Santa Cruz Hotels

Although advertised as being in Santa Cruz, the Hilton is much closer to Scotts Valley - the full service hotel is situated on the south side of town at the edge of a quiet, residential area, near CA 17 but set back a little from the highway. Rooms have views either of a patch of redwood forest to the west, fields to the south or the good sized parking lot, at one side of which is a secluded outdoor pool. The on-site restaurant, Stonehouse Bar & Grill is open for breakfast, lunch & dinner; for other dining choices the nearest places are half a mile north in the center of Scotts Valley. Amongst the other facilities are a fitness studio, business center and a selection of meeting rooms.

Hampton Inn Santa Cruz sits at the north end of Ocean Street near the junction of highways 1 and 17; a busy location, but just a short walk from trees and parkland along the San Lorenzo River. There is one restaurant adjacent and others within walking distance along the main road, which reaches the Pacific Ocean 1.7 miles south. The hotel is a little smaller than average for this brand, with 46 refrigerator/microwave-equipped rooms, contained within a compact three floor building that also has an indoor pool, business center and a dining area where the daily free hot breakfast is served.

New for 2009, the 100 room Holiday Inn Express Santa Cruz is a modern, elegant addition to the choice of lodging along tree-lined Ocean St, near the junction with CA 1 (the Pacific Coast Highway). All the beaches and many other attractions in town are less than 3 miles away, while the hills to the north harbor several groves of giant redwoods within a half hour drive, including Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Accommodation includes 16 suites with divided sleeping/living areas and a private balcony; all rooms are equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, work desk and flat screen TV. A good quality free continental breakfast is served each morning, with several hot items. For relaxation the Holiday Inn Express offers a pool, fitness room and sauna.

Near the center of Santa Cruz at the busy Soquel Ave/Ocean St intersection, the Best Western All Suite Inn is within 3 miles of all important sites in town, including the beaches, shopping mall, golf courses, and University of California-Santa Cruz. There are many restaurants close by, and the riverside amenities of San Lorenzo Park are one block west. A range of accommodation options are available, from single rooms to fireplace suites, some with whirlpool baths & business desks, all containing a refrigerator, coffee maker & ironing facilities. The hotel serves free full breakfast, and has a steam room, hot tub and fitness center, though no pool.

The smaller of the two Best Western hotels in Santa Cruz is located along a side road (Plymouth St), just south of the major highway 1-17 intersection on the north edge of town. Best Western Inn has only 26 rooms, in a 2 floor building with exterior corridors, but the accommodation is clean, the neighborhood fairly quiet & residential, and the hotel is within walking distance of several shops, restaurants, a park and the San Lorenzo River. The town center and Santa Cruz Beach are 1.5 miles away. Free hot breakfast is served, while for leisure the hotel offers a hot tub, spa and steam room.

Adjacent to the Best Western, the Comfort Inn Santa Cruz is a pleasant, recently-renovated motel along Plymouth Street near Highway 1, with a small roadside entrance that opens out to a sheltered courtyard with outdoor pool, hot tub & sun deck. The proximity to the highway makes this a good base from which to explore the many attractions of Monterey Bay and the coastal redwood forests in the hills to the north. Nearby are several 24 hour restaurants, Grant Street Park, San Lorenzo River and UC Santa Cruz. The hotel serves enhanced continental breakfast.

The 28 room Comfort Inn provides basic, clean accommodation just 2 blocks from the famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk amusement arcade, located right on the beach. Rooms are on 2 floors, overlooking a small parking area and outdoor pool, along Riverside Avenue within sight of the San Lorenzo River. This part of town has many restaurants and a few shops; the main business districts of Santa Cruz are a mile or so to the north. Other services on offer are free continental breakfast, free newspaper and free wireless internet access.

One of many small, 2 floor motels in Santa Cruz, the Quality Inn has a central location along Ocean St, the main route to the boardwalk and beaches. There are many choices for shopping & dining nearby, and with Highway 1 just 0.3 miles to the north, the hotel is well connected to other nearby towns and attractions. The 63 rooms look out over the parking area & pool, and all contain a microwave & refrigerator.

The Ramada hotel in Santa Cruz has a traditional, exterior corridor design, most rooms looking inwards over the central parking lot, which is lined by a selection of tropical plants and has a small outdoor pool tucked away in one corner. There are several restaurants on Ocean Street, one block west, and guests are also just a short walk from a pleasant hiking trail along Carbonera Creek to the east. Guest rooms feature a microwave, refrigerator and free wi-fi, while the other hotel amenities are free continental breakfast and a business center.

The Howard Johnson is a southwest Santa Cruz motel, just 500 feet from the beach and the municipal boardwalk, at the south end of Pacific Avenue. Some of the 30 rooms have views of the central courtyard and outdoor hot tub while others look east towards the city and the ocean; these feature a good size patio or balcony. There are two restaurants directly opposite and more around the wharf; also close by is Depot Park, with sports facilities and playground. Free continental breakfast is provided.

Days Inn Santa Cruz occupies an elegant, townhouse-style building in a residential neighborhood off San Lorenzo Avenue, and most rooms enjoy good views of the peaceful surroundings from their patio or private balcony. Some contain a whirlpool bath in addition to the standard amenities of microwave and refrigerator. The nearest beach is half a mile south, on the far side of the San Lorenzo River, while restaurants & shops can be found a similar distance east, along Pacific Avenue. Hotel facilities are limited to an outdoor pool and meeting space.

North-facing rooms at Super 8 Santa Cruz have views across a road to the lower end of the San Lorenzo River; the exterior corridor motel has a central location in the city, half a mile from the Beach Boardwalk amusement park, beside the Pacific Ocean. The place is small, with just 24 guest rooms, all featuring a microwave, a refrigerator and free w-fi. Eight item continental breakfast is also complimentary. A few accommodations contain a whirlpool bath. The nearest restaurants are along the oceanfront.

Super 8 Santa Cruz is one of many small, limited-facility motels in the Beach Boardwalk area, a few blocks south of the city center, close to the ocean, and it offers generally clean and quiet lodging, the rooms contained in a two floor, exterior corridor block angled away from the main road, facing south, looking across the parking lot and outdoor pool. Other facilities are free wi-fi, free continental breakfast and a hot tub in a few of the rooms. The main attraction hereabouts is the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park, beside which is the southernmost station of the historic Big Trees and Pacific Railway; both are less than half a mile south of the motel.

Knights Inn Santa Cruz offers 26 refrigerator/microwave-equipped guest rooms, housed in a pair of exterior corridor buildings in a quiet, residential part of the city between the Pacific Ocean and the lower end of the San Lorenzo River. Limited parking spaces are available. A small outdoor pool is the main amenity, together with the usual free wi-fi, and free tea/coffee. Accommodations include a few suites, with either two or three bedrooms. Pets are welcome.