Located near the beach, Harbor Inn is in Eastside Santa Cruz, a neighbourhood in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a popular attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Monterey Bay and Capitola Beach. Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History and Boardwalk Bowl are also worth visiting. Visit our Santa Cruz travel guide
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
No lift
Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
More
Designated smoking areas
Room amenities
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
Free toiletries
Hair dryer
Private or shared bathroom
Towels provided
Food and drink
Coffee/tea maker
Microwave
Refrigerator
More
Desk
Heating
Iron/ironing board
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: 5:00 PM
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age - 18
Check-out
Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out
Late check-out subject to availability
A late check-out fee will be charged
Express check-out available
Special check-in instructions
Guests planning to arrive outside of normal check-in hours must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions and key retrieval information; access will be through a private entrance
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Renovations and closures
The property will be renovating from 31 January 2026 to 30 June 2026 (completion date subject to change). The following areas are affected:
Selected guestrooms
During renovations, the motel will make every effort to minimise noise and disturbance.
Access methods
Key retrieval, private entrance
Pets
Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Payment types at the property
Important information
Optional extras
Late check-out is available for a fee (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, debit card or cash deposit 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
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including stag and hen parties
Property is also known as
Harbor Inn Santa Cruz
Harbor Santa Cruz
Harbor Inn Motel
Harbor Inn Santa Cruz
Harbor Inn Motel Santa Cruz
Frequently asked questions
Is Harbor Inn pet-friendly?
No, only service animals are welcome at the property.
How much is parking at Harbor Inn?
Self-parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at Harbor Inn?
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: 5:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Harbor Inn?
Checkout is at 11 AM. Late checkout is available for a fee (subject to availability).
Where is Harbor Inn located?
Located in Eastside Santa Cruz, this motel is 0.1 mi (0.2 km) from Twin Lakes State Beach and within 3 miles (5 km) of Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Santa Cruz Harbor and Harbor Beach are also within 15 minutes.
Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?
Yes, this property offers free cancellation on selected room rates because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.
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Reviews
Harbor Inn Reviews
8.6
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers 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
9.2
Cleanliness
8.8
Location
8.8
Staff & service
8.4
Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 162 out of 354 reviews
10 - Excellent
162
Rating 8 - Good. 130 out of 354 reviews
8 - Good
130
Rating 6 - Okay. 42 out of 354 reviews
6 - Okay
42
Rating 4 - Poor. 14 out of 354 reviews
4 - Poor
14
Rating 2 - Terrible. 6 out of 354 reviews
2 - Terrible
6
Reviews
8/10 Good
ayreAnna
2 Jan 2026
Liked: Cleanliness
the room was clean, the neighborhood was quiet and welcoming, and the staff were very kind. thank you!
ayreAnna
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025
10/10 Excellent
Sally
27 Sep 2025
Liked: Amenities
Nice space and very helpful staff. Everything is close by and easy to get to. The space is comfortable and clean and secure.
The Harbor Inn definitely captures Santa Cruz in decor. It is bare bones. You get a clean bedroom and towels and that's it. It is excellent for a stay of a day or two and the Santa Cruz beach front is easily walkable from the Inn and eating options are nearby, including grocery stores.
This is a "no frills" place, but its perfect for a weekend in SC. We stayed in the two story loft room and it was perfect for multiple kids upstairs and two adults downstairs. For the price and not spending a lot of time in the room, its exactly what we needed. We would definitely stay here again and had a great time. Why spend $500+ per night for a luxury room you're not going to spend much time in anyway? It was clean, quiet, close to Twin Lakes State Beach and close enough to plenty of coffee shops and restaurants. We highly recommend it!
This is a very well kept motel. It is apparent that the owners and staff take great care in thinking of their guests. My room was comfortable and very clean. The entire motel was clean and well cared for as were the small grounds. I will stay there again and recommend to friends. Very affordable.
We spent 4 nights here! We chose this hotel for its charm and location. The hotel is older, that’s part of the charm. Our rooms were clean. We had a two story and although no air conditioner on the upper floor, the provided fan worked great! We felt safe and the location to the beach, restaurants and shopping made this an ideal stay.
The front desk manager was so kind.We were there for the Ironman. We needed our room early so we could store my grand daughter’s bike. He had the room ready and we were allowed to check in early. He was very accommodating. He wrote down suggestions for us to eat out. We went to all of his suggestions and all the food was great!
This hotel is charming. Low key. Peaceful. Comfortable beds. All that we wanted and we would stay here again!
Our stay at the Harbor Inn was a pleasant experience. Our original room was very comfortable, king bed, great size room and on the first floor. Unfortunately, we had a toilet malfunction which caused us to move to another room. The room we were provided was much smaller, no A/C and queen size bed. Since the owner couldn't fix the toilet, he credited my card one night, for the inconvenience. We made the best of it, the room was good enough and they provided a large fan to cool off at night. The location of the inn was perfect for beach access, close to the boardwalk and wharf. We love coming to Santa Cruz. We enjoyed our stay at the Harbor Inn, friendly and helpful staff. The place is older style villa which we loved, all amenities was available by request. We would come back as long as we can stay in the king size bed room per our original request.
Dale
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
6/10 Okay
Suzanne
12 May 2024
The room was cold and the small space heater didn’t work. The room smelled musty. The bed was very comfortable. It was well located near my daughter and the harbor.
Suzanne
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
2/10 Terrible
Tammy
28 May 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
The staff was friendly and accommodating. The two story room was extremely small abd cramped. The beds were hard and uncomfortable and we kept hitting our head on the wall trying to get in and out of bed !!! For the price it was horrible !!!!
Tammy
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024
8/10 Good
Steven
6 May 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Odors of mildew and mold outside going in and even seeping into our sleeping quarters.
Great for location. Very clean but needs freshening up- carpet, paint, shower stall needs help before more serious repairs needed... panels coming undone from the walls.
This place is simple, clean, and reasonably priced for the location. Good bed, firm but not hard. I like the old-fashioned aesthetic. We checked in and out without face-to-face contact with staff, which was fine. We had all we needed. Downsides, minor: The shower dial was missing so it was a bit hard to adjust the temp (cold, very hot, small area of happy medium, no place to run in tiny shower stall!) Lights just outside windows are very bright. Blinds on both windows, curtain on one took care of most of that. Brought earplugs, didn't need them thanks to conscientious other guests (thanks folks!). We had a pleasant stay and will likely be back.
This inn is so charming! Exactly as pictured. You can’t adjust the A/C. But there is a heater. If you get hot flashes, sleeping with the windows open this time of year suffices. Not sure if they have fans. Walking distance to the beach. Pillows and bed were surprisingly comfortable. I have back and neck issues and slept like a baby. Most other motels I’ve stayed at you have to let the water run for forever to heat. But not here! Also, amazing water pressure. Mini fridge with freezer. Microwave and mini coffee maker. Extra towels in the hallway armoire- super convenient. Close to the mall (and target/cvs/Walgreens).
My first time ever going and stay in Santa Cruz and this location was perfect, staff was friendly and so helpful with accommodating my check in time. the share bathroom/ shower was not bad at all everyone was respectful sharing rooms in the house, will for sure being going back soon during winter :)