Sea & Sand Inn

Hotels
8.9 (263 reviews)
201 West Cliff Drive , Santa Cruz , us

Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Offsite parking discounted rates available
Non-smoking rooms
Terrace
Family rooms
Safety deposit box
Non-smoking throughout
Outdoor furniture
Invoice provided
Smoke alarms
CCTV outside property
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Beautiful views
Friendly staff
Cons:
Noise issues
Renovation disturbances
Limited amenities

Categories

Cleanliness
8.43
The large renovation created dust which affected the stay.
Service
9.4
Staff were kind, but the checkout process was frustrating.
Location
9.94
Great views and proximity to attractions.
Room Quality
7.89
Rooms were small and lacked temperature control.
Amenities
9.42
The complementary breakfast, cookies, and evening wine were enjoyable.
Value for Money
7.38
Overpriced for the experience, especially with recent issues.
Food and Beverage
8.93
Breakfast was appreciated, but some guests felt it was lacking.
Overall Experience
9.8
Despite some setbacks, many enjoyed their stay.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-16 05:23

Property Description

Oceanfront Rooms with Free Wi-Fi
Experience the perfect beach getaway at Sea & Sand Inn, just steps away from Santa Cruz Wharf and Boardwalk. Each room offers stunning sea views and comes equipped with free Wi-Fi, a TV, and a DVD player.

Complimentary Breakfast and Parking
Start your day right with a delicious continental breakfast featuring fresh baked goods, boiled eggs, and more. Take advantage of our free guest parking and explore nearby attractions like Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center.

Convenient Amenities and Nearby Attractions
Relax in our comfortable rooms with a seating area and en suite bathroom. With a 24-hour reception, you'll always have support during your stay. Don't miss the chance to visit the University of California Santa Cruz just 2 miles away. Book your stay at Sea & Sand Inn now for a memorable coastal experience.

Important information:

Please note: During the period between 21 April 2018 and 28 May 2018 guests must be a minimum of 21 years of age to check in at the property.

Please note: Parking is limited to 1 space per room booked.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Property Policies

  • Parking

    Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 5 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    You haven't added any extra beds.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Groups

    No special conditions apply for groups.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.9
Based on 263 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.43
Service: 9.4
Location: 9.94
Room Quality: 7.89
Amenities: 9.42
Value for Money: 7.38
Food and Beverage: 8.93
Overall Experience: 9.8
E
Edward couple us
8
2026-02-11 via Nuitee
N
nicola extended_group gb
10
Lovely place to stay with best view
Pros:

Lovely view! Wine and cheese invite in the evening was a lovely gesture !

Cons:

Lovely hotel! Sadly the grass was being “replaced” so we arrived to a huge mountain of earth in front of our bedroom window ! There were 1st floor rooms that were not occupied so we questioned why we were no A) informed and B) Given and alternative room

2026-02-01 via Nuitee
M
Miranda couple us
10
2026-01-31 via Nuitee
E
Emily couple us
8
Pros:

Location!!

2026-01-23 via Nuitee
C
Carolyn extended_group us
9
Pros:

The hotel is right on the beach just down the street from the boardwalk and pier. We didn’t choose to have housekeeping because we were only there 4 days. The shower had great water pressure. The breakfast was nice, had protein, and looked like it was cooked on site.

Cons:

it was pricey even though we booked it months in advance.

2026-01-22 via Nuitee
K
Krystal couple us
10
2026-01-19 via Nuitee
A
AnnMarie couple us
10
I loved everything about the Sea & Sand in Santa Cruz and can't wait to return.
Pros:

The Sea & Sand is a lovely place to stay in Santa Cruz. It's centrally located, great ocean views, and the staff is absolutely wonderful! The grounds around the Sea & Sand are beautiful. The attention to detail, flowers and succulents are amazing! There's also several outside seating seating areas with firepits and views of the ocean, wharf and boardwalk. I would highly recommend the Sea & Sand for a relaxing getaway and I look forward to a return stay!

2026-01-19 via Nuitee
G
Gregg couple us
10
2026-01-19 via Nuitee
S
Sandy family_with_children us
5
Overpriced for an unhygienic room and unwelcoming staff.
Pros:

The check in staff was very friendly and welcoming

Cons:

I did not appreciate being questioned and stopped by an evening shift staff member during wine and cheese hour, what I needed. She stopped me at the front and questioned my arrival vs being welcoming during this time. I also thought it was pretty disgusting to have a wet carpet in my room from previous guests.

2026-01-19 via Nuitee
R
Rudolf couple de
4
Far too expensive
Pros:

Location and car park being included

Cons:

Room very small and sticky - web suggestions are irritating,
poor privacy on first level
Bad price worthiness

2026-01-19 via Nuitee
V
Valerie family_with_children us
10
Very beautiful view
Pros:

The view. Well maintained

Cons:

No elevator very hard for me to do stairs

2026-01-19 via Nuitee
A
alana couple us
9
I had a great time at the hotel, and I would stay again.
Pros:

The vie of the room was great it was the best thing about the room. The location of the was awesome I was able to park my car when I arrived and I walked to everything. I didn't move my car until i was ready to check out.

Cons:

The rooms didn't have air conditioning and it was very hot and the outlets didn't work properly. I would book through the hotel rather than booking.com. Booking.com stole my money and they are refusing to give it back saying the hotel did it when I have print outs from the hotel. I talked to only the people from booking.com and they charged my credit card so they are the ones with my credit card information to steal my money.

2026-01-19 via Nuitee
M
Margo couple us
10
Excellent views and great service.
Pros:

View was exceptional! Breakfast, cookies and cheese/wine were great. Location was near everything we needed.

2026-01-19 via Nuitee
G
Galina solo_traveller us
4
Pros:

The only thing I liked is they provided somewhere for the clients to sit to enjoy the beach.

Cons:

I was OK with everything until one of the staff charge me for an extra bottle of wine which I understand people make mistakes. I’m pretty forgiven person. The experience of the two managers handled this very small problem was very poorly unprofessional. The first manager tall have set dude, I have showed him the receipt, to let himI got charged for a second bottle of wine that I did not purchase. I asked for a refund. His response was very unprofessional. He said he’s gonna have to check the cameras to see what happened and talk to the manager. I was pretty shocked of his response for $20. I don’t believe he handled it very professionally his second response was there’s no manager here and he’s going to check up with the manager tomorrow. I told him OK. I will be here tomorrow. Came the next day in the morning nine he was not there. No one reached out to Me. I talked to one of the girl in the front desk. She told me the manager won’t be here till 10 o’clock in the morning I said OK I’ll be back at 10 came back at 10. She was not there. She was about 30 to 45 minutes late. I’ve given my receipt to her and shoulder that I got overcharged for a bottle, her response was did you buy one bottle or two bottles? I told her manager she look Hispanic black long hair. I said to her and the first manager I’m not here to steal. I’ve explained to her that I came yesterday. Evidently, I was talking to the manager yesterday which he lied to me that he was not the manager. Her response was he’s a manager to another property. How is that my problem? I didn’t want to go much details with her, I just wanted to get a refund.
I understand they meet all sorts of tourist but for them to lie to me they’re dishonest and have me running around for $20. This made me feel so uncomfortably. That’s ridiculous and so unprofessional for $20. This could’ve been handled differently, they could’ve said we are so sorry we messed up, we will fix it immediately. I will never recommend this place.

2026-01-19 via Nuitee
K
Kenneth couple us
10
Pros:

Beautiful location and you could hear the ocean all night. Extremely peaceful.

2026-01-19 via Nuitee
P
Pam extended_group us
9
Pros:

There's an ocean view from every room. The staff, especially the after 5:00 p.m. staff was very helpful, started the fire pit for us, and brought us a blanket so we can enjoy being outside and stay warm. Breakfast was good, as well as the wine and cheese hour, all complimentary.

2026-01-16 via Nuitee
N
Nick couple us
5
You pay for the breakfast and the view
Pros:

Breakfast was great had a great selection only thing was the potatoes were undercooked. Besides that was wonderful. Scenery was beautiful.

Cons:

The room was outdated and had a smell. The heater fireplace glass was dirty with grime. The room upstairs had kids running around making so much noise.

2026-01-15 via Nuitee
L
Leanne solo_traveller us
8
Definitely will be back!
Pros:

Amazing location on the beach front.

Cons:

I liked it all. It is a gorgeous location and the grounds are well maintained.

2026-01-12 via Nuitee
R
Rebecca solo_traveller us
10
Pros:

The view was beautiful watching the sunset and sunrise was phenomenal . Walking the cliffs is always a joy.

2026-01-11 via Nuitee
C
Clara family_with_children us
8
2026-01-09 via Nuitee