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Torch Lite Inn

2.5 star property
Enjoy the laid-back charm of this beachside retreat where every day feels like a vacation.

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Photo gallery for Torch Lite Inn

A hotel room with two beds, a kitchenette, a sliding glass door to a balcony, and a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. - Torch Lite Inn (Santa Cruz)
A patio with outdoor seating, red umbrellas, and potted plants. - Torch Lite Inn (Santa Cruz)
A modern kitchenette with a microwave, refrigerator, and a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. - Torch Lite Inn (Santa Cruz)
Lobby sitting area - Torch Lite Inn (Santa Cruz)
Front of property - Torch Lite Inn (Santa Cruz)
Torch Lite Inn, near Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, offers a relaxed vibe with outdoor furniture and a spacious terrace. Unwind here and enjoy in-room WiFi, free self parking, plus the convenience of 24-hour front desk services. The helpful staff has received rave reviews from past guests.

Reviews

7.8 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

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

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 2 of 2 rooms

View all photos for Deluxe Room

A modern hotel room with a large bed, bedside tables, a desk, and a flat-screen TV.

Deluxe Room

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(56 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Signature Room

Signature Room | Premium bedding, pillowtop beds, desk, blackout drapes

Signature Room

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(78 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds
  • Free WiFi

About the neighborhood

Located in Westside Santa Cruz, a neighborhood in Santa Cruz, Torch Lite Inn is near theme parks and near the beach. Mystery Spot and Roaring Camp Railroads are notable landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Monterey Bay and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Boardwalk Bowl are also worth visiting. Kayaking and water skiing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails and mountain biking nearby. Visit our Santa Cruz travel guide
View more Motels in Santa Cruz
Map
500 Riverside Ave, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060

What's nearby

  • A historic half-timbered building with a stone facade, surrounded by trees and a red brick sidewalk.
    Ocean Street
    2 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • A pier with colorful cable cars, a beach, and a sign that reads "WORLD FAMOUS."
    Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
    7 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • A street with a clock tower, a tram, and a building with a sign.
    Pacific Avenue
    7 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • A pier extending into the ocean with a roller coaster in the background.
    Santa Cruz Wharf
    11 min walk - 0.6 miles
  • Santa Cruz Main Beach
    8 min walk - 0.5 miles

Getting around

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

Restaurants

  • Boardwalk Bowl
    10 min walk
  • Craft Beer at The Boardwalk
    9 min walk
  • Los Primos Taqueria
    4 min walk
  • 四姐 Special Noodle
    7 min walk
  • Little Caesars Pizza
    4 min walk

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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 self 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
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
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 fire extinguisher and 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

Frequently asked questions

Is Torch Lite Inn pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

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 and Santa Cruz Wharf are also within 1 mi (2 km).

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Torch Lite Inn Reviews

7.8

Good

8.4

Cleanliness

7.0

Amenities

8.2

Staff & service

7.6

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 448 out of 1008 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 236 out of 1008 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 158 out of 1008 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 72 out of 1008 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 94 out of 1008 reviews

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Yiyun

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Clean room. Walkable to the arcade and beach. Site was undergoing some renovation at the time of our stay.
Stayed 1 night in May 2026
Verified

8/10 Good

Elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great price and location...Two blocks from the Boardwalk. Room included microwave, coffee maker and refrigerator.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Briana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
good night stay if you want to be close to the boardwalk, a 7 min walk to everything. Would stay again for a day trip 😊 staff was very nice
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2026
Verified

6/10 Okay

Olga

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
The room was clean but no frills. The soap barley lathered towels were hard against your skin one ply toilet paper. I would think for the price $300.00 plus tax for a night it would be nicer. No pool or hot tub the area is dry grass. Room did have fridge, microwave, coffee maker , didn't use any of it but that's a good thing about room and it's clean. Would I come back? No I would not parking was tight.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2026
Verified

8/10 Good

Crystel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Front desk Sid was very nice and helpful, check in was easy and fast
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Leticia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Room was clean. Located in safe area, close to downtown and boardwalk.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Shareen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The room was comfortable and clean. Good location. Loud street.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Natalya

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The room was clean and the check-n process was super fast and great!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Hector

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Friendly and fast check in, room was clean.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Natalya

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Yes, the room was clean, check in process was fast, everything was just great!
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
Verified

6/10 Okay

Maria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The room smell and look clean. The restroom vent was not working. The pillows and bed were alittle too hard. No trashcan in the restroom. I think the worst was the window shade. We couldn't have any lights on because people could see through and in the morning the sunrise was going in trhough the shade eventhough it was down. It was close to the beach. Overall it was ok.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jason

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice and clean
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mayumi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Friendly staff clean room
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great little hotel in perfect location. Close to everything. Rooms & bathrooms have been updated. Bed super comfortable with nice linens. Clean! Property landscaping looks like it could use a little TLC … but the proximity to the ocean & beach makes up for that. Excellent price for our 3 night stay. Definitely recommend. Will stay here again. Staff was very kind.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2026
Verified

8/10 Good

Juan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good walking location.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
Verified

6/10 Okay

Jonathan

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities
That’s very clean and very noisy
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
Verified

8/10 Good

Hunter

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very clean room . My only complaint is that the walls sound paper thin . But it was a weekend so people being loud was expected . I would stay here again because of the location: )
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sandra

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Hannah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Room was very clean and staff was very nice. Definitely will come back again.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Edward

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The customer service was exceptional. The cleaniness of the room and location were great! I enjoyed my stay!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jose

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very good service and friendly people
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Eloisa

Liked: Amenities
The innkeeper was very friendly and accommodating and gave us a unit perfect for travelling with children. Parking was secured and covered. The room was generously big and the amenities were very at par with the price point. My family and I slept well and woke up refreshed to the sound of birds and the seawaves.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025
Verified

6/10 Okay

Olivia

Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
The room looked as pictured but the rest of the property was pretty run down and the neighborhood didn’t feel safe at night. Heard a man screaming for a while near my room. The proximity to fun stuff was great though.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Frances

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Had a very good stay here. No issues. Shower was awesome. Air conditioning was good. Internet was awesome. TV channels could have been better. Overall a very pleasant 3 days.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brieanne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Service was exceptional!!!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025