KNIGHTS INN SANTA CRUZ

For a convenient location you should stay here, for free coffee, tea and bottled water in the lobby you should stay here. For a decent room at a price comparable to the area you should stay here. If you want to listen to drunk guests yell and scream and party and then switch over to fighting and arguing and swearing till 3:00 a.m. you should definitely stay here! If you want to have management ignore you all night not answer the phone and not do anything you should definitely stay here! If you calmly explain the next day the situation and how disappointed you are and that a reasonable partial credit of $100 on a $500 night would be okay to only be ignored and brushed off you should definitely stay here! To then call and email and just continue to be ignored by management and ownership you should definitely give them their business and stay here!

If you want to stay in a boutique hotel in Santa Cruz close to the beach and which has more character than a faceless chain hotel then this Victorian house is a nice stay. Aside from some lovely woodwork on the entrance level, there's nothing much historic about the interior so while it is a great example of historic preservation, don't expect an award winning National Trust type of interior. The room #4 we stayed in upstairs is completely modern as is the bathroom, a good heating system, instant hot water etc - so there is an upside to being new inside. An angled corner square bay window with has a small table and 2 chairs is a nice little space that you wouldn't get in a regular hotel with rectangular rooms and plate glass windows - and you get a nice view of the river. The slatted wooden shutters on the plenty of original windows all around also add to the hybrid old-new character, but they don't block out the light even when closed - so if you're a traveler who likes thick hotel room curtains which shut out the light completely then this is not for you. It's a bit disappointing that it's not a B&B but they don't have the space for that unless they remove rooms on the 1st floor and put in a kitchen and dining room.

My room was spacious, bright and cozy. Bathroom was clean. Did not gross me out. It is open to the room. I was traveling alone, so didnt bother me. Some noise as it is an old home with hardwood floors. I turned on music or the fan so didnt bother me. Towels are not the softest. I would recommend bringing soap (the hotel soap is tiny). I had room 5 2nd floor. This is not a BnB but offers free water, tea and coffee. Plenty of places to grab coffee too. Nice location near downtown and the wharf. I felt safe walking. I enjoyed my stay. For an old historical Victorian home the creaks and all with stained glass windows gave it charm.