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Torch Lite Inn

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

Choose dates to view prices

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

7.6 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

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

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 2 of 2 rooms

View all photos for Deluxe Room

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

Deluxe Room

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(55 reviews)

Highlights

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

View all photos for Signature Room

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

Signature Room

8.2 out of 10
Very good
(70 reviews)

Highlights

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

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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
  • Pacific Avenue - 6 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - 7 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Santa Cruz 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

  • ‪Cruzin’ Crepes - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪四姐 Special Noodle - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Boardwalk Bowl - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Coaster's Lounge - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Los Primos Taqueria - ‬5 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
  • A vending machine, smoke-free premises, and a 24-hour front desk
  • Outdoor furniture
  • 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

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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 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?

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. 412 out of 1004 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 246 out of 1004 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 167 out of 1004 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 80 out of 1004 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 99 out of 1004 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

10/10 Excellent

Maria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
perfect place to stay if going to the boardwalk
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Damian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice hotel& always comfortable!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Harun

Clean, convenient, close to downtown
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Anthony

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Everything was great
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jose

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

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

8/10 Good

Norberto

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Clean
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sandra

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

10/10 Excellent

Stacey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The rooms are very clean and updated. For the price point we were very happy and would fine you stay here again. Perfect to just walk to the boardwalk or downtown for a meal. The room was very quiet we didn’t hear any other guests or street noise. Beds were comfortable and staff was friendly
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sherry

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice, clean, large room. Excellent staff who gave us good suggestions on restaurants, etc. Very walkable to The Boardwalk. Only suggestions: Grounds could use some sprucing and room could use a place to hang clothes.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

8/10 Good

Kirsten

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Our family enjoyed our quick stay here!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Brett

Liked: Cleanliness
It was good
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Oved

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very accessible to walk to the beach restaurants a d friendly owner or manager!!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mailee

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Check in was smooth. The man at the front desk was friendly and informative. He put our group of three together, allowed us to stay parked at the hotel after check out while we had one last day at the Boardwalk and he even called to let me know my daughter left her iPad in the room. Great customer service goes a long way. The hotel is affordable and short walk to the Board Walk. If you don’t plan on spending a lot of time in the room, it’s a great option. We would stay here again.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

6/10 Okay

Daniel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Amenities
There are images of a pool and jacuzzi, but that isn't on the property, and whoever is above me, sounds like a herd of water buffalo's making all kinds of noise.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

8/10 Good

Erika

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Rooms were good but could use a little bit of an update on the shower/tub and linen. Overall it served it's purpose and I wouldn't mind staying her again.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brieanne

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

10/10 Excellent

ashley

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Best property within walking distance of the boardwalk. I have had an exceptional time every time with the clean rooms.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Christine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice, helpful front desk. This hotel is in the perfect location to avoid the expensive parking at the nearby locations. Our room was comfortable. There is a nice view from the shared outdoor patio.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Peter

Very nice reception
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Arron

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It’s not fancy but quiet, very clean, affordable and the owner couldn’t have been more hospitable. My brief interaction with him and his young son at check out started my day with a smile on my face. What’s better than that?
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Elsa

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Rooms updated like pix, very clean, parking is good, extremely walkable to all the main Santa Cruz attractions beach, boardwalk, warf, West Cliff Drive, Pacific Garden Mall, Warrior area. Great value, this place has location and the rooms are clean. It's a safe area. The grounds needs some sprucing up and the pool has been removed.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Meghan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Family 2025 Beach Trip

Cute little beach spot - smaller than expected room but we have a bigger family worked out for us for the one night we were there. Walking distance to the board walk and limited parking if you can walk I would suggest so you can park your car at night in the hotel. Overall I would stay here again no issues staff was super nice and respectful
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

dylan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great stay
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Anthony

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This hotel is a surprise. While it is a basic hotel it offers a clean room with laminate floors. The rooms do not flare up my asthma to which can be a major issue for me when staying at other cheap hotels. The front desk staff is incredibly nice! We have stayed at the hotel quite a few times and will return when we are in need of an affordable and clean night’s stay in Santa Cruz.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
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Policies

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