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The best motels in Santa Cruz

Check out our pick of great motels in Santa Cruz

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Sunny Cove Motel, hotel in Santa Cruz

Located in Santa Cruz, within 100 metres of Sunny Cove Beach and 600 metres of Black’s Beach, Sunny Cove Motel provides accommodation with an outdoor swimming pool and free WiFi as well as free...

Simple, but nice and clean, quite central .
Scored 9.0
9.0
Rated superb
Superb
201 reviews
Price from
£129.63
per night
Carousel Beach Inn, hotel in Santa Cruz

Located 2 minutes’ walk away from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Carousel Beach Inn offers rooms equipped with a private balcony. It serves a daily continental breakfast.

Location
Scored 8.2
8.2
Rated very good
Very good
1,780 reviews
Price from
£112.89
per night
Ocean Pacific Lodge, hotel in Santa Cruz

Located 3 blocks from the historic Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk, Ocean Pacific Lodge is 100% non-smoking and offers guest rooms with free WiFi.

Clean hotel. Walking distance to downtown or boradwalk Good pool Great parking lot
Scored 8.1
8.1
Rated very good
Very good
1,211 reviews
Price from
£83.24
per night
Torch Lite Inn at the Beach Boardwalk, hotel in Santa Cruz

Located within 5 minutes' walk of Santa Cruz Beach, Santa Cruz Boardwalk and Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf.

Nice room, nice neighborhood, fast check in, fast check out, everything that you need for one night (or more!) :)
Scored 7.3
7.3
Rated good
Good
1,537 reviews
Price from
£69.56
per night
Aqua Breeze Inn, hotel in Santa Cruz

Aqua Breeze Inn is located across the street from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Free WiFi and parking are included.

Onsite laundry, great location, excellent staff, tidy room
Scored 7.5
7.5
Rated good
Good
1,027 reviews
Price from
£77.75
per night
Surf City Inn & Suites, hotel in Santa Cruz

Surf City Inn & Suites is just 10 minutes' walk away from Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk. It features an indoor pool and hot tub. All guest rooms offer free WiFi.

Amazing rooms, good location
Scored 7.7
7.7
Rated good
Good
1,236 reviews
Price from
£69.65
per night
National 9 Motel, hotel in Santa Cruz

This motel is off the Santa Cruz Highway One and is 2 miles from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The motel offers an outdoor pool and rooms with free Wi-Fi.

Decent room, working air con, basic but that was expected. Bonus was the pool which my son and I had to ourselves.
Scored 7.8
7.8
Rated good
Good
813 reviews
Price from
£61.65
per night
Drift Inn, LLC, hotel in Santa Cruz

This central Santa Cruz motel is just an 8-minute walk from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It features guest rooms with free Wi-Fi access and a cable TV.

Good location, very good value for money & very friendly and helpful staff.
Scored 7.8
7.8
Rated good
Good
925 reviews
Price from
£65.82
per night
Beachview Inn, hotel in Santa Cruz

Located less than 5 minutes’ walk from the beach, this hotel is less than 10 minutes’ walk from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and 10 minutes’ drive from University of California -Santa Cruz.

Extremely close to the beach, ample parking, good value for money, safe and kind staff
Scored 7.3
7.3
Rated good
Good
606 reviews
Price from
£79.88
per night
Fireside Inn By The Beach Boardwalk & Bowling, hotel in Santa Cruz

Located next to Boardwalk Bowl, Fireside Inn By The Beach Boardwalk & Bowling is less than 5 minutes' walk to Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Free Wi-Fi and free 1 car parking is included in the reservation.

Great location and room cleanliness
Scored 6.4
6.4
Rated pleasant
Pleasant
525 reviews
Price from
£70.70
per night
All motels in Santa Cruz
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Both travellers on the road and on a budget rely on motels for convenient stops with reasonable rates. Direct access to parking makes a motel an easy place to catch some sleep after a day of driving. The relatively smaller size of this accommodation type can also help to make check-in quick and easy.
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  • Ocean Pacific Lodge
    Budget options available
    Scored 8.1
    8.1
    Rated very good
    Very good
     · 1,211 reviews

    Located 3 blocks from the historic Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk, Ocean Pacific Lodge is 100% non-smoking and offers guest rooms with free WiFi.

    Location was excellent for seafront and town centre.

  • Surf City Inn & Suites
    Budget options available
    Scored 7.7
    7.7
    Rated good
    Good
     · 1,236 reviews

    Surf City Inn & Suites is just 10 minutes' walk away from Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk. It features an indoor pool and hot tub. All guest rooms offer free WiFi.

    Great location, affordable, comfortable, lovely staff.

  • Torch Lite Inn at the Beach Boardwalk
    Scored 7.3
    7.3
    Rated good
    Good
     · 1,537 reviews

    Located within 5 minutes' walk of Santa Cruz Beach, Santa Cruz Boardwalk and Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf.

    Clean, rooms were exactly like pictures, great location!

  • Beachview Inn
    Budget options available
    Scored 7.3
    7.3
    Rated good
    Good
     · 606 reviews

    Located less than 5 minutes’ walk from the beach, this hotel is less than 10 minutes’ walk from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and 10 minutes’ drive from University of California -Santa Cruz.

    The property personal was very friendly and helpful

  • Drift Inn, LLC
    Budget options available
    Scored 7.8
    7.8
    Rated good
    Good
     · 925 reviews

    This central Santa Cruz motel is just an 8-minute walk from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It features guest rooms with free Wi-Fi access and a cable TV.

    Staff/owner was extremely friendly and helpful

  • National 9 Motel
    Budget options available
    Scored 7.8
    7.8
    Rated good
    Good
     · 813 reviews

    This motel is off the Santa Cruz Highway One and is 2 miles from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The motel offers an outdoor pool and rooms with free Wi-Fi.

    Didn’t have breakfast. Great location for my needs.

  • Hitching Post Studios Inn
    Budget options available
    Scored 7.9
    7.9
    Rated good
    Good
     · 260 reviews

    This Newly renovated Santa Cruz, California Inn features free Wi-Fi. It is 8.5 km from the University of California Santa Cruz and guest rooms provide a flat-screen HD TV with HBO channels.

    Handicap friendly. Great parking. Friendly staff

  • Fireside Inn By The Beach Boardwalk & Bowling
    Scored 6.4
    6.4
    Rated pleasant
    Pleasant
     · 525 reviews

    Located next to Boardwalk Bowl, Fireside Inn By The Beach Boardwalk & Bowling is less than 5 minutes' walk to Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Free Wi-Fi and free 1 car parking is included in the reservation.

    Close walking distance to beach, bowling & boardwalk.

Great access to the city centre! Check these motels in Santa Cruz

  • Sunny Cove Motel
    Scored 9.0
    9.0
    Rated superb
    Superb
     · 201 reviews

    Located in Santa Cruz, within 100 metres of Sunny Cove Beach and 600 metres of Black’s Beach, Sunny Cove Motel provides accommodation with an outdoor swimming pool and free WiFi as well as free...

    The place is close to the beach, The host is very nice.

  • Carousel Beach Inn
    Scored 8.2
    8.2
    Rated very good
    Very good
     · 1,780 reviews

    Located 2 minutes’ walk away from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Carousel Beach Inn offers rooms equipped with a private balcony. It serves a daily continental breakfast.

    Breakfast included, great location, friendly staff

  • The Islander Motel Santa Cruz
    Scored 7.9
    7.9
    Rated good
    Good
     · 445 reviews

    Offering a seasonal outdoor pool, this motel is 5 minutes' walk from downtown Santa Cruz. It offers free WiFi and free parking.

    nice and big room, good facilities, friendly staff

  • Seaway Inn
    Central location
    Scored 7.8
    7.8
    Rated good
    Good
     · 239 reviews

    A short walk from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Municipal Wharf in California, the Seaway Inn offers easy beach access and comfortably furnished rooms with free WiFi.

    Close to pier. Staff were very polite and informative.

  • Aqua Breeze Inn
    Scored 7.5
    7.5
    Rated good
    Good
     · 1,027 reviews

    Aqua Breeze Inn is located across the street from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Free WiFi and parking are included.

    Walking distance to the ocean. Helpful staff safe.

  • Bay Front Inn
    Central location
    Scored 7.0
    7.0
    Rated good
    Good
     · 893 reviews

    Situated 2 minutes’ drive from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Bay Front Inn offers an outdoor pool and rooms with free WiFi.

    Proximity to ocean, staff was polite, room was clean

  • Capri Motel Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
    Scored 6.6
    6.6
    Rated pleasant
    Pleasant
     · 342 reviews

    Located a short walk from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the Capri Motel Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk offers free parking and easy access to a variety of local attractions.

    Staff was very lovely, even let us check in early.

  • Motel Santa Cruz
    Scored 4.8
    4.8
    Rated disappointing
    Disappointing
     · 407 reviews

    A short distance from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and other popular area attractions, this California motel provides comfortable accommodations and 24-hour front desk service.

    Location is great, 4 minute drive to the Boardwalk

FAQ about motels in Santa Cruz

Motels that guests love in Santa Cruz

  • Avg. price/night: £61.19
    Scored 6.6
    6.6
    Rated pleasant
    Pleasant
     · 342 reviews
    This motel is walking distance to the boardwalk/beach. It is also very clean and up to date. The staff is very friendly.
    Victoria
    Young couple
  • Avg. price/night: £112.89
    Scored 8.2
    8.2
    Rated very good
    Very good
     · 1,780 reviews
    Location was amazing and rooms were clean, Free parking was a bonus
    adam
    Family with young children
  • Avg. price/night: £74.32
    Scored 7.8
    7.8
    Rated good
    Good
     · 925 reviews
    Staff was polite, although they could have kindly given us a heads-up about the 8am concerts happening right on the motel’s property for the local running race.
    G
    Giovanna
    Family with young children
  • Avg. price/night: £106.51
    Scored 8.1
    8.1
    Rated very good
    Very good
     · 626 reviews
    Older motel that has been updated and is taken care of. Easy walk to a show at the RIO. Walked back around 11pm and the area was safe with well lit sidewalks. We'd stay again for sure.
    Wynter
    Young couple
  • Avg. price/night: £106.51
    Scored 8.1
    8.1
    Rated very good
    Very good
     · 626 reviews
    At first glance, you think it’s just a regular motel but don’t let the outside look fool you, the room is very spacious and well updated. Great distance to downtown and lots of other places
    Adura
    Solo traveller
  • Avg. price/night: £65.90
    Scored 7.8
    7.8
    Rated good
    Good
     · 813 reviews
    We booked this motel mainly due to price reasons. The room was clean, simple and absolutely as we expected it to be. The guy at the front desk was very kind.
    Constanze
    Group
  • Avg. price/night: £112.89
    Scored 8.2
    8.2
    Rated very good
    Very good
     · 1,780 reviews
    The location was so perfect, and it was great to have the free breakfast in the morning. It really set us up for the day. The free parking was great.
    Grace
    Group
  • Avg. price/night: £106.51
    Scored 8.1
    8.1
    Rated very good
    Very good
     · 626 reviews
    The room was spotlessly clean. Staff was friendly and helpful. The location is perfect for walking downtown or midtown. It's about 23 minute walk to the boardwalk or Seabright - or a 10 min drive. The beds are comfortable. Rooms are surprisingly quiet. Parking was easy to access and exit. Inside rooms had extra security to enter hallway. Rooms are freshly updated. All in all this is a great little motel at a great price.
    Diana
    Family with young children
  • Avg. price/night: £112.89
    Scored 8.2
    8.2
    Rated very good
    Very good
     · 1,780 reviews
    We loved the fact, that the motel was located next to the pier or beach walk of Santa Cruz. However we were unlucky, because it was closed on the night that we arrived (we only spent one night there). The check-in staff, was friendly, no issues. The parking spots, free parking, were super convenient, and the security shut our trunk that we left open (thanks for that!). The hallways, that leads to the rooms, look quite old and shabby, they could need some improvement. The rooms were alright, motel style, nothing fancy, but clean.
    Frank
    Family with young children
  • Scored 7.9
    7.9
    Rated good
    Good
     · 363 reviews
    Great value for money!! The room was super clean and the furniture looked quite new. The shower was very spacious. Shampoo and conditioner were provided. There were a free parking. Staff was very friendly. This is the best « motel » we’ve been to so far.
    Nina
    Young couple

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