When the Brookdale Lodge renovations are complete, this is going to be an incredible experience. I first visited years ago before renovations began. The great Brook Room, is incredible-With different levels, quirky design, an actual mermaid room that I hear will still be operating when renovations are complete-I have few words to describe the enormity and beauty of it. The space has an energy to it, and both times that I was fortunate enough to take a tour, when I left I felt something like nostalgia... I can't wait to see it when it's completed! My recent visit was prompted after learning that it is under new ownership and is being fully renovated/restored. The people orchestrating this are doing an incredible job and it looks like it could be a main attraction for this side of the Bay Area/Santa Cruz. This river that runs through the Brook Room, is where a young girl tragically drowned and is said to haunt the lodge. The crew told me that they are keeping her room as it is in her honor There are allegedly several ghosts that over the years people have encountered. I had the honor of speaking with the crew working on renovations, and they all had stories of their own experiences. There are also elaborate secret tunnels that were used by celebrities and during prohibition! Al Capone, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Henry Ford and Herbert Hoover, Joan Crawford, Hedy Lamar, and many other historical figures and celebrities dined here in its prime. The bar has already been completely restored and is equipped with a sound stage for live performances-And just outside a cute outdoor patio next to the river, which includes the allegedly haunted well... The hotel that is fully renovated is just outside of the main building. I didn't view the rooms, but trust me-It is a huge difference than it was before renovations when I visited years ago. I hear that they are planning to complete the full renovations in 2027, and have the entire space open for business. I can tell you I'll be one of the first visitors:) read more

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WARNING: Unsanitary! This hotel does NOT have full mattress encasements to protect the mattress from bedbugs, bodily fluids, spills, or allergens. There is a thin fabric top mattress protector instead of the industry standard six-sided zippered mattress encasement. Room 223 and room 114 have stains on both sides of the mattresses. Make sure you thoroughly inspect your bed as soon as you check-in. These mattresses are a straight up health risk. BYOB! (Bring your own bedding) The service of the staff is wonderful. Every employee I interacted with was incredibly kind, well intentioned, and friendly. The location is breathtaking, the onsite amenities (gift shop, bar, live music, diner) are a nice perk. However, the experience was completely ruined by cheap management. The front desk is not open 24 hours, with no front desk hours posted on the website. I wanted to complain at check-out, but nobody was there at 7am. The hotel will charge you $5 for any unreturned keys. They are not even custom keys with the hotel name, they are generic keycards that cost $0.25 each. I know this because I found the exact keys and keycard envelopes they use on Amazon. I truly think they don't use any hotel supplier companies for anything. The housekeepers are clearly given too many rooms to turnover. When you first walk into the room, things look clean at first glance. However, there are small details that would be easily addressed by a housekeeper with enough time to clean, or a housekeeping manager to inspect the rooms prior to check-in. Empty body wash and shampoo bottles, stains and handprints all over the walls, dead bugs in every corner, cobwebs, sticky floors and countertops, stained sheets, stained mattresses, ripped comforter, food crumbs left in sofa bed. Each room was clearly rushed to get ready with the bare minimum requirements for a turnover being met. Considering every single pillow case and sheet had a stain on it, it's reasonable to suspect that improper detergent is being used. Hotel bedding needs heavy duty industrial-grade detergent, not the typical soaps you would use at home. Experienced travelers will notice a lack of that classic "hotel smell" that's a result of the cleaning solutions used. The most important thing management cheaped out on, and THE MOST DISGUSTING part of this place, is that this is the ONLY hotel I have ever seen without a proper mattress protector. Thats right, any bodily fluids, bed bugs, mites, lice, fleas, pet dander, biohazards, etc can get right into the mattress you are sleeping directly on top of. Oh, and per the policy on their website, there are NO refunds once you check-in! The poor staff was essentially helpless and unempowered. They really wanted to make things right but had no way of doing so other than offering another set of sheets and a different room, which unfortunately had the same issue. The ADA lift up the stairs in the middle of the property is broken. I watched multiple senior citizens and disabled guests struggle to operate it, only for an employee to inform them it is broken and non-operational. There is not even an out of order sign on it. A wheelchair user was forced to go all the way around the property to get to his room. I felt bad for everyone staying here. Worst of all, and truly the most inefficient, regretful decision a hotel manager can make, is that any discounts or refunds must be individually approved by management. That is penny pinching to the extreme. You should trust and empower your employees to take care of the guest. If you are worried about employees comping too much or comping when unnecessary, give them a guide or some training! Leaving issues unresolved until management can give a thumbs up just results in angry customers and low ratings. Shame on you for not trusting your hardworking staff. Management, do better. Your decisions are an insult to the hotel industry and hospitality staff. Go manage a Super 8 if you want to be that cheap, and leave this beloved historic lodge to an expert. read more

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Absolutely disgusting experience. I found a tarantula in my hotel room and immediately reported it to Zach at the front desk. Instead of apologizing or offering to move me to another room or address the situation, he simply told me, "They're everywhere," and that the hotel had no control over it. The spider was never addressed, and there was no effort made to resolve the issue or make me feel safe. That wasn't the only problem. The room had an excessive number of flies, the walls were dirty, and the bed sheets were torn. The overall cleanliness and condition of the room were unacceptable. I understand that hotels in certain areas may encounter wildlife, but the complete lack of concern or customer service is what made this experience so disappointing. If you want a clean room and expect staff to take your concerns seriously, I would strongly recommend staying somewhere else. read more

Brookdale Lodge - Hotels Near Me - Brookdale, California

I stayed at the Brookdale Lodge for almost a month while working in the area. Chris at the front desk was extremely accommodating. I had a couple of logistical issues and he was able to resolve them quickly. He was very professional and clearly experienced in the hospitality industry. I look forward to staying there again. read more

Second time here and we enjoyed our stay again. The king bed is huge and our room was clean. If you are expecting a 5 start luxury hotel this is not it but it is cute and it has personality. The diner is nice and the bar had great music and friendly bartenders. I do wish one day someone will re do the whole brook room and pool area. So much history in this hotel, I'd love to see a comeback! I'm sure we will be back. I'm read more

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After a short stay this week my feet and ankles are covered in flea bites. I called the place to let them know and they didn't seem concerned or surprised. I've been staying here on summer trips the last 10 years or so. This trip was a big letdown. The room was grubby - cracked plaster and peeling paint. Mold on the bathroom ceiling. Sorry to see this place going down hill. read more

Honestly this lodge is about you get what you pay for. We ended up here because they allow dogs and it's cheap. They have newer furniture, nice TVs, and typical motel carpet. Wasn't the cleanest but could have been dirtier. Patio needs a nice good wipe down, walls could use a wipe down, shower heads didn't work well, fridge didn't work at all and microwave was so rusted we didn't want to use it because it seemed to be a fire hazard. Overall grounds needs a good clean. Cigarette butts and random stuff all over outside. Staff was nice, location in the trees was beautiful, and it was super quiet. Would I stay here again? Probably because they allow dogs and it's cheap. I did let the staff know about the microwave and he said they would get it taken care of. read more

Brookdale Lodge - Rusted microwave - Hotels Near Me - Brookdale, California

CAUTION - If you book a courtesy room block for them (e.g., for a wedding) they DO NOT HONOR it. Stay away if for this purpose. We have guests for our wedding calling into book and being told there is no availability despite a signed agreement read more

I've stayed here before, during the pandemic. My experience was lovely, there was a fight between 4 young girls during my stay that woke me up but that wasn't the hotels fault. That day I booked at about 6pm and arrived 30 minutes later and was able to check in smoothly so I decided to book again for a solo getaway. I booked at 7pm, my room was confirmed so I begin driving 4 hours to this hotel. I got here at 11pm and the front desk was closed. In the past I have stayed at hotels that close early but they always give a courtesy call or email to their guest especially if you pay in advance on "next steps after booking" or "need to know" before arriving. When I arrived the front desk was closed. I had no emails, missed calls, had no clue on what to do. I booked through a third party site. Still waiting to see if I can cancel my reservation. This sucks, I really wanted to give this hotel its flowers. But after tonight it doesn't deserve it, I should have at least received a call or email from the hotel telling me it's closing times and what to do if I arrive after. Just simple communication would've saved so much hassle read more

I'm so sad to be leaving this review. I've been coming to Brookdale Lodge for many years now, but this last trip really took the cake. I've always loved the atmosphere outside the hotel, but the inside has ruined just about everything for me. I now have a 1yr old son, so as any real mother, safety is my main concern. My son was almost crushed by this heavy mirror hanging by a thread, almost grabbed this disgusting spoon & filth left in the fridge, and exposed to mold during bath time all in one weekend. The floors are damp & disgusting, and everything basically falling apart. The tv is extremely bright & the remote is blocked from trying to lower the settings. When I mentioned all this during checkout, they listened & blinked, that was it. Extremely disappointed, I won't be returning or referring anyone ever again. It's an embarrassment, this place has potential & makes plenty of money so the bottom line is, they just don't care. read more

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I wanted to love this place because of the location and history of the lodge. luckily weather was nice and we were outside unless sleeping. I suggest another motel nearby, even if it means splurging a little more. We walked around the property with our son to check it out and was disappointed half of the lodge was closed For renovations. Hopefully they really are making updates. when we walked through the bar area it was sticky had had tons of flies inside. Not where I'd want to sit for a glass of wine after 8 hours of driving. The room was nice ish? Until I realized the bedsheets had tears in them and there was Ink or pen stains on the "comforter". The pillows are toddler size so make sure to ask for extra. They had 3 hangers but 1 was broken. There's a notice in the bathroom to put dirty towels on the floor and hang the ones we'd reuse. I'm glad we re used most bc no one came to make the beds or give fresh towels. The shower curtain was broken and someone had tampered with the smoke detectors and no one bothered to fix this. Super super sketchy and NOT SAFE. When I brought this to the front desks attention he said "okay thank you. Please come visit us again". what?? This is a major safety violation but whatever. There is an "ice room" but no place to refill your water bottles. No waters are provided in the room so fill yours up before heading back to the lodge. Everything felt sort of dirty and the walls are paper thin- I could hear other people Going to the restroom. If you do stay there request a second floor bc you will hear every footstep if you stay on the first. Shout out to the sweet girl working in the diner who served me an my very tired son. Food was okay but she was very kind. read more

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Room was large, bed was comfortable, but was disappointed the diner wasn't open according to the hours on window and online, the bar/lounge was advertised as being open for happy hour, even has big banner facing hwy 9, but wasn't open and the market said open at 9am, we checked out after 10am and still wasn't open I believe if something is posted that it shud be open certain times, it shud be open. This was 1st time we stayed at hotel and not too impressed. read more

Cool spot when busy. They had a great pool tournament but then they stopped it on a dime. Mary the bartender is fantastic. All smiles.

We stayed here for the Witches Ball for Halloween. What a treasure. The entire experience was a treat! The staff is friendly and helpful. Rose Bud answered all of our questions and made some great suggestions for the stay. The rooms are newly remodeled. They are spacious and clean. The beds are comfortable and made for a restful nights sleep. As a bonus, the diner served midnight pancakes at the end of the night for the event. They were fabulous! read more

Brookdale Lodge - View from the Spacious Balcony. - Hotels Near Me - Brookdale, California

We call the front desk right away. Talk to the "manager" a short man that checked us in . Told him about the door and towels. Took forever to get the new towels and god knows what else they didn't clean in the room. Asked for another room and they couldn't do it. Asked for someone to fix the door so I can shit with the door closed. I was denied. The short manager in the phone when asked if we can then get a discount on the room said yes to speak with him in the morning. Morning checkout came and no discount. Was told since they supplied new towels and that they were going to eventually fix the door so there was nothing g to discount. I could not believe it. We have been going to brookdale for years and this will be our last time. That shirt little man is a fucking joke and should be fired. read more

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Came for the spooky and did not disappoint. So grateful to finally found some time to check out this property. The grounds were beautiful surrounded by giant trees and a babbling brook. Front desk staff was gracious and were very kind and helpful. The room was super clean and the beds were very comfortable, I slept like a rock. The rooms all had roomy balconies, coffee maker, microwaves, and mini fridge. Unfortunately it was off season so there wasn't any dining onsite but there was a general store with snacks and drinks open until 9. ( Boulder Creek and Ben Lemond are close by with adorable dining option's.) I would love to come back when the pool and the brook room are open again. I really hope the owner is able to referb it to its former glory. It's really a special and unique property and It would be awful to loose a slice of history. And if you forget a cork screw, the nice lady in the general store is happy to help read more

Brookdale Lodge - View from the room. - Hotels Near Me - Brookdale, California

This place has no ambiance. We didn't stay here. We came for the Sunday afternoon music on the patio. The food was a couple of very small servings of BBQ - for $20! Crazy. The drinks were ok. The bar area is inside. No ambiance at all. Even the patio seemed makeshift. We def wont go back. Good bad bc the music was good. read more

My room was immaculate and nicely decorated. The smell of the fresh mountain air is lovely. Staff is friendly. Wi-Fi is strong. Cable TV good. Other people staying at the hotel were also friendly. The restaurant on site had a delicious breakfast. While not super fancy, it's very nice. When I go to the Santa Cruz mountains, I am looking for a clean, well-maintained room and property, not the amenities associated with a $500/night room. There was live music one night and a party the other night. So if you're noise sensitive you may want to ask to be further from the center of the hotel. While I did read that it was haunted, I did not get a paranormal vibe, other than the regular "Keep Santa Cruz Weird" vibe that I love. Good choice if you want to be in the Redwoods away from the urban nature of the Boardwalk area. read more

I had a wonderful stay here. The grounds are spacious and beautiful. The guy at the front desk was super friendly and helpful. The room had a cute patio with a beautiful view. Room was clean and comfortable. I would definitely stay here again!! read more

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Iconic hotel, restaurant, and music venue in the Santa Cruz mountains! This place is a must see for anyone who wants the traditional Santa Cruz mountain experience. I highly recommend staying here! Mary at the bar was especially helpful. read more

So happy to see the Brookdale Lodge back in business! My Grandma and I stayed here a few weeks ago and the staff were amazing--so helpful and friendly. Yes, there are some areas that need work due to the previous owner. It sounds like the new owner is dedicated to restoring this historical gem over time but this is obviously a time-consuming and expensive process. Gorgeous setting, wonderful staff and a special piece of history! read more

The facilities were awesome! The staff was really helpful. They are renovating so the pool and main restaurant were closed. They have live music on the weekends. FYI - it's supposedly haunted but we didn't see or hear any ghosts read more

Great location with nice, comfortable rooms-however, for the price, I was expecting at least a coffee maker in our room, and standard noise rules enforced. Rooms face the front lot. It's nice being able to enjoy the balcony and sleep with the windows open. We couldn't because there was an obnoxiously loud party 50 yards from our room that didn't quiet down until close to midnight. Not a terrible experience, but that was a one and done. Tip: bring earplugs. read more

This place has absolute character! So many great benefits ...... what a unique, well located property... Number one I would have to say is the staff from the first phone call for booking , request upon check in all set up, front desk at check in time and a next day phone call to confirm it was OK to deliver a new refrigerator to my room , to the gift shop to the restaurant to the bar & grounds people... all pleasant , kind, and helpful... Good mojo makes the world go around! read more

This place has so much potential. Huge bummer to post this 2 star review, but sometimes that's the way it goes. If you stay on Sunday or Monday evening... literally everything is closed. No food, no access to the famous and scenic rooms onsite and literally nothing other than a check in office and a motel room. No need for any extra hype or excitement... There's nothing here open or anything that makes it worth stopping / staying. The hotel room is mediocre and the staff was lackluster. Our shower curtain needed so badly to be cleaned or thrown away, otherwise the rooms are updated and decent. Felton or Scotts Valley seem like better options for our next adventure. Cheers! read more

Last minute trip to get our dogs out of the city for the 4th of July. Definitely interested in staying here again, the room was very very spacious, clean and modern. Wish there was more open to explore. The bar they have was closed, the restaurant they have was closed, the whole other building was closed off too. I didn't realize how big the place was and what they all had there until I arrived and looked it up online. There is so much that could be seen but everything was closed except for the small check in office. Pet friendly place, they do charge $50 a dog. Many pet owners were here to get away as well. Probably will be back again next year and hopefully they have a little more open especially since they had so many guests with their pets here. read more

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People are living in it. That's our theory. The website was clearly lying! Guy at the counter said restaurant was closed for 20 yrs! The website clearly said it had a restaurant! A review did say that it was probably closed 'cause it was off-season. But still. Band was too loud at 10pm! Location was good tho. Boulder Creek was a good li'l town. Had some of the best Penne Alfredo I'd ever had (See my aroma restaurant review)! Weird stains on the ceiling and floor insanely sticky because the shower leaks so much water! Fyi aroma restaurant was in Ben Lomond. read more

Brookdale Lodge - What is this?!? Get this fixed! - Hotels Near Me - Brookdale, California

*Weekday stay* What a stay! The Manager is phenomenal! Super friendly team running this awesome historical lodge! The room was very spacious! The hot water in the shower was fast and hot *chef's kiss*. Everyone we met here was so helpful and accommodating! The bar (was closed on Wednesday but was open our last night there Thursday) was like stepping back in time in the best of ways! There is a special atmosphere about this place! Our family can't wait for the restoration to be completed so we can revisit this gem! read more

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Hotel is still good (after the renovations). Just no soap in the bathroom to wash with and no wash rags. Also no coffeemaker. Went to get up to go to the bathroom at 5 am and there was a baby cockroach in the bathroom which I don't understand because the rooms are clean. No gaps or holes in walls. So I am assuming they are coming up through the pipes. So there's that. My suggestion (if the owners see this). Please get an exterminator over there or exterminate once a month since you have a restuarant as part of the hotel and a small food store as well. I wont be staying there again until I know they are gone. read more

We stayed here years ago. The rooms were clean, but the beds weren't very comfortable. We stayed last night. The room was very clean and roomy, and the decor was very nice. The beds were really comfortable. I'm very pillow- picky, and the pillows here were great! There was a door on the other side of the room that opened towards the front of the lodge. When we opened the windows, we could hear the sounds of the little creek. I'm on a walker. They do have ADA rooms, but I didn't need that specifically. They gave us a room that was easily accessible from the parking lot. The room had a microwave and a mini- fridge. We had leftovers from lunch, so it was handy to have that in-room. The staff were super nice and helpful. They have a teeny mini-mart on site that was open fairly late. it was so relaxing! We will definitely be back. read more

We have driven by this place many times with friends in the area and stayed there on Halloween weekend to attend the Halloween party. Pros: I love the mini ski village feel with a general store, restaurant and other on site facilities. Rooms were big and clean. Cons: the phone did not work. When we reported it the responce was "there is nothing we can do about it". There was no hot water in the sink. The shower, yes, but in the bathroom sink the hot water handle did nothing. The soap was not refilled in the shower. I will try this place again, would love to explore the grounds, the pool and the main building without the holloween decorations. On a side note, the Halloween party was a BLAST. Lots of fun people in costume with live music and good drinks! read more

I booked a last-minute, one-night getaway here over the Memorial Day weekend (Expedia recommendation) and I have to say I did good for going in blind! This place is rad. Kerry at the front desk was friendly and helpful (along with the other staff). We had a good laugh over the 1-star review over paranormal activity. I personally did not experience ghostly doings on the property (I was in room 213 upstairs and could hear my neighbors bit chalked that up to thinner walls). I did come back from dinner to find the soap on its side in the bathroom. Odd. But didn't really phase me. I also noted they sell ear plugs in the reception. They have live shows at the bar and I stopped in for a late night drink. Got a recommendation for a hiking trail at Henry Cowell State Park. The next morning, the on-site diner was closed so staff directed me to Jenna Sue's Café. Just a lovely, beautiful, conveniently located place to stay. I hope to be back soon! read more

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We are having the people in the room above us loud and pounding their feet. It is currently 2:18am. When I called the front desk, no one answered. I walked to the front desk, and it said that they closed until 8 am. How do you run a hotel with no one there at night. read more

Brookdale Lodge - How do you not have staff here all night. - Hotels Near Me - Brookdale, California

Everything , starting from the front desk manager . Didn't get any sleep due to the upstairs guest that were up probably doing drugs . And couldn't complain because the front desk closes at 10 pm . read more

I have stayed at Brookdale Lodge several times over the past few years. The staff is very nice and extremely accommodating. I would highly recommend the Brookdale Lodge as the best place to stay anywhere in the Boulder Creek/Brookdale area. read more

my experience here was ok, my friend got a room, i did research on this location and found out it was haunted, it was to late to turn back, we got there early and i told my friend what ever you do do not get room 123 and that the room we got, the room was haunted. i love how there is beautiful trees all around, staff was nice, loved the dinner and the bar, rooms where ok, clean. I enjoyed the Halloween ball that was fun, but the haunting was kinda scary, we had blessed the room and cleansed it before we entered the room and we blessed each other, we all had our roseries on, when we came back from the ball and entered the room my rosery broke and my friends both daughters broke as well. i got so mad i opened the front door and prayed and blessed the room with holy water and salt, i started praying in spanish and told it to leave now!! i feel like after that everything was clear, the girls had been taking pictures and seen that there was two orbs in the corner of the room, the Tv turned off at night and in the bathroom there was a puddle of water and water foot steps going all the way out to the front door to outside none of us had gone out side no one knows where the water came from, there was 2 girls that died at Brooksdale i believe one drowned, i believe that was sara in the room. What a crazy night for us other then that i had fun and i believe i will go again but this time i need a room that's not haunted read more

This was originally an old classic lodge that burned many years ago. We heard they had reopened and knew there wasn't a lot there. The staff was friendly, it was quiet (on a Thursday night), the room very spacious and the bed was exceptional. The surrounding towns are picturesque with plenty of antique shopping. You can see they are working on it, but have a long road ahead. First glance at the building itself is not impressive, the "cafe" disappointing. Not easy to find a decent place to eat. read more

Huge rooms, great balcony view, lots of parking. Very comfortable. I will be staying here again.

Great place to stay new manager is awesome very friendly , and professional!! Great rooms, great prices, can't beat it!

Stayed here a few days cute little tucked away spot in the hills above Santa Cruz clean friendly staff I enjoyed our stayed. I felt bad for some of the staff because I think they're short staffed which is totally normal but I felt like guests were impatient and rude. I felt bad for the staff just working hard and doing the best they could. We will be back. read more