks later...no response from management. Clearly, they don't care about the customer's experience. I CANNOT recommend this hotel to future visitors. read more

I called ahead to inform the hotel that I would be bringing my two small emotional support animals. I was happy to provide any necessary documentation, though I didn't have my card ID on me at that exact moment. During the call, the representative asked what my dogs were "for." I explained that they are mental health support animals. She then stated that the hotel does not allow "those kinds" of support animals and that they must be for "real issues like low blood sugar or something." I was honestly taken aback. Mental health is a legitimate medical condition, and emotional support animals serve a real purpose for many individuals. I've never encountered this type of response when traveling before. She mentioned she would speak with her manager and call me back. However, after discussing it with my spouse, we decided to book elsewhere. We chose The Paradox, where our dogs were welcomed and the service was far more professional and understanding. Disappointed with the handling of the situation. A little more training and sensitivity around mental health would go a long way. read more

Last minute trip! Driving and parking to the lobby entrance is a very tight space. I would suggest parking upstairs in their lot and the. Walking to the lobby to check in. The only con : No lobby carts so you will have to carry your things either up the stairs or the elevator which is pass the pool. We paid for an ocean view and had room 305. It was very nice can't complain. I love that we were literally so close to the boardwalk! Down the street is Beach Street Cafe , yummy! read more

See all

Do NOT stay here. There was mold in our bathroom and when reported, we were not offered a room change or compensation. Only things going for it are its location and cafe read more

Had very high hopes since I had read such positive reviews. The only thing I can say is that the location is great. Everything else was extremely mediocre and high priced. Rooms were okay, clean but had the vibe of a Holiday Inn. Nothing special. Our bathroom wall had mold on it. We pointed that out to the front desk and they were completely indifferent. They told us to take pictures and send them to a company email. 24 hours later, we have not received any reply. Bottom line: nothing special, expensive, not worth it read more

What a great little Hotel with a view. There's unfortunately no continental breakfast included, but there is a café attached to the hotel that serves danishes and coffee. The parking was sufficient and on hotel grounds the rooms are clean and quaint. It is very close to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk if you're looking for good food. I'd suggest going elsewhere. It is scarce around there however firefly coffee a 10 minute walk up the street has fantastic bagel sandwiches, breakfast burritos, and coffee. read more

Marea Sol Hotel - This is the view from room 302 with a private little balcony - Hotels Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

See all

Cutesy and demure hotel with one really friendly employee. Best location! Across from board walk & walkable to a few restaurants . A good 10 min walk to the pier or Wharf. Stayed for a weekend for mama & me annual S.I.B. 5k-10k Run. We all loved this place, perfect for the 4 of us. Had 2 queen beds, refrigerator in room. Coffee maker. 1 closet & dresser with tv. Desk with lamp. No microwave. Bathroom updated. Has attached body wash, shampoo, conditioner & lotions available to use. In quaint lobby you will find a mini $ snack area with the only microwave. a few tables/chairs & tv & visitor pamphlets. Parking can be a challenge with 25 or so spaces, lower and upper back levels. Paid parking with stay. Cute pool with lounge chairs on main floor in the middle of hotel. Pool towels available by the locked gate. Only ice machine close by. Us 4 enjoyed the pool together but if more people there, would have felt cramped. Safe & secure building with access to elevator or hallways with room key. There is a coffee cafe with pastries and a few sandwiches available for purchase located on main boardwalk area. We enjoyed our stay and had no issues. Price of room moderate for the area. read more

See all

Don't skip this place-it's small but mighty! The concierge who checked us in was SO nice and welcoming - can't remember her name but tall, curly hair, has a baby at home. She greeted us promptly and informed us that our room was upgraded to a king suite with a partial ocean view. My husband and I were there to celebrate 10 years together, so it was a lovely surprise! I'm a STICKLER about cleanliness in hotels. There was not even a single hair or streaked window here. It was perfectly clean and therefore super comfortable. The suite's balcony was gorgeous and one of our favorite places to be. The location is spot on. The beach and boardwalk are right across the street as is the pier. Downtown area is a short ~10 minute walk. There is a cafe on site but it's limited.... and slow. We considered a ton of lodging options - Dream Inn, Sea & Sand, AirBnB. Ultimately, the cost and quality of Marea Sol is the best in it's class. We can't wait to bring our son next time! read more

Just booked a last-minute-impulse get-away to Marea Sol Hotel in Santa Cruz. In spite of some of the negative Yelp reviews, I still give this place 5 stars. Yes, the hotel next door is still under construction and won't be completed until 2025, but this is still no fault of Marea Sol. However, being that we did an overnighter Saturday/Sunday, there was no construction going on, so there was peace in the valley. John, Dennis, and the rest of the staff were very friendly and down to earth people. Totally not sure how some may have perceived them in a negative light. Location-wise, you couldn't find a better property. We were literally across the street from the Boardwalk. So the hassle of looking for a parking space was not an issue. Unfortunately, they do charge separately for parking. But it still beats looking for a space, while visiting the Boardwalk, with time limits. The hotel itself is a small boutique hotel with a modern flair. Our room was very clean and eco-friendly. The view was not the greatest, but then again, there's not much to see at night time, considering we spent the whole day on the beach. The only 2 downsides, which are very minute, is 1) the malfunctioning safe that we couldn't get open; and 2) the inoperable balcony door lock. But since we were on the 4th floor, it really wasn't an issue. The area seemed pretty safe & secure. All in all, our short little stay was very therapeutic, and we can't wait to go back again. read more

Marea Sol Hotel - Hotel view from the pier. - Hotels Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I loved this hotel and the location. The room was spacious with a separate bedroom from the living area. The only feedback I have is I was told my card was declined and the front desk staff stated, "insufficient funds" very loudly. I had actually locked my card via the app due to my son making purchases on his game that I was unaware of. Rather than giving me the opportunity to login and unlock it, they promptly asked for a different card. Secondly, the parking garage is extremely small and I was informed my vehicle could not park in the compact area in the front which would have made it much easier to take our luggage into the room as there is only one entrance. Upon walking to the beach, there were Jeeps and oversized vehicles much larger than mine parked overnight in the "compact" area. It would have been a nice gesture to allow us to park in the compact in order to unload our items and then move to the tiny garage or offer a cart. The front desk individual could use better training, in my opinion and be fair to all guests. I was also informed I needed to move my vehicle from the garage upon checkout at 11 am. I have never experienced a hotel requesting a vehicle to be moved upon checkout when parking was paid for. I would return to this hotel; hopefully the next trip they have a bit more decorum. read more

See all

Hotel looks beautiful from the outside. Location is wonderful across from the beach and the boardwalk. One star review for many reasons. Online marketing is really doing them a job. Their Deluxe King Room ($404.00 a night) Is bottom floor motel style. No luggage holder. Look outside at construction zone and parked cars. John, the manager said, well we have a lounge that you and your daughter can go hang out in on the fourth floor. (An open patio area) like wtf? Are we gonna do there? Save your money. Hotel pool looks like a small run down square. Maybe 4 people can fit. I can't believe that I paid $400 for this room! Such a shit hole. They should be avoided at all costs. For $400 - I have stayed at the Ihg Intercontinental Monterey (4.5 star hotel on the Monterey bay!) , the Hyatt in Huntington beach (5 star resort) across from the beach, the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz, worth it- nice beautiful space, across from the beach so many amenities. BUT THIS PLACE AVOID Avoid Avoid! It's a scam. Deluxe smh! Awful lying marketing. It's like Motel 6, with new paint. Cum stains on the chairs fml. As a single mom trying to treat my child to a nice beach vacation, I am feeling so frustrated. This place is awful. read more

See all

Excellent location and service!!! Dennis at the front desk made our stay extra welcoming after our previous reservation was cancelled last minute. Rooms are impeccable and roomy. Family really enjoyed our stay and will definitely be back. read more

Marea Sol Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

See all

I booked a last minute getaway to Santa Cruz for 1 night and found the Marea Sol Hotel on Hotels.com. The location was perfect, the rooms looked nice and the price ($128 with taxes included) was amazing. We parked in the lot and checked in and got a nice little room on a lower level. We had drinks with us, so we were able to put those in the in-room fridge and head out for dinner. This location is right across the street from the arcade and a few blocks from the pier. We were able to get a nice dinner before heading back to our room to sleep. The bed was comfy, I loved the look of the room and modern decor. The shampoo and conditioner were great too. I know it's a funny thing to review, but often the shampoo and conditioners are not great at hotels. I left something in the room after checking out and called the front desk who held it until my return. Excellent service on top of a great hotel deal. read more

Dear Marea Sol; I received a capital one venture credit card over 2 years ago, and since I never used it, they boosted me with cash rewards and air miles. So, I used it for two nights at your hotel, last week. Just now, I got a notification that $465 was tried to get taken from my account at "Raleys". This shows there's either one of your employees who tried to steal my bank account information and use it for fraudulent purposes, or, marea Sol SELLS my bank details to fraudsters. This is a horrendous experience after we had such a great time at your hotel with my family. I even booked another 4 days in the middle of October, which I'm about to cancel. read more

Great place to stay if you want to be writhing walking distance to the beach and the boardwalk. Friendly staff, and clean rooms.

Me and my partner were very welcomed by Sebastian at the front desk parking is easy and right across from boardwalk our room was clean and the bed is comfortable we have zero complaints we will definitely be coming back and the rooftop with ocean view was a plus ! Very welcoming . read more

Great location. Staff was not very friendly in the check in area. Would definitely look elsewhere before we booked here again sadly.

TLDR- check your charges. I haven't even stayed at the booking yet and the hotel has already placed a hold on my card (who even does that anymore, is it 1995???), and for a different amount than I reserved via hotles.com. Hotels.com blames the hotel and says to work with them, the hotel blames hotels.com and said to talk to them. Does anyone care about the customer? It was $5, I was more alarmed that it already hit my card. I ended up finally getting someone to answer the phone and it was the GM. He was unpleasant, continuing his argument that hotels.com didn't book me with the right amount. I don't really care which company is at fault- you either charge me the correct amount or cancel the reservation. He (didn't get his name) was rude, and argumentative, but ultimately proceeded to agree to match the CORRECT booking about and "eat" the $5. "It's only $5 you're talking about," as if the guest should pay a little extra for someone's mistake. He would not agree to a cancellation since I booked a non-refundable rate. Guess that allows for crappy service and poor guest treatment with overcharges. Let's hope the stay next week is better than the terrible service so far. read more

Marea Sol Hotel - Marea Sol charge - Hotels Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

See all

Very nice newer hotel in Santa Cruz - great location. John the manager went out of his way - very accommodating. Clean and new. read more

I had a great experience here. The staff were all very nice and helpful. The room was nice and clean as was the rest of the hotel. The location is unbeatable. It was such a nice treat to have the view that we did with the ability to spend time at the boardwalk and come rest up by just walking across the street to our room. Would definitely come back and would recommend to anyone read more

See all

I will not stay any where else! Katrina, Dennis and Jessica were beyond helpful and accommodating! We absolutely love our room. We stay in the same one every time! It was clean and view is always breathtaking! Thank you staff!You are wonderful! See you soon! read more

When you come to this beach town, you must stay at Marea Sol. (The Sea and Sun) Vacation or Stay-cation, look no more. Talk about LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION! I love being the first to review amazing properties and establishments. One of the reasons I never liked staying in Santa Cruz was due to most of the motels/hotels being so old and run down. Marea Sol, being the newest property was built from the the ground up with attention to luxury IMO. We chose this due to the newness and The detail put into this hotel is awesome. The rooms are very nice with comfortable bedding and pillows ad plush towels. I don't sleep well at hotels, but the luxury feel of the bed and fluffy down pillows helped me enjoy a great night's sleep. What this hotel did differently is not put the AC/Heat unit (with several modes) in the room so you don't hear it kick on and off all night long (which is always an issue with letting me sleep). Each room has a bath area with a spacious vanity, lighted mirror and elongated toilets (so much better than a round bowl, that's for sure). The shower water pressure is excellent and the plant-based toiletries are so soothing with a great scent. The hotel has ADA accessible rooms and they have two room suites with a bedroom and a living room. I'm an early riser so I got to sit out on the balcony or the wonderful rooftop patio (with panoramic views of the boardwalk and beach and pier) to enjoy the sunrise and listen to the soothing sounds of the waves while the family sleeps. I also enjoyed sitting on the other patio that overlooks the pool area. The hotel even has hanging egg chairs, which are the kids' favorite! The stairways are lighted with motion sensing lights. The hotel is also very green as you have to keep your key inserted into the switch to turn on the lights/AC. The staff is super courteous and always ready to help. The pool is cozy and has some lounge chairs around the sides. This is a great place to have a small get together as well. We definitely had a wonderful staycation and will be back for sure. Did I mention LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! This is literally across the street from the end of the famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to one side and a short two blocks walk down the street to the pier. The Boardwalk has concerts during the summer so check the schedule. The iconic rides and indoor arcade are always fun, and of course spoiling the kids with boardwalk food is a memory making event. There is a bowling alley next door and a small family bar that does Karaoke in the evenings. The world famous Cliff Drive with Seal Rock and then a short drive down the coast line to get to Natural State Beaches is beautiful. Keep the windows rolled down and enjoy the fresh ocean breeze. Noting like enjoying Marea Sol: The Sea and the Sun! Highly recommend this awesome property. read more

See all

You cannot beat the location of this newer boutique hotel. Right across the street from the Beach Boardwalk and a short walk to the wharf. Dennis checked me in and he was delightful. Really made me feel at home. Room was very comfortable with a large TV in the living area of the suite as well as in the bedroom. The bed was SO comfortable! I slept through the night which I rarely do. I need to find out what kind of mattress that was. Bathroom was very nice with a large shower. Bath supplies (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap & lotion) were excellent quality and had a nice clean scent that wasn't strong. The towels were thick, fluffy and absorbent. Having a small fridge in the room is awesome for those leftovers and champagne. I enjoyed the rooftop deck as well as my little balcony and would have spent more time out there, but it was windy. There were lots of outlets (electric and USB) for charging things. The lobby has a small "shop" with snacks and drinks. All in all, this place is great. My only drawback would be parking as it is limited, but I had no issues with getting a spot even when we came back from dinner. I'll be back! read more

The front desk called our room and woke us up at 8:30 (on our ONE vacation day) to say the cops were there and we were involved in a car accident the night before. We were NOT AT ALL involved in a car accident the night before. We panicked wondering wtf was going on and ran down to check what happened. It turned out to be a mistake and the guy (a roided out trucknuts type) thought our car did it when it was really another car. Fine. But the front desk and the cop claimed the whole time that they had security cameras to check, trying to intimidate us into admitting to something we did not do, but did not check the cameras before waking us up and harassing us. After everyone realized it wasn't us, the front desk girl proceeded to try waking up more guests to figure out who it was. ***I don't think they really have cameras at all.*** The front desk was also rude and accusatory during the encounter, especially the 8:30am phone call. We go to Santa Cruz often and will NEVER stay here again. read more

The only thing great was being steps from the beach and boardwalk. Now the negatives, they were behind so checking was extremely late. The parking is the most crazy experience ever, and we had a small car. The room was so dirty, and overall grimey. We didn't even unpack,went straight to Safeway and bought cleaning and disinfecting supplies. The shower wouldn't drain and the noise from above and next to you is nonstop. Last minute get away and we made the best but will never book again and wouldn't recommend. read more

Great hotel and location. However, their no smoking policy is loosely followed. The entire time we stayed here, there was a constant smell of marijuana. We booked a room with a balcony but could not enjoy it because of the strong smell. Even with the balcony closed, the entire floor smelled like marijuana. The front desk was called but nothing was done. We are currently in the room with a headache because of the smell. I understand everyone has their own joys in life but no smoking is no smoking. Do it across the street and walk back. They do nothing to enforce this. read more

We stayed there last week. For five days the location is perfect. It's right on Beach Street. so it's a block away from the boardwalk the pier the beach is across the street. The only thing I would say is the parking is very tight. You're lucky to squeeze in or out of there. We paid $25 a day and sometimes there wasn't even a parking space available. They have upstairs parking. and the downstairs. Maid service . Clean . Ocean Veiw. but a bit noisy . read more

Very kind staff and comfortable.Really close to the beach so that was nice! The only thing I didn't like was that I selected sea view which I thought would be on the front of the hotel but it was on the side ,I could see a little ocean from the corner at least . The parking by the entrance is too narrow I Would suggest not to pull in down there if you have a big truck! read more

See all

My family and I visited SC on Memorial Day weekend and we liked the location of the hotel because we did not need to drive anywhere as everything we needed was walking distance. The room itself was very nice. I cannot say the same about the cleanliness of it. Looking at it seems great but once my two year old started walking around within minutes of checking in, the minute she sat down, I noticed how dirty her socks were. The wood flooring was ridiculously disgusting! I seriously could not believe my eyes. My mother grabbed a wet towel and started cleaning the floor. I told her to stop as this was not our job. We contacted the front desk, and they said someone would come clean it. We went out to walk around for a while, they cleaned and when we came back they didn't even remove the towel my mother had left there noticeably dirty. They obviously just use a broom and not a mop to clean the rooms. Makes you wonder if they truly change the sheets or not. Our last day, while packing we found a pill under the bed which was not ours. Just to think that my 2 year old daughter could have gotten her hands on this is truly upsetting!!! I was extremely disappointed. read more

See all

I was looking forward to a nice relaxing place to stay. I even paid for the balcony upgrade. I had booked a reservation and they cancelled the day of, due to a "technical issue" BEWARE they will charge your credit card before your reservation without notice. i don't know why but the lady at the front desk was extremely rude. I asked to speak to a manager and her response was "i am the manager"hahahaha sorry ass! I was driving on my way and had asked for early check in and she wasn't even trying to help but it's all good, cuz i found a place that would accommodate me. Fuck marea sol hotel on the set. Pieces of shit. read more

My boyfriend and I stayed here for a couple days(06/29-07/2). We chose this hotel because it's right across the beach and reasonably affordable compared to the other beach front hotels nearby! A list of things I enjoyed about this hotel is that the staff is very friendly and helpful, they have two private parking areas for their guests so it helps a lot because public/metered parking is always full, and the hotel room is decorated nicely and doesn't look outdated. It definitely makes you feel like you're in a luxurious (or nicer) hotel without the super expensive price! They also have a cafe downstairs heading towards the beach! In this cafe they offer pastries and a variety of beverages like teas, coffees, matcha, and more! Additionally, they're also located around many restaurants, stores, the Boardwalk, and 7 minutes (or less) from downtown. As for critiques or something to be aware of, the floors and walls are a bit thin so you can slightly hear other guests in other rooms, as well as footsteps. Luckily, during my stay, I didn't hear too much noise disturbances besides the construction happening right outside because of a new hotel being built. Like previous reviews, our balcony door also did not lock and one of the nightstand lamps didn't turn on. Another thing to note is that although there isn't a microwave inside the hotel rooms, there is a microwave downstairs tucked in the corner next to the display of snacks that you can use and is easily accessible. All in all, I enjoyed my stay here at Marea Sol and I would definitely come back again. read more

Wonderful experience here! So close to the beach and board walk. Clean and cute place. Nice front desk staff.

We just woke up and laying in bed as I write this. This hotel is amazing. Cleanliness & LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. Love that when you exit the elevator you need to use your room key to enter the hallway where the rooms are. Traveling with littles that added sense of safety is comforting. When we walked into our room we just kept saying "this is so nice." John at the front desk was so cool, personable & friendly. We will be back! Thank you for everything! read more

Friendly staff and great service. The location is so convenient! You are right across the street from the beach/boardwalk. Very nice room and comfortable beds. Also great coffee shop on site. read more

This place , although new has a myriad of problems. The parking is terrible. TV was hung crooked Painter's tape left on light fixture we booked room for 3 people , there's only 1 chair ? Great view of the massive construction project next door They do not have luggage carts so several trips with bags was fun. The room was really dark with few fixtures. Swimming pool was just big enough for a few people. We tried to leave within 24 hours but they would not change reservation so we are dealing with Expedia now. We moved to another hotel , Hyatt House and it's 100 % better. Valet parking here is $ 18 Self park there was $25 The list goes on and on Expedia says hotel problem , hotel says Expedia problem read more

I loved it here. Everything was clean, I really enjoyed how it is literally across the street from the beach, and it's overall very pretty. I usually don't write reviews but since this place opened literally last month and it only has a few reviews, I decided to write one cause they deserve it. Everyone was really nice and respectful. The only thing that was ehh was the construction going on next door. I stayed at the very first floor right next to it so it was hard to sleep in with all the noise. Obviously this is not Marea Sol's fault and if you're on the inside/ on the other side of the construction you probably won't hear it. Also if you're not trying to sleep in you also probably shouldn't worry. In summary, I would definitely stay here again. I had a wonderful experience. Also, let's be considerate when we leave reviews for this hotel. As mentioned earlier, this hotel is a month old. I'm sure there are some technical difficulties but I'd be surprised if there weren't since everything is brand new. I can't imagine how hard it can be at times to manage a new place. As customers and guest we are not the only ones discovering this new place, the hotel staff and managers are too. read more

Marea Sol Hotel - View from the rooftop looking over the boardwalk. Pictures of the rooms itself are as is on their website and other reviews. - Hotels Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Be careful if you book through Expedia. I was charged online originally and when I tried to check in, the lady at the front desk tried to charge me again. I don't know if this is a shady business practice on the end of Marea Sol but now I have to pay for a stay I didn't even get to experience. read more

OMG what a nightmare trying to book this hotel through a third-party site. Total scam. They list their rooms one way on the third-party site and a different way with different titles on their own website. So if you book a full ocean view room on a third-party site, you'll get a confirmation for a standard room from the hotel. That's what happened to me, so I called the hotel to point out the discrepancy. The person I spoke to said he'd look into it and get back to me, but didn't. So I contacted the third-party site who contacted the hotel for me. The hotel told them the room listing was not correct, and I would need to pay more money to upgrade to the ocean view that I had booked on the third-party site. Over $500 more for the two rooms I had reserved! I have the entire chat transcript saved that documents the back-and-forth between the third-party site and the hotel. Wow. read more

I have never felt this way about a hotel but something is really off here. From the way we were treated by a VERY odd angry man at the front desk , (think he was tweaking), to the weird calls about the hotel we got the day before. I have very good instincts and if you're reading this I would stay somewhere else for your safety, there's something really weird going on here. Not to mention when you buy a "ocean view" for almost 500$ so you don't have to see the horrible years long construction , they magically "upgrade you" to a "better room" by the construction when you paid for an ocean view :) have fun waking up at 7am to hammering and drills. While the front desk guy is probably watching you on a camera in the room. read more