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Torch Lite Inn

2.5 star property
Art Deco motel in Santa Cruz with free parking

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Photo gallery for Torch Lite Inn

Marina
Terrace/patio
Signature Room | 1 bedroom, premium bedding, pillowtop beds, desk
Lobby
Front of property

Reviews

7.6 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Housekeeping
  • Air conditioning
  • Free WiFi

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 2 of 2 rooms

View all photos for Signature Room

Signature Room | 1 bedroom, premium bedding, pillowtop beds, desk

Signature Room

8.2 out of 10
Very good
(64 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Refrigerator
LCD TV
Premium bedding
Separate bedroom
Pillowtop bed
Blackout drapes/curtains
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Deluxe Room

Deluxe Room | 1 bedroom, premium bedding, pillowtop beds, desk

Deluxe Room

8.6 out of 10
Excellent
(49 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Refrigerator
LCD TV
Premium bedding
Separate bedroom
Pillowtop bed
Blackout drapes/curtains
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

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About the neighborhood

Map
500 Riverside Ave, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060

What's nearby

  • Ocean Street - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - 7 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Santa Cruz Main Beach - 8 min walk - 0.5 miles
  • Main Beach - 8 min walk - 0.5 miles
  • Santa Cruz Wharf - 11 min walk - 0.6 miles

Getting around

  • Watsonville, CA (WVI-Watsonville Municipal) - 27 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Boardwalk Bowl - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Los Viejones - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Marini's at the Beach - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Hot Dog on A Stick - ‬7 min walk

About this property

Torch Lite Inn

Motel near Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Torch Lite Inn provides a terrace and more. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
You'll also find perks like:
  • Free self parking
  • Outdoor furniture, smoke-free premises, and a 24-hour front desk
  • A vending machine
  • Guest reviews give top marks for the helpful staff and location
Room features
All guestrooms at Torch Lite Inn feature perks such as premium bedding and air conditioning, in addition to amenities like free WiFi. Guest reviews speak positively of the clean rooms at the property.
Other conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Shower/tub combinations, free toiletries, and hair dryers
  • 40-inch LCD TVs with premium channels
  • Refrigerators, microwaves, and coffee/tea makers

Languages

English, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Onsite parking available only on request
  • Free self parking on site
  • Limited onsite parking (max 1 space per unit)

Family friendly

  • In-room microwave
  • In-room refrigerator

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Vending machine

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Outdoors

  • Outdoor furniture
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Hardwood flooring in room
  • No elevator
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk

More

  • 2 buildings
  • 2 floors
  • Art Deco architecture
  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Pillowtop mattress
  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 40-inch LCD TV with premium cable channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Phone

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 AM
Early check-in subject to availability
Early check-in fee: USD 45
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
If you are planning to arrive after 10:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
This property's listed general deposit is refundable via credit card within 14 days after check-out, pending room inspection.

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
2 children can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Deposit: USD 200.00 per accommodation, per stay

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

This property's listed general deposit is refundable via credit card within 14 days after check-out, pending room inspection.

Optional extras

  • Early check-in fee: USD 45 (subject to availability)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve onsite parking
This property accepts credit cards and cash
This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.
Safety features at this property include a smoke detector
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Property is also known as

Torch Lite Inn
Torch Lite Inn Santa Cruz
Torch Lite Santa Cruz
Torch Lite Hotel Santa Cruz
Torch Lite Motel
Torch Lite Inn Motel
Torch Lite Inn Santa Cruz
Torch Lite Inn Motel Santa Cruz

Frequently asked questions

Is Torch Lite Inn pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Torch Lite Inn?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Torch Lite Inn?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 AM. Early check-in is available for a fee of USD 45 (subject to availability). Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at Torch Lite Inn?

Check-out is at 11 AM.

Where is Torch Lite Inn located?

Located in Westside Santa Cruz, this motel is within a 10-minute walk of Ocean Street and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Monterey Bay is 1.7 mi (2.8 km) away.

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Torch Lite Inn Reviews

Reviews

7.6

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 393 out of 1002 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 253 out of 1002 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 169 out of 1002 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 78 out of 1002 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 109 out of 1002 reviews

8.2/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

6.8/10

Amenities

7.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10

Our family enjoyed our quick stay here!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10

The couple running(owners?) property were the nicest people. We will definitely be staying with them again soon. Everything was very clean.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10

Staff super friendly and was a very easy stay overall. Definitely alleviated travel stress!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10

Good location, clean. Parking is a little odd but made it work.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10

Definitely coming back, close to the boardwalk. Lots of things walking distance!
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10

Good
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10

It was wonderful!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

6/10

The service was good but the pictures of the property was very misleading, not as nice looking in person. Parking was not great.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10

The host was spectacular and kind. The room was very clean and comfortable. Enjoyed our quick stay in the quaint town.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

8/10

Great place to stay
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10

For an airport hotel, you couldn’t ask for more.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

8/10

Hotel was nice inside. Great tv size too.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

10/10

The place was nice and close to the boardwalk.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10

Rooms are nice, location isn’t too far from the boardwalk or downtown too.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

8/10

Staff way very understanding with check in late..
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10

Not where I normally stay in Santa Cruz but was in town for a night and didn't want to pay $300. Will probably stay here again, the room was nice, the location excellent, with lots of parking. Easy walk to the beach, boardwalk, wharf, and downtown, what else do you need?
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

8/10

It was a good stay. The room was clean. Stayed for one night. I would stay here again. Decent amount of parking. Good spot to rest your head.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10

Great stay and i highly recommend!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

10/10

great customer service check in was fast and easy, very clean & walking distance to the boardwalk definitely recommend!!
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

8/10

My partner and I stayed for one night in a deluxe room. It was quiet, had blackout curtains, and the room appeared as advertised. There was also plenty of parking and the location is convenient. We were disappointed in the cleanliness - the floor was filthy and there were some insects. The one window in our corner room did not have a bug screen, so we weren't able to enjoy the fresh air.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

2/10

The workers live on site Will not answer the phone We’ll see them minimally one time and never see him or hear from them again. Once you had a reservation, they will not give you a refund. I have never been to this city, so I have not seen the areas around or lodging. This is on the strip of the worst ones. Hard to bare.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10

This hotel is a hidden gem and very conveniant as far as bars and restaurants. The rooms were very clean and the manager of the hotel was very professional. The price of the room wasvery affordable and right by the wharf.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2025

10/10

Very close to the boardwalk and beaches
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10

All good.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

8/10

Great stay they require a 100 deposit and will return after they check out room
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025