I gotta say first impression after checking in I was very disappointed with the staff at the front counter. 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. read more

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Santa Cruz - Capitola - Outside - Hotels Near Me - Capitola, California

I needed an inexpensive hotel in the area this one is a good choice. It's not far from the Capitola 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. read more

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Quality/Quantity - Part of the Marriot family. We really appreciated and enjoyed this Inn. And after meeting with our local friends for lunch, they also coincidentally recommended this place. Hot breakfast, see pictures. I really liked the waffles, the batter was almost mochi-like. Plus the small size made it easy to share and less waste. And it was never busy (even with a sold out night), there were plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Complimentary coffee all day, sadly I had to use it more than once, lol. See all my pictures. Good size room, I would even consider it a suite. Has a microwave, fridge (no freezer), pull out bed from the couch, coffeemaker, two TVs, work station, etc. Atmosphere - See above. Also decent size lobby, bar area, etc. See pictures. Convenient location to Capitola and Santa Cruz. Once I figured out the street/driveway situation, it was easy in and out. Smoke free property. A small convenience store, see picture. Also the following which we did not use - Pool, hot tub, gym, meeting space, laundry, two business center computers, bocco ball (good use of otherwise wasted space), etc. Complimentary gated underground parking which was barely enough spaces for this sold out location. All 3 days we were here, they were sold out. No pets allowed. Need to ask for room service if you choose. We noticed they did not have conditioner in the container in the shower. But when we called the front desk, they gave us another one with no problems. Wifi. Service - 5 stars; friendly, welcoming, etc. Also nice enough to give us really early check in! Thank you! The team for breakfast were also great and friendly hard workers! Price - $272 a night. Expensive, but that is the price for quality. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2011, did you used to be a church...? read more

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Review #884 Posted on 5.23.25 We came to stay here for 1 night on Saturday the 17th for my daughter's flag football playoffs at nearby Harbor High School. This place is right off highway 1, on 41st St in between freeway & beach. It's a nice central location and has a ton nearby it. They have free parking with your stay, although I'm not sure if that's for non Marriot Bonvoy members, so double check that, spacious rooms, with 2 TVs, a couch, mini fridge, dresser, everything you need. They've also got a heated swimming pool, & spa, and an indoor gym. The breakfast spread they hit a home run with. They've got cereal, bagels, a waffle maker, yogurt, fruit, eggs, breakfast meats. Can't beat that. This place is setup very nicely. read more

Unfortunately, this hotel missed the mark and was just okay. The outside looks great but the room wasn't as nice as I was expecting for a new hotel nor for a Marriott... The description was supposed to be a king suite with 2 flat screen TVs, so I was expecting a pretty big room. Unfortunately it was an average size room that had an older flat screen in front of the bed and another older flat screen about 10 feet away next to the couch. The room just didn't look like a fancy new Marriott and gave me more of a Howard Johnson or Motel 6 feel. Nothing wrong with either of those hotels, just was expecting a fancier hotel. Front desk seemed pretty nonchalant, not super welcoming or friendly but not necessarily rude, just like they couldn't be bothered? They do have a pool and jacuzzi, free underground parking, free breakfast, so nothing to complain about just not what I was expecting from a Marriott. 3.5 stars read more

We booked this hotel with the biggest consideration being their proximity to the Shadowbrook restaurant, as we wanted to be in their radius to arrange the taxi pickup. The ratings were decent and overall we were happy with the stay. The hotel was nice and quiet and most importantly to me, clean. Same was to be said of our room. Pretty spacious with the beds and a separate sitting area with couch and desk. Breakfast was nothing special, I'd say middle tier for your usual hotel breakfast. We'd stay here again if in the area. read more

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I have stayed at 100+ hotels, and this Fairfield is particularly well designed and run, especially compared to other Fairfields. The design is excellent, with gated parking on the lowest level and a non-linear design. There are 2 casual spaces on the lobby, excluding the breakfast area, which is more than most Fairfields. There are also marble floors in certain entrances and a nice courtyard. Check-in was very fast and most areas were very clean. The only thing I can think of to improve is that there is no ventilation in the bathrooms, and the bathtub/shower drained slowly. read more

Bed bugs!!! And poor customer service. We stayed here August 1, 2025. My husband wasn't sleeping well and didn't want to disturb me so he slept on the pull- out sleeper couch. Everything seemed and appeared fine. But the next day he had bites all over his left side which is the side he sleeps on. He was suspicious of bed bugs so I called what turned out to be the wrong Fairfield inn- the one in Santa Cruz. The manager there was so nice and willing to refund the points we spent plus some. But then he couldn't find our reservation and we realized the mixup and he gave me to the Capitola phone number. I spoke to the manager who asked if my husband had seen a doctor, which he hadn't. He said the system was down and he'd check the room and follow up with me, took my number and everything. Almost a week passes and I hear nothing so I decide to call. I told the manager that my husband did see a doctor and the doctor confirmed bed bugs. The manager was dismissive and not sympathetic and told me he didn't find bed bugs so he couldn't help me. This was the only hotel we stayed at the bites showed up right after. Don't stay here! read more

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Absolutely gorgeous hotel property with Spanish style rooftops and lots of flowers around. What stood out for me was the customer service. Shout out to Derek at the front desk who was top notch! They held our bags until the room was ready as we arrived quite early. The pool area is clean and relaxing. The gym is small and it was hot when I entered, but then we noticed someone had turned the AC off and we turned it back on. The hot breakfast is very good. Lots of healthy options like yogurt, dried fruit, hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, and bananas. And lots of other options like make your own waffles, bagels, english muffins, cereal, and bacon. read more

Best hotel around. New, super clean, great room/suite layout, great lighting, comfortable beds, large bathroom. Ideal for families visiting Capitola/Santa Cruz. Friendly check in, secure free parking, decent breakfast options, pool, convenient location. Tip: Avoid turning onto Brommer street to access the hotel or parking, you'll regret it otherwise. Only use the hotel front driveway on 41st Ave. to access both the check-in and secure parking. read more

This hotel continues to be my go-to when I'm traveling to Santa Cruz for work. Location is great and close to grocery stores, mall, and restaurants. The hotel is always clean, free garage parking, spacious rooms and good amenities. I cannot say enough good things about the customer service either. Ryan exceeds expectations every single time! He remembers repeat guests and is always helpful and friendly to everyone. Management is also helpful and receptive to feedback as well. Definitely one of the best hotels when it comes to cleanliness and customer service! read more

Very clean hotel! The decorations are cute and match the beach theme. Good service and a good nights rest. The shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are actually filled up all the way too (unlike many of the other Marriotts). read more

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The continental breakfast presentation was orderly. The hotel itself appeared like new. The subterranean parking was included in the hotel stay at no additional charge (although the parking spaces are quite narrow - "not cybertruck friendly"). All in all, good value read more

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Santa Cruz - Capitola - Hotels Near Me - Capitola, California

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I have stayed over at this location over the last two years about three times. Every time I have been here, they have made me feel comfortable and it feels safe and accommodating . It is nice that they offer a complimentary breakfast with your stay. I will make sure that every time I am in the Capitola area, that this is one of my places to stay of choice. read more

Pros: spacious room, reasonable price, nice pool/spa, friendly night staff Cons: horrible breakfast, day staff left me standing there for quite sometime while she talked to another employee, room could have been cleaner, no room service read more

Really nice, helpful staff. Room was clean and comfortable. The pool and pool area is one of the nicer ones I have seen at a Fairfield. Close to the beach - 10 minutes away, with a lot of restaurants close by. Good breakfast. Gated parking. This is a really nice choice for Capitola and the area, especially with families. read more

I would love to give this Fairfield inn a five-star review, but it's impossible for any hotel that does not offer housekeeping services to get a perfect review. Marriott continues to milk cost savings from COVID-19 by not providing daily housekeeping. That said, this is a fantastic hotel. The entire hotel is immaculately clean. It smells clean and fresh. The front desk staff are among the best I've ever interacted with. As a high status Marriott rewards member, I was upgraded to a Jacuzzi suite. It's a very well laid out room. You can even watch TV from the jacuzzi. The layout of this hotel is perfect. Don't fear a first floor room. Normally I insist on a high floor, but my first floor room was easy access and felt very secure. There's even a back door that leads out onto the common deck area. Quick and easy access to the pool and outdoor jacuzzi. The pool and hot tub are very well maintained from what I can tell. The workout room is brand new. This hotel has highly secure free indoor parking. While many other hotels attempt to extort an additional 10 or 20 or $30 for daily parking, this hotel gives it away for free. This hotel's location is quite nice. It's walking distance to some decent restaurants, and directly across the street is a well stocked grocery store. This hotel is not walking distance to Santa Cruz or any of the main beaches. The waterfront area in capitola is anything but desirable. If you want to go to the beach, get in the car and drive less than 10 minutes. It's sad that Marriott insists on not providing daily housekeeping, and unfortunately that failure will continue to bring down their overall review scores. But if you're in the Santa Cruz area, I recommend this hotel above all others. read more

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Santa Cruz - Capitola - Hotels Near Me - Capitola, California

Had a wonderful stay at Fairfield. Everything was super clean, beds were comfy, room was spacious, breakfast was good, and great location. The pool and jacuzzi were somewhat heated but still too cold to test the waters in January. They have a small gym. Their lobby area is so pretty. Love the high ceilings. Water pressure was very weak. But otherwise everything else was great. It is several blocks away from the beach. There is underground parking. Had a great stay! read more

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The hotel is about 10-12 drive from the Boardwalk so that was really nice. The hotel was clean. Small but cute hotel. We stayed in the junior suite. The bed was comfy. We had 5 people so one person slept on the sofa bed. It was nice that they had 5 sets of towels so I didn't need to request more. There is a hair dryer which was hard to kind so I had to call front desk. It was located in the room closet in a black bag in front of the black iron board, so it was hard to see it. The front desk could have been more friendly. The kids loved that it had 2 TVs. The hotel had free breakfast. It was basic, eggs bacon, oatmeal bar, cereal, bagels and waffles. I wished they had creamer for the coffee. Overall I would stay here again. read more

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Santa Cruz - Capitola - 2 Queen Beds in Junior Suite - Hotels Near Me - Capitola, California

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I recently stayed here as I had to be out of my house for a few days due to some remodeling. Overall I had a good stay. Its in a good location, not too far from Capitola Village. Its near Capitola Mall and restaurants. Housekeeping is by request only but they do seem to clean the rooms with a lot of bleach. I smell it walking down the hallway. Decent gym, good free breakfast options, locked garage. Only issue is near my the laundry facilities and my room shakes every time a machine is on the spin cycle. But luckily its not all the time. read more

Very nice and very clean hotel. We stayed at this Fairfield Inn location and were very impressed by the cleanliness of the hotel. Service was good - checking in and out was seamless. We enjoyed the complimentary breakfast both mornings during our stay. The breakfast staff did a great job keeping everything stocked and keeping the dining room clean. Coffee can use some improvement, but everything else was good. We had a junior suite with a convenient microwave and mini fridge. We appreciated the gated parking garage. It helped us to feel a little more safe and secure. On our last night, we ate dinner at Shadowbrook restaurant which I highly recommend. Shadowbrook provides a complimentary shuttle service to and from the restaurant within three miles using a vintage taxicab - we loved it! Super cute and super convenient! read more

My wife and I had a great stay here! The room was very clean and had wonderful amenities. The breakfast is classic hotel breakfast. We felt that this hotel could compete with some more higher end hotels we have stayed at before. This is definitely no Holiday Inn. If you are staying in the Capitola area and want to treat yourself, Fairfield Inn and Suites is the way to go. read more

We we're worried that this place would be too good to be true. This place is a gem. We loved everything about it. Front desk was quick and easy check-in. Everyone was super friendly. The ladies who prepared the breakfast were so helpful and kind! We enjoyed their presence! I also like that we had the option to tip using the barcode! That was easy and convenient! Our rooms were so nice and clean! The bed was super comfy! Pillows were perfect! The room warmed up quickly! The water temp was perfect! Plenty of hot water! We can't wait to come back a stay for a longer period of time! Thank you to everyone who made our stay amazing! We appreciate you! read more

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Not sure why there are so many negative reviews?!?! Especially about the staff! Checking in was amazing and Michelle at the front desk was more than accommodating, even went over a rewards program where we can get points for, INCLUDING for this stay. The entry room was decorated with Halloween decorations and the smell was immaculate. Next we came up to our room and it was at the perfect temperature, clean, and inviting. Also not sure why people complain of a smell ?because our room was smelling like the perfect fall day! Carpet was clean, room clean, seemingly quiet so far, two tvs, bathroom immaculately clean, complementary breakfast (have yet to try it but sure it's the same run of the mill complementary breakfast foods), plus it's INCLUDED with the stay. ANOTHER HUGE PLUS, parking is FREE, no hidden fees here. There was plenty of spaces to park upon check in time and seems very safe and secure. When asked where to park Michelle said something alone the lines of ... "wherever you want, no charge, we just keep them safe" 10/10 customer service, ignore the bad reviews, prob just some KARENS Karening about some minor inconvenience they had to deal with. Will be returning ! read more

First off, we felt very secure in the parking garage, considering it had wrought iron gates too to bottom that you had to have a room key to get in, then you had to have a room key to get in the glass door to access the elevator.These days feeling secure is the most important thing for me. The room was very comfortable with a nice little balcony with 2 chairs. Nice bedding, big bathroom, fireplace in bedroom, small couch in living room and a desk for my business needs. Big American breakfast 6am to 10am included. The staff was polite and helpful and the surrounding area was nice. We will visit here again. read more

Nice rooms. Good breakfast included. Very clean. Good value. Poor customer service at the front desk. The attitude seems to be one of "I'm too distracted to provide you the best customer service." They just go through the basic motions but fall short of actually anticipating the needs of the customer. No bellman service. Only a couple of luggage carts. Front desk doesn't care that you can't get a luggage cart to move luggage from the parking basement to your room. Improve customer service and this could be a fantastic hotel. read more

Fairfield Inn is the Marriot property that my team always stays at when working out of our client's site in nearby Watsonville. The receptionists have always been very friendly, despite whatever odd hour that I wind up rolling in at, and the check-in process has always been a breeze. I always wind up with a large suite room due to the pre-arrange corporate rate agreement our firm has with Fairfield Inn. The rooms themselves are quite clean and spacious, with a living room with two sofas, a two tables, a desk, a fridge and microwave, and a TV. And the bedrooms are your choice of two queens or one king, along with another TV. Like all Marriot properties, wifi is included for free for guests, and at Fairfield Inn, it is usually quite reliable, with the occasional periodic outage. Plenty of lighting sources available throughout the room, and housekeeping is very thorough in their routine everyday. Complimentary breakfast is included with your stay, and consists of your basic fare of pancakes, sausages, eggs, cereal, and bagels. Parking is also available for free to guests inside the locked garage, which is accessed with your room key. For those just checking in, the main driveway has 20min parking spots that you can park at while you go inside to check-in. While Capitola is a pretty safe area, I did notice during my last stay that they would leave the gate open in the morning, which basically allowed anyone access into the garage without the need for a key. The location is also very close to several major grocery stores and restaurants, so finding food or buying essentials is very convenient as well. My only real gripe is that the showers are very sensitive and aren't the easiest to adjust the temperature for. They start at freezing cold and after a bit of waiting, turns scalding hot at just the slightest shift to the left. read more

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This place is so cute, conveniently located within walking distance to the beach, Gayle's bakery and other great eats as well as a nob hill, cvs or anything else you need if you forgot to pack it Staff was super nice and totally hooked us up with a renovated room, with fireplace, hot tub and dual shower heads, which I didn't know was a thing until I read the yelp reviews. I just wanted to use the fireplace! That was cool. Hotel coffee in the lobby was hot and plentiful all day so that when we came back from walking around town I was able to make myself a cup downstairs without having to use the one in the room, around 4pm, which was nice. Glad I brought lotion because normally places I stay at have a bottle so that I don't need to pack one. ‍ came here for the jellyfish decor in the lobby too, which was neat. Place was convenient for car service provided by shadowbrook for dinner too. Looking forward to coming back again sometime read more

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Santa Cruz - Capitola - Beach within walking distance from hotel - Hotels Near Me - Capitola, California

Our air is broken and they say they're booked and can't fix it nor offer us a different room. Now our tv is broken and they say the best we can do is leave and book elsewhere?? Now the lady working is much more helpful thank you to Amy!!!! She brought us a fan at LEAST and said she's willing to compensate us in some way when we check out. Really this place is ok but the no tv and no air really sucks and they're not willing to compensate at all, other than a fan. read more

What a pleasure to write this review. THIS PLACE IS WONDERFUL! From the moment we arrived, until the moment we left, we found not one thing that could have improved our stay. The room was large and airey, the air conditioner was quiet and worked perfectly assuring us of a good night's sleep. My requests of a "top floor/quiet room" was satisfied. The bed was nice and comfortable. The entire hotel, tho busy, was always clean! The entire staff was friendly and informative. A nicer group of happy employees would be hard to find. EVERYONE always had a smile on their face and took the time to make eye contact and say hello. That certainly makes a difference. The breakfast room had something for everyone and was always clean and well stocked. Hot food or cold cereal, whichever you desire they provided a very nice selection. We found it very convenient. Whenever we are in that area, this will be our "go to" hotel. read more

Perfect for our family of 4 including an 8 yr old and a 1.5 year old. Didn't feel bad about the kids noise as it seemed like it was mostly families. Pool was a hit - 5 ft deep salt water pool and a relaxing hot tub with jets, very clean and family friendly. Breakfast was good and easy. Bagels, cereal, eggs, sausage, yogurt, oatmeal, waffles. Walking distance to couple restaurants, convince store, and a brewery. 100% would stay again. read more

We like pretty much everything about this hotel. The junior suite was big, clean and had a 2 TVs and whirlpool tub for two! The bed was very comfortable. Although we did not use them we saw the pool, a well equipped gym and a bocce ball court. The parking is under the hotel and accessed with your room key. The breakfast included waffles, eggs (hard and scrambled) bacon, oats bagels and cream cheese, toast, english muffins, yogurt, three types of cereal coffee hot chocolate and juice. They also had shredded cheese and fresh salsa for the eggs. Something for everyone! It's a short drive from anywhere you want to be, about 5 minutes to Capitola Village. We will stay here again for sure! read more

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This place is great. Clean, well maintained and the staff was very friendly. Shout out to the GM , Greg my interactions with him were pleasant and personable. read more

We stayed here to beat the heat back home. First, it is a hotel and not a motel posing as a hotel (not naming names but you know who you are). It has a pool, spa, and gym. It also boasted free-parking with decent sized spaces (which from reviews of other hotels, I guess can be a problem in this area). It's also clean, quiet, and just a short drive away from the beach. Staff were friendly and helpful. Would definitely stay here again next time we are in Capitola! read more

Really nice and really affordable. Really easy access to nearby places. Shadowbrook taxi pick up here.

First Strike: I booked a single queen room on the phone with their front desk person. When I arrived, they gave me a room with two double beds. They told me I was being charged the same price. It was Thanksgiving, it was only one night, and I was eager to be with my family so I let that slide. The price ended up being a few dollars more, but that wasn't the bad part. Second Strike: The handset on the phone didn't work. The only way to communicate with the front desk was bending over and speaking and listening through the speaker phone, which was very very low volume--you could barely hear. Third Strike: When I returned from dinner it was cold so I turned the heat on. It wasn't getting warmer, it was getting colder. And it was getting colder because it was blowing out cold air. When I called, the person at the front desk basically shrugged (that's a nice way of putting it) and said there was no one around to fix the phone OR the heater. No offer of a blanket or a space heater or anything. I told them that this is unacceptable and I'm not paying. Fourth Strike: The "blankets" on the bed and the spare were barely thicker than a kleenex. Fifth Strike: I called again in the morning, still freezing cold, and was told that there still wasn't anyone to fix the phone or the heater and that I should keep trying. I told them, again, that I wasn't paying. Then I showered, packed and left. Sixth Strike: I called and emailed several times about my awful experience. Three days later, someone named Giovanti finally got back to me saying that he was "sorry to hear you experienced a less than amazing stay at our beautiful Capitola location" and asked when we could "talk more about it." I responded that we didn't need to talk about it. I had already explained what happened in my email and I wanted my card credited back. Seventh Strike: Two days later, Derek, the General Manager finally responded and informed me "Our Mitel telephone handsets have a ON/OFF button that must be pressed if one does not use the speaker phone option." Which I never saw. And why do I have to look for that? Shouldn't the phone just... I don't know... work? THEN, as if that wasn't insulting enough, he wrote, "The room thermostat also has buttons to increase or reduce the desired room temperature" as if I am an idiot that doesn't know how to operate a thermostat. Eighth Strike: Giovanti then called me to inform me that Derek was compensating me for my awful experience with 3,000 BonVoy points. When I asked him what that meant, after much hemming and hawing and non answers it amounts to about $20 which are only redeemable at Marriott locations. I told him that was unacceptable and I wanted my card credited back. That's when he pretended like we lost our phone connection and hung up on me. Ninth Strike: I reached out again a few days ago and they have not responded. I prefer to give people a chance to make things right rather than give a negative review, but apparently they aren't interested in making things right. Side note: the decor is as awful as the management. read more

Recently stayed here for one night stay during a golf trip to Seascape. Much like the Marriott chain, this Fairfield Inn was really in great condition. I enjoyed the location of where the hotel is, the convenient underground parking, and the spacious clean and updated rooms. The staff were decently friendly and everything is within walking distance which made it convenient to get to restaurants, groceries, and pharmacy. Everything you need is around you. I didn't get a chance to use the pool but it looked kind of small. I think if you stay here you're probably gonna want to go to the beach anyways. The best part of this hotel was the great breakfast bar and breakfast seating area. I will definitely stay at this hotel again if I'm in the area. read more

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My husband and I stayed at this location in Capitola. It was perfect for everything. The staff was super chill and nice. We arrived around 8pm and the man that assisted us was easy going and seemed genuinely eager to get us parked and in our room comfortably. Parking was under the location and only accessed by your room key so I felt very safe leaving the car and walking to and from the room. The location was perfection. In between Aptos (a favorite of ours) and Santa Cruz. We had a junior suite which was quiet and comfortable. The bed was standard Marriott bedding which I like. Everything was roomy. We had a microwave to heat up leftovers and a frig to keep things cold. I can't say enough great things about this place. Oh and a Target in case you forgot something is two or three blocks away. That's always nice. Love Capitola! Next time I won't hesitate to book here. See you soon!! read more

My husband and I stayed at the Fairfield inn for 3 nights. Our room was very clean, staff was polite, and breakfast was very good. I liked the warm temperature of the pool, however, the surrounding cement could use a few plants. The reason I didn't give 5 stars was for the location. The traffic on 41st avenue was horrible, and HWY 1 was often very congested. Other than that, I would recommend this hotel. read more

No safe provided and if you leave valuables in your room it will get stolen. Had 300 dollars stolen from my purse while I was attending a wedding. read more