At Drift Inn, you'll be just a 5-minute drive from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Monterey Bay. Free perks include WiFi and self parking. Also, this motel is within a short drive of University of California, Santa Cruz.
Watsonville, CA (WVI-Watsonville Municipal) - 29 min drive
Salinas, CA (SNS-Salinas Municipal) - 46 min drive
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl. Airport (SJC) - 49 min drive
Monterey Peninsula Airport (MRY) - 57 min drive
Restaurants
Boardwalk Bowl - 10 min walk
四姐 Special Noodle - 8 min walk
Los Primos Taqueria - 4 min walk
Little Caesars Pizza - 4 min walk
Marea Sol - 10 min walk
About this property
Drift Inn
At Drift Inn, you'll be just a 5-minute drive from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Monterey Bay. Free perks include WiFi and self parking. Also, this motel is within a short drive of University of California, Santa Cruz.
At a glance
DONE
Hotel size
19 rooms
DONE
Arriving/Leaving
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 21
Check-out time is 11:00 AM
DONE
Special check-in instructions
An adult age 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
If you are planning to arrive after 7:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
DONE
Required at check-in
Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
Government-issued photo ID may be required
Minimum check-in age is 21
DONE
Pets
Pets not allowed
WIFI
Internet
Free WiFi in rooms (speed: 100+ Mbps (good for 1–2 people or up to 6 devices))
LOCAL_PARKING
Parking
Free onsite self parking
Property amenities
Food and drink
Room service (limited hours)
Services
24-hour front desk
Facilities
Garden
Room amenities
Be entertained
Cable TV channels
Home comfort
Climate-controlled air conditioning and heating
Freshen up
Shower only
Soap and shampoo
Towels
Toilet paper
Stay connected
Free WiFi (speed of 100+ Mbps (good for 1–2 people or up to 6 devices))
Food and drink
Mini-fridge
Microwave
More
Daily housekeeping
Fees & policies
Refundable deposits
Deposit: USD 100 per accommodation, per stay
Policies
This property does not have elevators.
Guests can rest easy knowing there's a fire extinguisher on site.
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash.
Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover
Property Registration Number BL-109689
Also known as
Drift Inn Motel
Drift Inn Santa Cruz
Drift Inn Motel Santa Cruz
Frequently asked questions
Are pets allowed at Drift Inn?
Sorry, pets aren't allowed.
Is parking offered on site at Drift Inn?
Yes, there's free self parking.
What are the check-in and check-out times at Drift Inn?
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:00 PM. Check-out time is 11:00 AM.
What is there to do at Drift Inn and nearby?
Drift Inn has a garden.
What's the area around Drift Inn like?
Drift Inn is a short 8-minute walk from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and 3 minutes' walk from Ocean Street.
Have a question?
AI iconBetaBeta
Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.
Reviews
Drift Inn Reviews
8.2
Very Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
8.4
Cleanliness
7.8
Amenities
9.2
Staff & service
7.8
Property conditions & facilities
Guest review summary
What guests liked
The property's location is convenient to the beach and boardwalk. (3 reviews)
Parking was easy and convenient with options to leave the car while exploring the area. (3 reviews)
From real guest reviews summarized by AI.
Reviews
Verified
8/10 Very good
Mar 18, 2026
Parking is easy, and the location is convenient to the boardwalk, beach, and downtown areas.
Jordan
Jordan, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Dec 10, 2025
The room was clean, staff very friendly, nice place to stay.
Bartlomiej
Bartlomiej, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jan 26, 2026
We had an amazing stay! Ankit at the front desk was extremely helpful and hospitable when we booked our hotel visit last minute. I would definitely recommend this inn for anyone looking for a cozy and conveniently located place to stay in downtown Santa Cruz.
Megan
Megan, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Dec 5, 2025
rooms were clean, beds were good, staffs were nice.
Henry
Henry, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Dec 29, 2025
Very courteous staff, excellent check in with ease! Walking distance from the boardwalk, highly recommend!
Carlo
Carlo, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Mar 7, 2026
Clean. Nice staff. Good value
Daniel
Daniel, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Jul 27, 2025
The hotel was good, close to the boulevard and beach
Marcia
Marcia, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Oct 20, 2025
Very clean, and I especially liked the separate kitchen area.
Doug
Doug, 2-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Oct 31, 2025
Parking was easy. The boardwalk and downtown was a short walk from the hotel which was great as we didn't need to drive everywhere. The person at the front desk was very friendly and immediately have us a room with 2 queen beds when requested.
Shiksha
Shiksha, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Sep 23, 2025
Room was clean area was quiet . It was within walking distance from the boardwalk.
Gilbert
Gilbert, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Nov 2, 2025
Nice big clean room
Kyle
Kyle, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Jul 25, 2025
Drift inn
Older remodeled hotel, excellent staff, really close to Boardwalk. Allowed to park for free morning of check in day, plus was able to check into rooms by noon not 3.
Verified traveler
1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Jul 27, 2025
There’s kitchen/dining room which was nice.
Natsume
Natsume, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jun 10, 2025
Customer service at it's best!
The only place I'll stay.
Customer service is amazing which is hard to find now days.
LAURA
LAURA, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jul 18, 2025
Exceptional customer service from the front desk clerk, he was very friendly and helpful. He welcomed me like I came home. Very nice personality.
Don
Don, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Jul 14, 2025
I liked that it was walking distance from the boardwalk and customer service was good what I didn’t like was the room where a little older needed upgrade
Manuel
Manuel, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Jun 24, 2025
Thank you Ankit
The front Desk agent was very helpful. He gave me a free room upgrade and allowed me to check in early. He was also kind enough to let us park our car after checkout while we hung out at the boardwalk. Our room was very clean and check out was simple.
Emily
Emily, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Aug 29, 2025
Perfect for our needs
The room was clean and near all the fun spots in Santa Cruz. Downtown shops restaurants and bar were all with in walking distance. To me that’s 30 mins. There was also a little kitchen area that had the microwave and refrigerator separate from the room with the two beds. The man doing our check in was training and did a great job helping me check in. I would highly recommend the Drift Inn. And would definitely book there again!
Gabriel
Gabriel, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Sep 16, 2025
The manager was very friendly and great customer service. We got a very spacious room. Right when you walked in there is bed and the next room was a bed and both queens beds and it can with a small fridge and freezer and microwave. The bathroom was pretty cool and the hotel was worth the price. I also need additional room so to my family member wanted to stay the night and instead of sharing beds they hotel manager gave as other room for a cheaper prices of $79 and that room was in its own little area and had like a little kitchen with a microwave and small fridge with a freezer. The bathroom was pretty big too and the shower was amazing
Mary
Mary, 2-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Feb 15, 2026
Room was clean. Check-in was super easy and quick. Woman at the desk was friendly and provided us with an upgrade. Location was walkable to beach and boardwalk.
Patricia
Patricia, 1-night trip
Verified
6/10 Good
Nov 12, 2025
Good location
Jeremy
Jeremy, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Oct 21, 2025
Loved how close the hotel was to the Boardwalk, wharf and beach!
Laura
Laura, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Sep 6, 2025
Amazing staff, great location and extremely accommodating, overall a great place to stay
Jose Ortiz
Jose Ortiz, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Sep 8, 2025
Really nice , helpful staff
Michelle
Michelle, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Aug 13, 2025
The rooms are extremely clean and the staff is friendly. We enjoyed being within a short walk of both downtown and the boardwalk. This is a great place to stay if you would like to park your car and leave it while you explore town.