The Aqua Pacific Hotel — Hotel in Santa Cruz

After reading all the bad reviews, I was a bit defensive and suspicious of staying at Pacific Inn motel. I was not looking for luxury, I needed an as cheap as possible room, but still acceptable (clean, safe, hot water to shower, heating in room if temperature out cold, comfy bed). I lived in SC for a few years and moved out of town around 2013, so I was also a bit hesitant due to the bad reputation of Ocean Street near Broadway (drugs, prostitution, etc.). I booked anyways, finances being my number 1 priority. However, I was so POSITIVELY SURPRISED by Pacific Inn. I was treated very nicely by lady in front desk, and she made me feel both safe and welcome. I was assured that parking lot has camera surveillance so that I could park my car without worries. I was happy to arrived to a clean and decently sized room (way more spacious that expected for the price), with a spacious clean bathroom with bathtub, hair dryer, clean towels, and decent quality basic personal hygiene products (soap, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion - nothing fancy but acceptable quality). Bedding smell nice, fresh and clean. Bed was comfortable (not too hard not too soft). Carpets are old and have some stains. But I could tell they were clean. If you feel suspicious about cleanliness of carpet, bring sandals :) Don't walk bare foot. Easy solution. The view from window was not beautiful - old building apparently under renovation. Who is expecting an ocean view for such a budget friendly price? I drove around the area to see how good/bad it looked and braved it to go out walking to downtown for a drinks with friends (I did not want to drive back after drinking and I did not wanted to pay a ride back either). It was all good. I walk by myself (early 30s small woman) back and forth through well lighted streets. Nothing weird or unsafe around. I felt completely safe to walk at 10 pm towards downtown and back to room around 2:30 am. All in all, for the price, this is the best place I've stayed in SC (I've stayed at many places in SC, both cheap and places marketed as more classy and comfortable on Ocean and Boardwalk). Sure if you wanna spend more money in something more on the upscale side, you can find better places with view and larger rooms (also three times more pricy). But if what you are looking for is a clean, comfortable room with all the basics, this is one of your best choices. Now I know where I'll be staying now on when visiting Santa Cruz :) (Note that my 5 star rating is given considering it is budget friendly motel. Hard to beat for its type. - Read...

Nice indoor pool and staff but the security deposit of 300showed us that they have monitarily issues with the locals and they can't afford mostly to stay for that cost. That is the upside because every patron was seemingly ice but I didn't want to walk outside of the hotel looking at the homeless losers miing around for a vulnerable working law abiding man like me to confront and either stop and take my. Ello gongs much less injure me whenciwouldnt want to comply and give my hard earned $ to a person that has no manners or education and zero reality to the value of a dollar Since work ismamcourmlertermword where jails are a free meal and are around dreaming drug addict Liars who have squandered any possibility of making an honest living while god forbid stay married And raise a family while teaching the children right from wrong and that a good Days work isn't punishment it's a way to build self esteem and a reputation of trustworthy and one who has pride and skills enough not to feel the Need to commit Sins Daily by taking what's not theirs to begin with and could potentially hurt someone showing true colors of never growing up and never amount to squat which as a man I couldn't imagine being labeled a person not wanted to be around or invited over for fear Of personal property disappearing and though not actually getting caught always having the doubt I the back of your mind of the guilty feeling for that person right or wrong. Ouch I am only speaking for myself I that prides myself on doing the best I can win or loose shows me how a person that cheats when competes a the only way they know how to let themselves feel like they are better than one who may not win but never would want to be like them and say bullying statements again to look what they think is how to help a Team mate instead of talking your negatives into positives and be a team not a individual who should be kicked off of the team until he misses three games and make a public apology to owners a, coaches, the players , but last but not least formally say a personal elaborate way to not freeze and make the words belie able and let. Yvonne's be bygones. Sorry for long winded but this is at due situation that lasted two seasons but mostly during summer camp train Ing of running and weight...

I've read some criticisms of the hotel. Here's my experience:

I travel for work all year and stay in roughly 20 countries throughout, so I've been to many many hotels and continue to.

People expecting luxury and opulence for $70 bucks are delusional. What you want at that price is to know what the pros and cons are, if it's clean and in a dangerous area. Id say it passes all those with flying colors. Rocky and his wife really look after the place (new management as of a month ago) Rocky was vigilant and present. I have a fairly fancy motorcycle and he told me the best place to park it and kept an eye on it. There are cameras everywhere. The bed was very large, the cable sufficient, and food nearby. The pool was warm, the spa was great.

Part of the charm of a cheap hotel is its quirks and there is a few, it was totally fine. Yes there are some lower income families in the area, but you don't feel it much.. And hey those families are human beings. And homeless people occasionally, but they are typically harmless mentally ill people down on their luck.

I traveled to Santa Cruz and stayed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I thought I was going to spend Christmas day alone. A friend called last minute and invited me to come celebrate up north with him, and although I had stayed past checkout and rented another day (Christmas) and had stayed a couple hours..These folks refunded me my money so I could go enjoy the holiday with a friend.

THAT is unheard of. In fact I can honestly say I've never seen that kind of kindness from a budget hotel. I will gladly stay there every time I visit Santa Cruz. To Rocky and his wife - Thanks guys for your humanity and kindness. To the folks insulting the homeless and poorer citizens of Santa Cruz, you elitist homogenized suburb types looking for luxury for $70 ya ain't gonna find it. Not here, not anywhere.

So relax and have a little faith .. Your in good hands.

-William (the...