The Historic Brookdale Lodge, Santa Cruz Mountains

We had a great stay and found the staff very nice. Our huge room had a king-size bed, and the full-length private balcony was a relaxing place to enjoy the mountain air. The pool and main hall were still being renovated while we were there, but we were happy to unwind and enjoy the area.

Surrounded by redwoods, the lodge has a nice rustic feel. The rooms are spacious, clean, and nicely updated, and there usually isn’t much noise unless the neighbors are loud. Winter prices are good, though it gets busier and more expensive as summer gets closer. There’s a bar, restaurant, and market on site, with more options a town or two away by car. The Wi-Fi works well, but there’s no cell reception for my network, Verizon.

The front desk was friendly and helpful, and when our first room had a strong pet odor, they moved us right away. We’d booked two rooms for two nights for our kids and my mother, who was road tripping with us. The replacement room and my mom’s room both had a strong bleach smell in the bathrooms, bubbling paint, showerheads that badly needed descaling or replacing, and a short shower curtain that let water spray out. The carpets were the hardest part to overlook. In both rooms they felt grimy, and our feet turned black within minutes of taking off our shoes. We kept our shoes on unless we were in bed and tried to keep the kids off the floor. Since all rooms allow pets and there’s a $50/nt pet fee, I don’t understand why the carpets aren’t shampooed regularly. Both rooms had the problem, and a third room smelled of animals too, so it wasn’t a one-off. I’d also planned to eat breakfast at the cafe, but the on-site cafe and lounge are closed Mondays and Tuesdays. I couldn’t find that information on the hotel website. Its restaurant link was broken and led to an advertisement. The cafe and lounge are run by another company, whose hours are listed on Maps. Advertising a restaurant on the property without explaining that someone else runs it and sets the hours seems like bad practice. We ended up getting food at a grocery store down the road in Ben Lomond instead. There were a few other cosmetic issues, but they didn’t affect our stay. The location was fantastic for a forest lover, with pine trees and redwoods visible over the pool building roof from our building’s balcony or patio. The pool was closed for renovation. The hotel is right off the main road, with some road noise during the day but quiet nights. It’s handy for nearby food, attractions, state parks, and trails. The front was well maintained, and the lobby felt welcoming and organized. Our rooms were spacious, with mini fridges and microwaves. Without the bathroom and carpet problems, it would have been a five-star stay, even with the restaurant mix-up. If the pool and restaurant reopen, I’d consider coming back despite the room issues, though probably just for one night.

The bed was amazing, and we slept like babies. It was also fairly quiet, with lots of stars to see. I enjoyed the diner and lounge, and the location was convenient, relatively close to Santa Cruz and about a 40 min drive from San Jose. One thing to plan for: reception is unstaffed after 10pm. We arrived at 9:45pm after a long trip, and it would have been helpful to know there might be no one at the front desk. Luckily, someone from the diner helped us. There’s no cell signal, but the Wi-Fi information is by the door. The room had a musty smell at first. It went away after we aired it out by opening the door and then turned on the A/C. Given that this is a 100 year old establishment, I can understand it, but the cobwebs in the corner made me less comfortable, especially at about $100 a night. The TV remote was sticky and gross. Our fridge didn’t work, so the food we’d bought to save money on our short vacation wasn’t safe to eat by morning. We told the receptionist, and they brought up a replacement mini fridge, which I appreciated. Unless you put the “do not disturb” sign on the door, the cleaning staff comes by around 11-1pm to swap towels. We needed those extra towels because the showerhead wasn’t great and left the bathroom floor wet. The musty smell disoriented me, and unless things change, we don’t think we’d stay again. Maybe they need new carpeting or something.