Quality Inn & Suites, Santa Cruz Mountains

Beautiful redwood views, a comfortable bed, crisp clean linens, and clean air thanks to the NON smoking policy. The windowsills could use fresh paint, and a deeper clean and dusting would help. Jimmy at the front desk was professional, kind, and accommodating when I asked for a quiet room.

After 4.5 hours on the road, we needed a clean, comfortable place to sleep, and this worked for us. My wife is rarely happy with Quality Inn hotels, but she found this one suitable. Our upstairs room looked out over the laundry and housekeeping building, though we weren’t there for the view. It was clean, with a few issues: dry rot and signs of mold in the bathroom. The light fixtures were dated but worked, and the bedside stand made it easy to plug in our chargers. Check-in was ready, and the front desk staff were friendly and personable. We liked the location and being able to walk where we wanted, though getting in and out of the driveway can be stressful because of traffic. They offer continental breakfast and waffles, but we ate down the road at Act III, which was worth it. I’d give it an easy 3.5 stars. If we need to stay again, the choice will be simple, and I have no reservations about recommending it to a weary traveler.

Waking up surrounded by tall redwoods was the best part, and the castle next door was a fun bonus. We enjoyed sitting by the nice pool area, and the staff were friendly and helpful. We were told the pool was heated, though I don’t think it was. It was hot out, so that didn’t really matter. The beds were cozy and there were no bugs, but the room itself was very dated, with cracks in the flooring, a shower head coming apart from the wall, and dirt and dust in the crevices. Breakfast started later than we expected, and there wasn’t much to choose from: basic toast, cereal, fruit, and waffles. Other Quality Inns I’ve stayed at had more variety. If you expect to eat before 8:30am, think again. The stay felt overpriced, though perhaps the 4th of July holiday weekend pushed the price up. We were paying more for what was outside the walls than inside. We’d stay again.

The room was fine, with only a few worn things that could use replacing. I was told breakfast started at 8am, but when we checked at 8:30 there was none, and there was still no sign of it when we had to leave at 8:45am.