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    Carousel Beach Inn

    3.7 (234 reviews)
    ModerateHotels
    Open Open 24 hours

    Carousel Beach Inn Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Carousel Beach Inn

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    View from the west balcony
    Sandra F.

    This should be a 4.5 stars. It does great for a two star hotel and truly is everything it is supposed to be for a hotel of its class. I've stayed in several locations around Santa Cruz and booked this place bc my usual place was fully booked. I liked it and booked again on another visit. This place has a great location next to the Boardwalk and nice views of the amusement rides from the balcony. West side views are better than East but not horrible on East side either. The rooms that I was in on the second floor seemed updated. Unlike many hotels in the area, parking is easy and convenient and there is 24 hour staff. The prices are extremely reasonable. They offer a free breakfast (not at most places), which is pretty good. Each room has a working fridge and a small seating space. The towels and soap products are decent unlike most hotels of its class. It was noisy from other rowdier guests at times (seemed to draw a younger crowd) but this wasn't overwhelming. It's not the Ritz but overall a good pick at a great price.

    The View Right From Our Inn..!!
    Michael H.

    Nice Time We Had At The TUXEDO Concert And We Were Rite Across The Street Of The Santa Cruz Pier, Beautiful View And Screaming From Riders On Either Roller Coaster Or The Pirate Ship Ride..!! But Thank God It Shuts Down Early And We Were Well Tired And Ready For SLEEP Before Driving All The Way Home To The City Of King, CA But We Had An Amazing Time And Found A Nice Mexican Restaurant Open Early For Our Like. Sleepy Ol' Town Santa Cruz..!! Evaristas Comal Mexican Restaurant..!!! Hats Off To Them We Loved Their Food..!!! But Back To The Carousel Inn, They Had Nice Rooms And A Continental Breakfast To Boot. So I Gave Them A Good Review And Nice Place To Stay If You're Visiting THE BOARDWALK....!!!

    Room 201 view from the balcony. Just a few feet from the main boardwalk entrance.
    Julie Z.

    5 stars for location. Such easy access to the main entrance to the Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk. Parking is included along with continental breakfast which includes coffee, tea, juice, hard boiled eggs, cereal, toast, bagels, fresh fruit (bananas, apples, & oranges), & my kids favorite the waffle making station. We were on the 2nd floor (room 201) with a balcony and view of the boardwalk. Noise wasn't bad but definitely not peaceful as car alarms and people yelling frequently happened until after 10pm. Small microwave & refrigerator were in the room and bathroom was nicely updated. Everything else reminded me of a motel style establishment, decent but outdated. Convenience is what you pay for here and we'll worth it with children.

    Fridge, microwave and ice bucket
    Stephanie A.

    Clean and functional room in an older-boardwalk-adjacent hotel. I could see potentially a lot of noise from the street in the summer but in the winter, it was relatively quiet and fun to people watch from the balcony. I would say the room did lack a coffee maker, the AC/heat did not work, and the bed had a strange metal panel around the base that we kept accidentally brushing against that made a loud kaboom noise. The staff were spectacular: warm and friendly, always cleaning, and very helpful. I can't say enough nice things about staff. Breakfast buffet had muffins, cereal, bagels and coffee, juice and milk. Also hard boiled eggs and yogurts. Standard stuff that is helpful for a budget traveler to avoid a restaurant.

    An assortment of muffins, scones, English muffins and bagels offered at the Continental Breakfast.
    Maria E.

    The theming is adequate--there are nice carousel horses throughout the property that make pretty good photo-ops and the room itself (at least the one we stayed at) had some carousel horses (albeit a bit creepy--lol) on the headboard. The rooms are clean. The bathrooms have pump containers of soap and lotion near the sink and shampoo & conditioner in the shower. They provided adequate amount of towels on all the towel racks and some additional towels in the drawers underneath the sink--and if we needed more, the front desk provides it. There are also a good number of outlets including USB on the table in between the beds. Our balcony overlooked the parking lot (which was actually nice because we could see our car) and a little bit of a view of the roller coaster at the Boardwalk. Speaking of the Boardwalk, it is literally across the street (within a few steps) of the property. That's definitely cool. Once on the Boardwalk, there is access to the beach as well. This hotel property is awesome for that alone. There is a quick outside shower behind the reception area where you can quickly wash off sand and what-not before going upstairs to the rooms. They offer a continental breakfast at a designated time every morning (please check with the front desk for the exact times) which offers an assortment of baked goods, bagels/cream cheese/peanut butter, cereal/oatmeal/milk, hard-boiled eggs, orange juice and of course, coffee. It's a nice touch. The room also has a small fridge and a small microwave which came in quite handy for us. There is, however, a slight issue with noise. For example, muffled voices can be heard from time to time--I think mostly coming from the door outside. But we could also hear the faint sounds of toilet flushing and showers running. It's not some loud decibel sounds, but it exists and could be an issue for people who want complete silence. For the location and overall offerings for this property, we were happy and satisfied and would most certainly stay here again.

    No privacy latch

    This was second time staying at this location. It's been several years since my first visit and this was definitely my last The first thing I noticed was there was no security lock on the door meaning anyone from the hotel or something with the card access could open the door without a second level of security. I was traveling alone and being a female, this was a little concerning. it sounds dramatic, but I used a chair to block the front door. Certainly lacking with the level of security. The state of the room was filthy. Walls were covered in dirt and big scuffs. The floors were so dirty that they turned my socks black as soon as I took my shoes off and walked across the room. The bathroom was no better, the floors haven't been washed in who knows how long. They also don't supply you with any toiletries. They fill up an easily accessible tank in the bathroom, which you can dispense your own soap from. Anyone has access to what's inside it it's not sanitary.

    Vending machines
    Annabelle R.

    The location is pretty good if you're planning to go to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk which is right across the street. This hotel has pretty much everything you would need for a comfortable stay, a parking lot, fridge and microwave, temperature control, and even free breakfast (though it's pretty limited, especially if you come late during breakfast hours, ie. scones). The place was really clean too, including the bed and pillows. They even had a balcony attached to the room, with two seats. One awkward thing, they only gave us a couple bath towels, and zero hand towels or face towels. Also, be aware that they have thin walls, so you may easily hear kids playing outside or people having conversations next door. Overall, we were happy with our one-night stay and didn't experience any noteworthy problems.

    Kimberly N.

    Location, location, location! My daughter and I came to Santa Cruz specifically to spend a day at the Boardwalk and you could not get much closer than this place! This is a no frills inn but our room had a view of the boardwalk from the balcony and it was clean. They offer a free continental breakfast (bagels, cream cheese, yogurt, fruit, pastries, coffee), free parking, and it is reasonably priced for the area. However, it could be a little noisy. We could hear excited little feet running back and forth in the room above us and, since the Boardwalk was open late at night for a special event, we could clearly hear the spinning coaster across the street and its screaming riders. If we ever plan to come back to spend time at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, we would consider staying here again.

    King sized bed
    Ariana A.

    This place doesn't claim to be a luxury hotel with all the bells and whistles, if you know that, this place should meet all your expectations for a inn by the beach. The biggest pro in choosing this inn is that it is a one minute walk from the boardwalk! I wanted a place where I could go back often to drop off my beach bag/ use a private restroom/ take a rest, and this place is absolutely perfect for that. It is the closest you can get to the amusement park. If you're not interested in being close to the park, but rather want a view of the beach, there are other (more expensive) options. Check-in starts at 3PM and there is someone in the lobby 24/7 in case you have any questions or need additional items. There is a private parking lot that can fit more or less 15 cars, but we had no problem finding a spot. Parking is free and for hotel guests only. You will receive a ticket to place on your dashboard upon check-in. The only weird thing about the inn is that there is only one elevator with squeaky doors, which was off-putting at first, and we thought that would be a precedent to a run-down hotel room. The room: This is the first time that a hotel room looked exactly like the photos. I was so pleasantly surprised with the space, cute color scheme and minimal decor, and the spacious bathroom. We had a King room with a patio that overlooked the amusement park. The view was mostly the park's parking lot, but I really enjoyed seeing the busyness of the park, the bowling alley across the street, and when the staff test out the rides in the morning. Although the room is right next to the road and park, I had no problem with the noise. There is an HD TV, mini fridge with 3 shelves, circular table with 2 chairs, 2 bedside lamps, and a microwave. Funnily enough, the microwave has a socket and 2 USB ports...I personally would never plug anything into that haha. The bathroom has all the soaps in a dispenser on the wall, so there are no mini individual soaps or lotion, but you do get a lot for your stay and don't have to ask housekeeping for extra. Continental Breakfast: 7:00 or 7:30am - 10am. Simple grab and go breakfast including cereal, yogurt, muffins, bagels, hard boiled eggs, instant oatmeal, and hot beverages. You can dine inside the lobby which has 4 tables. Perks: You can purchase all-day boardwalk ride wristbands at the front desk for a discounted price, a perk for hotel guests only.

    Love the room. As pictured
    Melissa S.

    So much better then expected. I really hoped it was good as pictured, but I had my doubt. I perused all of the Santa Cruz lodging options near the water and this one was the only nice one that fit into our budget. There area always the Motel 6 type of places, but we wanted a little more. The pictures of this place in yelp are real. The inn is half a block from the entrance of Santa Cruz. It's so close that you can go back and change, even put away packages, go to the bathroom, or take a nap. It's amazingly close. The free parking is real. They have an internal lot and it's perfect for leaving your car for the entire stay. The free breakfast is perfect. It's everything you need to start your day. Coffee and Creamer, Tea selection and hot water, orange juice, and milk. 3 choices of cold cereal and oatmeal with hot water to perk it up. 2 type of muffins, we were told they are best heated in your room microwave. Individual Yogurt cups. A selection of bagels, toasters, butter, and cream cheese. There is nothing hot, but who needs questionable eggs and greasy sausage patties. The ice machine is on the 2nd floor and is near the drink machines behind the elevator. The beds are comfortable, but when you move they squeak like crazy. Due to they are so comfortable I can't really complain. I do think that issue needs to be fixed, but I'd hate for them to then become uncomfortable. Every room has a balcony. We were on the first floor and I was afraid it would be loud with people walking heavy above us, but there wasn't a sound. We had room 101, next to the gate not near the elevator. It was a big concern. The room next to us was vacant. It's used as storage. I thought the gate would bang all night, either no one used it or it was just quiet. Most people used the other gate, next to the elevator. There is also stairs that are near the ice maker and end up across the way near the front desk. Balcony. The upstairs balcony faces the parking lot, either the internal lot or the external lot. If you look left you can see the boardwalk. It was nice, in the middle of the day we got direct so we could lay out on our first floor balcony. They provide 2 balcony chairs and a table. It's very spacious. The front desk was very helpful and the bill was accurate. Each room comes with a good size fridge and a microwave. We were also equipped with a air conditioner that worked. You may be concerned about the noice of the rides. They were on Noon to 7pm as it was spring break. They were very accurate on time. Being on vacation we didn't sleep during that time so it didn't bother us. Most who stay here will spend more time out of their room and if they return early, most don't sleep during the roller coaster hours. Check the schedule and see if it will work with your sleep schedule. As they are loud. I think I covered everything. You need to stay here and enjoy the beach and boardwalk. We may have gotten a fluke deal. We stayed during the week to avoid the crowds and the higher prices. Our deal was $130 a night plus free parking and free breakfast and no resort fees.

    View from our patio
    Michelle H.

    I definitely reccomend this hotel. I looked through a lot of hotels when booking a trip to Santa Cruz, and this fufilled my needs. Inexpensive and close to the board walk. There is a parking lot specifically for this hotel, and while it's not necessarily "private" anyone really can pull in, it felt safe, and private. All the rooms come with a balcony or private patio. We were on the first floor, so had a private patio, it faced the street, but with a tall concrete wall, we felt very safe. We had a view of some of the boardwalk rides which was fun to see when we first go there. The rooms was really cute, with mini fridge, microwave, table and chairs. Comfortable bed. And the bathroom was very cute. The sinke set up made it feel like you were in an apartment vs. a hotel. It had drwaers that pulled out, with towels and makeup remover wipes. Very cute touches. You needed a key to walk into a court yard that led you to the 1st floor rooms, and elevator to 2nd and 3rd floor. Nice to know a key is needed for safety. Every morning the front office has coffee, muffins, bagels, yogurt. A nice touch and some food to get your day going. We enjoyed our stay here, and will likely stay here in the future.

    SCBB & the Monterey Bay in the distance. All visible from our 3rd floor balcony room.

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    Carousel Beach Inn Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Carousel Beach Inn

    Is parking included with the hotel reservation?

    Thank you for reaching out! Yes, each booking includes one self-service parking space at the Carousel Beach Inn. We look forward to seeing you at the beach! ☀️🏖️🎠🍦😎🎡🎢 🙌

    Is there a pool?

    No pool

    Is this hotel dog friendly?

    Hi Courtney, Animals needed to assist guests (such as guide dogs) are welcome at the Carousel Beach inn. To learn more about service animals, please visit… Read more

    Is it pricey?

    It's not pricey at all,for 1 night 2 adults,it was around $143,depending on season,I think the price is comparable to others around the area.

    How much does one room for 2 adults cost for one night?

    Prices range from $130-$155 when I booked. Of course the price will also vary depending on the day of the week.

    How is the parking?

    Small, private lot

    Is there a 2 day minimum stay or can you book one day?

    I booked only one day with no problem.

    View All 9 Questions

    Review Highlights - Carousel Beach Inn

    We had a view of some of the boardwalk rides which was fun to see when we first go there.

    Mentioned in 144 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Dream Inn - Merch zone, but no prices listed on the items | June 2024

    Dream Inn

    (944 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!

    Great location with ocean views from every room. However, was disappointed that they play…read morepop-style music over the pool area until well into the night and have back hotel lights glaring. I had to close my patio window and curtains and try to drown out the sound and light until they turned it off (was maybe on until 10pm or later? - not sure) and then I could finally listen to the beach waves crashing. Really wasn't the vibe I wanted. I also couldn't figure out how to run my shower without getting the entire bathroom soaked- including the clothes I brought inside that I had planned to change into. Aside from that they allowed me to check-in early (no extra fee) which was appreciated and they have convenient outside hotel parking (extra fee) that is easily accessible across the street.

    Beach Street Inn and Suites - View from "shared" patio

    Beach Street Inn and Suites

    (327 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 - Fire pit

    Pacific Blue Inn

    (184 reviews)

    $$

    Made reservations and let them know we would be arriving after about 7 or 8 pm. They said late…read morecheck ins are no problem, we just need to call a # for entry as they lock up the lobby and leave at a certain time. We arrived and saw the paper on the front entrance with the number to call for entry.... no answer. We texted and called numerous times, all while standing outside in the dark. We never got in. Had to find a hotel last minute, which we did, thankfully! The following week, I got a text with no apology or no reason as to what happened- just a short text saying " we will refund you". Would never reserve a room here or attempt tp stay again. TERRIBLE customer service.

    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.

    West Cliff Inn, A Four Sisters Inn

    West Cliff Inn, A Four Sisters Inn

    (144 reviews)

    $$$

    I can't say enough about this place!…read more Mary our hostess was so nice welcoming and helpful. She made us feel like we were staying at a friend's house. Our room had an incredible view. I can't believe the description was a partial view. It definitely was more than a partial view. We had a soaking tub with whirlpool jets. A king size bed and a fireplace. A miniature refrigerator, and bathrobes to use while we were there. They have a wine and cheese hour from 4:30-5:30 every evening and it also had chocolate chip cookies and veggie tray. The breakfast in the morning was so delicious with an assortment of breads, homemade granola and muesli, fresh fruit, quiche and fresh baked cake (lemon, banana, and blueberry were the flavors the days we stayed). The location is walking distance to the pier, boardwalk, and downtown. Depending on how far you like walking we walked to Natural Bridge State Park and it was 2.7 miles. The view along the way is spectacular

    We stayed at West Cliff Inn a week ago and were surprised to find it didn't have air conditioning…read morewhich means we had to choose to either be way to hot or leave the windows open and it be loud and bright. So while the beds were comfortable we didn't sleep at all while we were there. Proximity to the beach, Ward and board walk are amazing. However, someone did break into our rental car and steal $250 from our golf bag. That's our bad for leaving clubs in the car but it is a bummer that the facilities are not secure in any way. The breakfast is just a continental breakfast and is over marketed as something much fancier and one of the staff told me the wine and cheese is just from Costco so not local pairings as I would have expected. Overall, it was advertised as a boutique experience but really it was pretty generic and just over priced for the location.

    Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Santa Cruz - Capitola - 7/21/25 FYI. Good size room.

    Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Santa Cruz - Capitola

    (243 reviews)

    $$

    I gotta say first impression after checking in I was very disappointed with the staff at the front…read morecounter. I saw there was a lady named Alex who didn't check us in but was behind the desk along with the man who actually checked us in and he gave me ZERO information. I got the impression I interrupted their conversation when I came up the stairs and the whole time checking in was slightly uncomfortable because the lack of information I got. I was expecting breakfast is served from this time to this time. Pool hours are blah blah WiFi info. SOMETHING!! Come on.. All I got was what card do you want to use enter it here, then here's 2 keys and park in garage. I had to ask where the garage was that's how bad this guy did with checking me in. After we checked in and got to the room it was nice my kids got a kick out the small balcony we stayed on the second floor. The staff that served breakfast and room service did amazing. They greeted us every time we crossed paths with a good morning, or enjoy your day. It definitely made up for the lack of customer service at the front desk. We stayed 2 nights and over all the location was PERFECT. Everything you could need in walking distance. We drove to the civic auditorium and the boardwalk both took just a 15 min drive from the hotel. I drive a Nissan armada and the parking was tight getting in and out but doable if you're a good driver, lol. I noticed upon leaving people just left the luggage cart in the garage after loading their car shame on them because traveling with my 4 kids I was thinking people actually returned these when they finished. Nope, they don't so don't wait around for one just look in the garage.

    I needed an inexpensive hotel in the area this one is a good choice. It's not far from the…read moreCapitola downtown beach and close to Santa Cruz. Simple and clean. They have an underground parking garage and a breakfast buffet is included that has scrambled eggs, waffles, oatmeal and more.

    Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection

    Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection

    (752 reviews)

    $$

    Every stay, Hotel Paradox has made our mini vacation amazing…read more Rooms are "beach chic" with soft cotton linens, a roomy glass shower with pebbled floor, British luxury brand Gilcrest & Soames bath products and rooms terraced overlooking the redwoods and the pool. (sometimes a slice of the parking lot, ask for the prettiest view). You cannot beat slipping on your slides and having a very late breakfast overlooking the patio or having an afternoon craft cocktail and poke nachos while poolside. My son's a fan of the tableside s'mores. Come as you are. Hotel Paradox is our place to relax and recharge.

    The decor and art was really nice and we loved the heated pool, hot tub,ping pong table. The…read morerestaurant had good breakfast burritos. I am super picky about my drinking water and I was thrilled they had reverse osmosis filtered water bottle filling stations! The rooms were nice. I loved that they had a little free library. My only complaints are that the beds were kinda lumpy with pressure points/dips and the pillows were too soft and unsupportive. Not sure if we had bad luck with the room because I see other reviews saying the beds were comfortable but my husband and I both had difficulty sleeping and were having back pain from the beds and pillows. The front desk was able to locate a few firmer pillows for us so that helped a bit. My other complaint is that there were no microwaves or silverware in the rooms. It would have been really nice to be able to microwave a few things. Overall we enjoyed our stay and the staff were accommodating.

    Carousel Beach Inn - hotels - Updated May 2026

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