Pacific Blue Inn

This lodging puts illegal hidden surcharges and fees on your bill to make their rates seem lower than they actually are. Your credit card is charged more than the quotes and confirmations you are given. They don't respond to follow up emails and make you go through hassle of credit card dispute. Site is managed remotely, more like a 9 unit BnB. So if anything goes wrong, you don't really have a timely and effective response. They say they are there on site from 3 to 5 PM but were not when I checked in. Room was okay. Wood floor looks nice but you get very loud stomps above you in the middle of the night if you are on a lower floor. Location was great. Rooms don't have fridges and they say you can store stuff in the main fridge in the kitchen. But then they randomly lock the kitchen and you lose your food and money you spent on it. They give you and charge you for a parking permit whether you need one or not with no mechanism to opt out. For my room, you have to stand on furniture to adjust ceiling fan and close upper windows. Not safe if you are older or have balance issues. Very walkable to downtown amenities. The complimentary cookies were nice.

I am saddened to have to write this as we had such a lovely experience at the hotel. The hotel took money off my card for 'incidentals'. We are now one week since we left and the funds are not returned to my bank account. In addition to this, I have been charged for something i am not aware of. Although this is a small amount $16, the principle of taking funds without my consent is just awful. Thankfully our cash flow is OK as we have worked so hard to save for this trip. Someone with less funds may struggle with the hotel retaining the incidental funds for such a long period of time. I've contacted the hotel and no reply so have no other choice but to make this public. They've had a chance to respond.

I've stayed here probably a half a dozen times over the last few years. It is my go-to for Santa Cruz. So many hotels these days have reviews that show how dirty and gross the rooms are. This place is completely the opposite - clean clean clean! The floors are clean, the bedding is clean, and it's a very peaceful place with a beautiful courtyard. I don't think I've ever met any of the staff... that is a quirk that you may or may not like... the staff seems to leave at 5, but they will make arrangements with you prior to get your room key. During the chilly times of the year (which can possibly be summer) the rooms can get a bit cold and you'll have to figure out how to use the wall heater and electric heater, but things warm up fine. The beds are super comfy. The rooms are not huge, but everything that 1-2 people will need. WiFi is fine, television is fine. You will get a nice nigth's sleep here. They will charge you to park in their parking lot, but if you want to skip that, you can park for free on the street after (I believe) about 6 pm and before 8 am. If you go this route, just let them know when you make your reservation. You can also pay the meter rate during the day, which isn't too expensive.