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Torch Lite Inn

2.5 star property

Photo gallery for Torch Lite Inn

Signature Room
Terrace/patio
Lobby sitting area
Front of property
Premium bedding, pillow-top beds, desk, blackout curtains

Reviews

7.6 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

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

Explore the area

View map
500 Riverside Ave, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060
  • Place, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Place, Santa Cruz Main Beach
    ‪8 min walk‬
  • Place, Santa Cruz Wharf
    ‪11 min walk‬
  • Airport, San Jose, CA (SJC-Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl.)
    ‪43 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Deluxe Room

Deluxe Room

Deluxe Room

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(54 reviews)
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Signature Room

Signature Room

Signature Room

8.2 out of 10
Very good
(70 reviews)
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

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About the area

Santa Cruz

With a stay at Torch Lite Inn in Santa Cruz (Westside Santa Cruz), you'll be within a 5-minute drive of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Monterey Bay. .This motel is 3.1 mi (5 km) from University of California, Santa Cruz and 4.2 mi (6.7 km) from Mystery Spot.
View more Motels in Santa CruzOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Ocean Street - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - 7 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Santa Cruz Main Beach - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Santa Cruz Wharf - 11 min walk - 1.0 km
  • Cowell's Beach - 13 min walk - 1.1 km

Getting around

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

Restaurants

  • ‪四姐 Special Noodle - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Cruzin’ Crepes - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Boardwalk Bowl - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Los Viejones - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Coaster's Lounge - ‬9 min walk

About this property

Torch Lite Inn

Art Deco motel in Santa Cruz with free parking
Torch Lite Inn offers 38 air-conditioned accommodations with coffee/tea makers and hair dryers. Pillowtop beds feature premium bedding. 40-inch LCD televisions come with premium cable channels. Guests can make use of the in-room refrigerators and microwaves. Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations and complimentary toiletries.

This Santa Cruz motel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones. Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and blackout drapes/curtains. Housekeeping is provided daily.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Make yourself at home in one of the 38 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and LCD televisions. Your pillowtop bed comes with premium bedding. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Bathrooms feature shower/tub combinations, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.
Take in the views from a terrace and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access and a vending machine.
Featured amenities include a 24-hour front desk and a vending machine. Free self parking is available onsite.

Property amenities

Internet

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

Parking and transport

  • Onsite parking available only on request
  • Free self parking on site
  • Limited on-site 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 lift
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk

More

  • 2 buildings
  • 2 floors
  • Art Deco architecture
  • Smoke-free property

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

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

Reviews

Torch Lite Inn Reviews

7.6

Good

8.2/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

6.8/10

Amenities

7.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.6/10

Eco-friendliness
Rating 10 - Excellent. 417 out of 1019 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 250 out of 1019 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 167 out of 1019 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 81 out of 1019 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 104 out of 1019 reviews

Reviews

4/10 Poor

Kathina

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
When we first initially came to stay here we were excited to be able to be closer to the beach. That part was solely my fault because of my lack of research of how far it truly was. My father’s truck Got broken into and
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brieanne

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

10/10 Excellent

Peter

Travelled with family
Very nice reception
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

4/10 Poor

Kate

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Not as advertised- 20 minute walk to the Boardwalk along very busy streets. Sheets appeared dirty. Minimal amenities- one hand towel and one wash cloth for four people.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Edwin

Stayed 1 night in May 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

Zahra

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My recent stay at the Torch Lite Inn in Santa Cruz was, for the most part, absolutely delightful! The room itself was a highlight – very nice, spacious, and comfortable, providing a great base for my trip. The only significant downside was the noise from the room above me. There was frequent heavy walking and stomping in the middle of the night, along with the sound of running water, which unfortunately disrupted my sleep. Additionally, I was a bit surprised by the $100 deposit required for room damages at check-in. While I'm sure it was mentioned in the terms and conditions, it wasn't something I was expecting, so a heads-up beforehand would have been appreciated. Aside from these two points, I had no other complaints and thoroughly enjoyed my stay. The Torch Lite Inn offers a great location and comfortable accommodations.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Anna

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Jennifer

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Affordable, convenient stay

Convenient, comfortable, no frills place to spend the night after a long day at the Boardwalk. I was initially very apprehensive after seeing some less than desirable reviews. However, our stay was comfortable for an overnight stay. It is a short walk to the boardwalk, or about a two minute drive so you are really paying for the convenience.It is in a busy area which means there is lots of both auto and foot traffic, however none of it disturbed us during the night. Parking is also very tight but the front desk employee was so kind and helpful in helping us find spots to park. Also, although a $100 deposit was mentioned on several other reviews, we did not have to put a deposit down. As noted in other reviews, there is no longer a pool so that is something to be aware of. The property has a main building and a separate annexed building located close to an alley. I was located in the annexed building but it did require a key to enter the hallways as a security measure. The actual rooms were clean and spacious. They offered a small bathroom with shower and toilet. The sink and mirror are located in the general room area. There is a good sized refrigerator that would hold lots of snacks and packaged foods. Also, a microwave (hard to come by in most hotels) and a small coffee maker. The beds were comfortable enough, the A/C worked well. If you were staying for a longer vacation, I could see seeking out a place with more amenities, but it worked for our trip.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

2/10 Terrible

Adolfo

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I put a do not disturb sign on my door and house keeping still came in without permission
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Mindie

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Needs a little help on the outside - but overall a VERY convenient location nice staff and owners! Should make big dirt pile a garden with palm trees- improve the outside paint touch up- great parking clean updated rooms - perfect surfer town stop - I would stay again
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

4/10 Poor

Myra

Travelled with family
Disliked: Amenities
Location ok, but the room have some flaws ,broken coffeemaker didn't even offer to replace, no shampoo
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Ethel

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jolie

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kaiju

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

2/10 Terrible

Aleksei, Sacramento

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Don’t recommend
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dulce

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

bernabe

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice staff
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

4/10 Poor

Leo Carlo

Travelled with family
Disliked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Jesika

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

David

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Simple spot, does the job if you just need a spot to shower and sleep. Friendly staff
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kathy

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
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

8/10 Good

Annette

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
This hotel my family stayed at for a fun trip at Santa Cruz. The hotel was very convenient because of how close it was to the Boardwalk. Overall the hotel room we had was very small but pretty neat, the bathrooms were a little dirty (the shower tiles needed more attention) and the toilet paper was really thin. We did enjoy the stay and the parking was tight, and it took precision driving to get around the area. The front desk worker was quite nice and had the things we need in an instant. I would rate my overall experience a 4/5.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025