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Torch Lite Inn

2.5 star property

Photo gallery for Torch Lite Inn

Signature Room
Front of property
Premium bedding, pillow-top beds, desk, blackout curtains
Lobby sitting area
Terrace/patio

Reviews

7.8 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Housekeeping
  • 24/7 front desk

Explore the area

View map
500 Riverside Ave, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060
  • Place, Ocean Street
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Place, Santa Cruz Wharf
    ‪11 min walk‬
  • Airport, San Jose, CA (SJC-Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl.)
    ‪59 min drive‬

Room options

Deluxe Room

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(56 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Signature Room

8.2 out of 10
Very good
(71 reviews)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

Similar properties

About the area

Santa Cruz

With a stay at Torch Lite Inn in Santa Cruz (Westside Santa Cruz), you'll be within a 5-minute drive of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Monterey Bay. .This motel is 3.1 mi (5 km) from University of California, Santa Cruz and 4.5 mi (7.2 km) from Capitola Beach.

What's nearby

  • Ocean Street - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Pacific Avenue - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - 7 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Main Beach - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Santa Cruz Wharf - 11 min walk - 1.0 km

Getting around

  • Watsonville, CA (WVI-Watsonville Municipal) - 31 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Boardwalk Bowl - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪四姐 Special Noodle - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Sesame Korean Grill - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Marea Sol - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪Zachary's Restaurant - ‬10 min walk

About this property

Torch Lite Inn

Torch Lite Inn offers 38 air-conditioned accommodations with coffee/tea makers and hair dryers. Pillowtop beds feature premium bedding. 40-inch LCD televisions come with premium cable channels. Guests can make use of the in-room refrigerators and microwaves. Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations and complimentary toiletries.

This Santa Cruz motel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones. Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and blackout drapes/curtains. Housekeeping is provided daily.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Make yourself at home in one of the 38 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and LCD televisions. Your pillowtop bed comes with premium bedding. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Bathrooms feature shower/tub combinations, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.
Take in the views from a terrace and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access and a vending machine.
Featured amenities include a 24-hour front desk and a vending machine. Free self parking is available onsite.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Onsite parking available only on request
  • Free self parking on site
  • Limited number of on-site self parking spaces per unit

Family friendly

  • In-room microwave
  • In-room refrigerator

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Vending machine

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Outdoors

  • Outdoor furniture
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Hardwood flooring in room
  • No lift
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk

More

  • 2 buildings
  • 2 floors
  • Art Deco architecture
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Pillowtop mattress
  • Premium bedding

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 40-inch LCD TV with premium cable channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Phone

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 AM
Early check-in subject to availability
Early check-in fee: USD 45
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
If you are planning to arrive after 10:00 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
This property's listed general deposit is refundable via credit card within 14 days after check-out, pending room inspection.

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
2 children can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Deposit: USD 200.00 per accommodation, per stay

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

This property's listed general deposit is refundable via credit card within 14 days after check-out, pending room inspection.

Optional extras

  • Early check-in fee: USD 45 (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 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
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve onsite parking
This property accepts credit cards and cash
This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Property is also known as

Torch Lite Inn
Torch Lite Inn Santa Cruz
Torch Lite Santa Cruz
Torch Lite Hotel Santa Cruz
Torch Lite Motel
Torch Lite Inn Motel
Torch Lite Inn Santa Cruz
Torch Lite Inn Motel Santa Cruz

Torch Lite Inn Reviews

Reviews

7.8

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 433 out of 1003 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 243 out of 1003 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 161 out of 1003 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 74 out of 1003 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 92 out of 1003 reviews

8.4/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

7.0/10

Amenities

7.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Eloisa

Liked: Amenities
The innkeeper was very friendly and accommodating and gave us a unit perfect for travelling with children. Parking was secured and covered. The room was generously big and the amenities were very at par with the price point. My family and I slept well and woke up refreshed to the sound of birds and the seawaves.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jame

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
The rooms were very clean and the hotel is 1 mile away from all the venues and restaurants. The Manager Sid is an outstanding guy.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Frances

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Had a very good stay here. No issues. Shower was awesome. Air conditioning was good. Internet was awesome. TV channels could have been better. Overall a very pleasant 3 days.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025

10/10 Excellent

Magaly

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025

8/10 Good

ANA

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Esmeralda

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Manuel

Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2025

8/10 Good

Monica, Madera

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025

6/10 Okay

Nagendra Kadiyam

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Looks not safe , washrooms are ok No proper soaps or shampoo care
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Suzanna

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Patricia

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

2/10 Terrible

Louise

There was no blanket the cover was old shower Curtain old and dirty room smelled so bad of chemicals we couldn’t sleep out eyes and throat were burning slept with window open no screen in the middle of winter just a few things you can work on
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

ashley

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Always the best experience
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sylvia

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Enjoyed a room that does not have carpet and its a smoke free hotel.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Anthony, Mishawaka

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

6/10 Okay

noah

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Bathroom had mold but was ok otherwise
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Wesley

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

8/10 Good

Norberto

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Clean
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rebekah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Great front desk, very friendly and helpful
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Anthony

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Everything was great
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

8/10 Good

Juan

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good walking location.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Hannah

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Room was very clean and staff was very nice. Definitely will come back again.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mailee

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children, Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Check in was smooth. The man at the front desk was friendly and informative. He put our group of three together, allowed us to stay parked at the hotel after check out while we had one last day at the Boardwalk and he even called to let me know my daughter left her iPad in the room. Great customer service goes a long way. The hotel is affordable and short walk to the Board Walk. If you don’t plan on spending a lot of time in the room, it’s a great option. We would stay here again.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jose

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very good service and friendly people
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

2/10 Terrible

Rachel

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025