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    The Drift Inn

    3.5 (2 reviews)

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    Sea & Sand Inn

    Sea & Sand Inn

    4.3
    (289 reviews)
    $$

    Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!!! It is an older building, but you would not know. It is gated…read moreand protected. Right on the water. The views, amazing!!! I highly recommend the second floor rooms. You can still see the view from the first, but they have plants growing up over the fence so it is harder to have the full view. They serve fresh cookies, breakfast in the morning, and always have tea, water, and coffee in the office. It's nice and cozy in there with a couple tables to enjoy your food or drink. There are also tables outside. Unfortunately they do not have a spa or pool. They do have some rooms with a spa tub. Our room was on the smaller size. There are no air conditioners in the room. In the closet was a fan and a space heater. We had our window open at night for the fresh ocean breeze and that kept Us cool enough for an August evening. We had a mini fridge, microwave, and safe in another closet. No coffee maker or complimentary water in the room. That is all located in the office. The bathroom was a great size for two of us. It was stocked with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, and soap. I don't recall seeing a blow dryer. The bed was ok. Not uncomfortable, but not comfortable. Location is great. The pier and boardwalk are all walking distance. Lots of restaurants and shops. The hotel is on a cliff so there is not direct access to the beach. You do need to walk a little bit down the street to gain access, but it is a very short walk. I highly recommend staying here. I can not wait to go back.

    I'm surprised at the great reviews for this place. It is a motel but with a fantastic view. We paid…read more$500 for a tiny room with a great view. I felt ripped off. Yes, you get breakfast, a cookie and wine if you want it but I think it's to distract you from how much money you are paying for a tiny little room. And oddly, there no glasses in the room to even have a glass of water. Bathroom door was a strange sliding door that didn't close properly. A certain lack of privacy.No air conditioning. Definitely a lovely view - no question - but is it worth $500? Not to me.

    Dream Inn

    Dream Inn

    3.8
    (946 reviews)
    $$$

    I've been wanting to give the Dream Inn a go for a long while. Recently, all of the parts fell into…read moreplace to host our program retreat here ~ and I'm so glad we did! It was just perfect for our small staff gathering, with their Cove Meeting Room right off their on-site restaurant, Jack O'Neill, and the package with breakfast, lunch, beverages and snacks along with the meeting room all included. The rooms are comfortable and every one of them has a wonderful view of the beach and Santa Cruz Wharf (and the Boardwalk a bit farther away down the beach). Love that they offer a complimentary selection of e-books, audio books, meditations and podcasts (QR code to scan right on the bedside table) and that they've eliminated all single-use plastic water bottles on their property. The weather was perfect during our visit in early February. Staff were all friendly and helpful ~ special shout outs to Elaine and Shannon for all of their help leading up to our stay. Would return in a heartbeat!

    Our family recently stayed at the Dream Inn for a few days, and it was one of the most enjoyable…read morehotel experiences we've ever had. From the moment we arrived until the day we left, everything was exceptional. The location couldn't have been better, close to everything we wanted to do while still feeling like the perfect place to relax. The hotel was immaculate, and it was clear that the staff takes great pride in keeping the property beautiful and welcoming. The entire staff was incredibly friendly, but Quincy truly made our vacation unforgettable. He greeted us with the biggest smile, helped us with valet, carried our luggage to our room, and was always there with a warm hello or a friendly conversation whenever we crossed paths. His kindness wasn't just part of his job, it was genuine. He has a way of making every guest feel important, welcomed, and right at home. By the end of our stay, Quincy honestly felt like part of our family. His positive attitude, outstanding customer service, and authentic personality were the highlight of our trip. Employees like Quincy are incredibly rare, and the Dream Inn is fortunate to have someone who represents the hotel with so much heart. He didn't just make our stay more convenient; he made it more memorable. Thank you to Quincy and the entire Dream Inn team for making our family vacation so special. We left with wonderful memories and are already looking forward to coming back. If you're considering staying here, don't hesitate, you'll be treated like family, especially if you're lucky enough to meet Quincy!

    Bella Notte

    Bella Notte

    4.6
    (113 reviews)
    $$

    Place is clean, staff freindly and location is conveninent…read more The only con is that it just needs to be updated a bit. The shower curtain has a funky smell. Otherwise, it's a decent place to sleep.

    Solid choice for a relaxed, comfortable place to relax in Santa Cruz. This is away the action -…read morethis is on the east side. It works really well when you know you'd like to be close enough to beaches and parks, low-key restaurants and cafes, but not in a noisy place. The rooms are comfortable, a bit quaint, at times they show a bit of age. Still, this unique inn is big enough to be a thoroughly professional clean and cozy venue. I've been here twice now, and would stay again. Helpful, daily housekeeping service is appreciated. At at time when many places offer this a few times a week, or maybe only by request, Bella Notte keeps you well-stocked and ready for your stay. The gentleman behind the desk is friendly and helpful. I recall having to phone the Inn a few times prior to booking, and he was knowledgeable and patient. (I sometimes couldn't fully get their website to work) The small parking lot is big enough so cars have plenty of room to park and to move. The location of the Inn is somewhere between the West Side of Santa Cruz and Capitola to the east. Many things to do -- or not do, if you like. I realized that on Sunday there is a long-standing farmers market just a couple blocks away. Also, there's a couple places to for breakfast and lunch, as well as a small Mexican bakery/store nearby. No pix, sorry! Still, definitely recommend.

    Beach Street Inn and Suites

    Beach Street Inn and Suites

    3.8
    (329 reviews)
    $$$

    Great ocean view and an unbeatable location, right across from the beach, within walking distance…read moreto the pier and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Super convenient for everything. The service was excellent as well. They offer complimentary hot chocolate, snow cones, popcorn, coffee, and tea for both kids and adults, which was a really nice touch. Would definitely come back!

    Do you enjoy feeling like a prisoner on your own vacation? Then this is the place for you…read more There is a certain point in the night where you cannot get out or in without checking in with the front desk. Not even walking. You rent this hotel to be on the beach but you will not have the ability to leave the premises, even just on foot to walk the beach, without checking in and out with the front desk due to the fencing and gates. This is not clearly disclosed during booking or check-in. I personally don't appreciate this. You also have to pay close attention to the fact that parking is not included in the price of the hotel, so expect to pay an additional $25 in parking when you arrive and factor that in to your consideration of what hotels actually cost comparatively. Knowing this, I may have gone with another, potentially nicer option that just included parking in the total fee because yes, people are traveling and are going to need a place to park. In the most touristy spot of the entire area and they say "will you be parking with us today?" Ummm yeah, kinda duh. Not the end of the world or a deal breaker but just additive when you specifically look for a place with a hot tub. The hot tub needs repair. The 'flooring' is very worn and dirty and the hot tub temp max is fairly low. It's doesn't get relatively 'hot.' Mostly clean. Kind of cute, but just realistically not what you think you are getting.

    Pacific Blue Inn

    Pacific Blue Inn

    4.1
    (186 reviews)
    $$

    My wife surprised me and booked us a trip to Santa Cruz for my 40th birthday. We stayed at the…read morePacific Blue In and we both really enjoyed it. The room was small, but the bed was super cozy and I really loved the bathroom with open concept shower. The room had a window AC unit and a fan, which we really didn't need because the weather in Santa Cruz is basically perfect. This hotel is within walking distance to the beach, a gorgeous wine bar, amazing local food spots, coffee shops, and downtown Santa Cruz. In fact, during our last night here we walked all over downtown Santa Cruz grabbed a drink and some ice cream and felt 100% safe doing so. They don't offer room service, as this is a very small mom and pop style hotel, but I believe they do have a kitchen? I kept smelling food, but couldn't figure out where it was coming from. The staff here is awesome and really made our trip special. My wife was able to coordinate with Alondra, in the front office, and she set up a 40th birthday surprise cake and balloons in our room before we got there. It was awesome! I can definitely see us returning to this hotel for our next Santa Cruz visit.

    Terrible hotel to stay at. The AC in my room was leaking water and it was all over the floor…read more Manager or staff said someone would come and fix it and wipe the floor. NO One came! Very noisy AC . Loud ppl above me and flies everywhere in the hallway . First time staying here and my last. Definitely not worth the $$$$ I paid for! The area is pretty sketchy too. Homeless ppl around. Beware!

    Carousel Beach Inn

    Carousel Beach Inn

    3.7
    (237 reviews)
    $$

    Check in and check out were easy. Free breakfast is served 7-10a. There is always coffee, tea and…read morepopcorn available in the lobby. To enter room areas, you need a room key to enter the locked gates. There is the option of an elevator or stair to reach upper floors. Parking is limited when reservations are full, so first come first park. There are two ADA parking stalls available. The boardwalk is a one minute walk from the Carousel Beach Inn's entrance. The location caught our attention, the balcony solidified our stay. Unfortunately our balcony overlooks the rear, looking at the parking lot toward the boardwalk. Regardless, our daughter was overjoyed to be able to sit on it and look toward the rides after the park closed. If your reservation is purchased directly through Carousel's site, you can select a Boardwalk view for a little extra. With the location, we were able to not worry about where to park or the transition between beach and play. We started each day at the beach, returned to the room sandy and wet, showered and changed, then headed over for the rides. The TV sucks! Icons continue to appear randomly and frequently while watching a show. We tried to turn off the feature unsuccessfully. The channels are gravely limited and there are no smart app features to connect personal accounts. The stand of the TV was adjustable from left to right, convenient once our little one fell asleep as to lessen the light on her. Free breakfast was a selection of carbs that included bagels, toast, waffles, instant oatmeal, cereal, cream cheese and a protein option of boiled eggs. The fridge was spacious, allowing all our items to fit. We brought lots of fruit and food options for our little one to graze. The microwave was spacious and clean. There were coffee and tea options in room with powder creamer. The liquid creamer was reserved for the lobby. Not ideal. The interior of the room was clean, the bedding comfortable and the bathroom stocked and mostly cared for. The paint on the wall of the bathroom was peeled in a small spot near the toilet bowl and the lower screen of the balcony was disconnected from the sliding door. The boardwalk does not offer many hotel stays with an updated room at this proximity. For the price and convenience of this location we would consider staying again.

    We've been staying here for years now and we really like the prices with free parking and…read morebreakfast. The property and rooms are really clean and each room has a nice balcony. The first floor rooms have patios. They have stairs and an elevator and it's really no frills- but the staff is always super friendly and the hotels pretty quiet and relaxing for being so close to the action of the boardwalk. The breakfast is good and they provide coffee and teas all day in the lobby. Location cannot be beat and the views from the rooms are good no matter which way you face.

    Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Santa Cruz - Capitola

    Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Santa Cruz - Capitola

    4.0
    (245 reviews)
    $$

    Everything is exactly right about this hotel. Great price, comfortable beds and rooms, very clean,…read moreexcellent breakfast selection, very nice pool-hot tub-bocce ball for entertainment. But above all, the staff here is top notch! Very kind, helpful, and professional. Alex, at the front desk, went out of her way to help make my birthday weekend here with my friends incredibly special. This is now my favorite hotel in Northern CA and will ALWAYS be my choice when I come back to this area. Thank you so much, Fairfield Inn and Alex!!

    We have stayed here a few times in the past. This is/was one of my favorite hotels in the area…read more When I usually stay at this hotel, I try to get the room with the Jacuzzi tub. The rooms have always been clean and they offer a continental breakfast. They do have underground parking. Unfortunately, I have experienced a major issue with this hotel. I had reserved a room and canceled it within their cancellation policy so I wouldn't be charged any fee. Unfortunately, I was charged. I booked a room online through Marriott and I also canceled online through Marriott. I did receive a confirmation email that my room was canceled. And I did have screenshots showing proof of my cancellation and proof of the cancellation policy. I did try to reach out to the hotel to resolve this issue. I called numerous times. Spoke to a few different people at the front desk who were helpful, but unfortunately, the people at the front desk could not reverse the charges or credit me back. I was informed by the front desk that I needed to speak to the manager. I was transferred to the manager numerous times and the manager did not answer and the manager did not return any of my calls. I left a few voicemails regarding the issue along with my phone number, but the manager never called back. I also left messages with the front desk to have the manager reach out to me regarding these charges, and the manager never called back. I don't know who the manager is at this hotel, but it is extremely unprofessional not to return customers calls regarding charges or issues. I had to take up the issue with my credit card and submitted all my proof to my credit card so I could get the money back. Thankfully, my credit card was able to return the funds. I do advise, make sure you have all proof needed if you cancel your hotel reservations with this place because in my case, they did not honor their cancellation policy and still charge me full price for the room. If it wasn't for this unprofessional manager, this would still be one of our favorite hotels in the area. Currently, I'm unsure if I will continue or book at this place again due to my most recent experience.

    Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection

    Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection

    3.4
    (756 reviews)
    $$

    The Hotel Paradox was part of a family road trip driving down to pick up the kiddo from college…read more It's so close to downtown - that alone makes it worth it. The vibe is beach/forest ease and everything was a breeze from check in on. Had a room with a fire pit /terrace in the front but the fire pit didn't work for very long which is why I docked a star. The pool area was lovely - we got our drinks fast and there was a nice mix of families, couples and individuals. We were there midweek so it wasn't too loud. My partner and I appreciated the coffee bar which is a step up from most hotel coffee. The beds were comfy - the room was nice. It was my first time here but it won't be my last.

    Highly recommend skipping this place, unless you want to use the pool…read more Ballin' on a budget. For $350, this place feels like they put a fancy bandaid on a motel. Truly, you can see the paint over whatever color it used to be. And no matter how nice the inside may be, that set the stage for our stay. It feels like teenagers are running the front desk. Ok, maybe they're in college. Their system was down when we visited, so even though we got a king size bed and laid extra, we ended up with a queen. No discount on our room, only extra points added to our loyalty account. Here's the kicker... our original room had someone already inside smoking weed, so they gave us access to someone else's room and now it probably smells like weed. And because they gave us access to other people's room, we couldn't trust leaving anything in the next room we were given. Pool is crowded. They were serving beer/wine/popcorn, but we didn't take advantage.

    The Drift Inn - hotels - Updated July 2026

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