Name: Ocean Gate Inn
Address: 111 Ocean Street, Lower Ocean, Lower Ocean, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, US
Price range: $84–$297 per night
Rating: 7.15

What guests think

Ocean Gate Inn draws mixed reviews, with many guests praising its friendly staff, large rooms, and convenient walkable location near the boardwalk, while recurring complaints cite street and guest noise, cleanliness inconsistencies, and occasional maintenance or security concerns.

Several reviews highlight balconies with boardwalk or river views, but note dated features such as the elevator and harsh lighting. Parking is on site but spaces can be narrow. Best for travelers who want simple lodging over full amenities.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Facilities are basic. Several reviews mention elevator outages or a dated feel, no bar or vending machines, and on-site parking that can be tight; many rooms feature balconies with boardwalk or river views.

Related guest reviews

6

Brent

Sep 2, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Parking was terrible. The common area needs some TLC

4

Christine

Jul 27, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Elevator not working room on the 4 the floor- loud and noisy

6

David

Sep 17, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clearly this place has been recently remodeled. Everything in the room is clean and new, and the room was fairly spacious. My only complaints are: the lighting is so blindingly white, it's like opening a refrigerator- and no table lamps. The wall sconce lighting is too "white" and the charging outlets are on the sconces- how do I plug a phone into that? The other problem is that if you have a lovely balcony view of the boardwalk, and like to open the window to enjoy the breeze at night, be ready for non-stop traffic, guys revving their engines, noisy car radios, etc, all night long. I'd rather pay more and stay on the west side.

10

Kody

May 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Was an excellent stay, manager and front desk clerk were both were kind and very helpful, parking was awesome, clean inside and out. Balcony was an awesome view and we were a happy family!

8

Brookelyn

Apr 24, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

They need a vending machine

6

Judy

Nov 29, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

I was upset due to false advertising. This place DOES NOT have a bar or a smoking area. And no vending machines and the elevator did not work. I’m disabled and the stairs were just to much. Also the bathtub was small and the curtains were too short.

8

David

Apr 5, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This property is close to many great attractions in Santa Cruz. It is next to a busy roadway that can be quite noisy during the daytime and evening. It gets more quiet in the middle of the night and early morning. Despite having a slightly dirty floor, out of facial tissues, no ice bucket, and no hand soap in the dispenser at the sink, the staff is very cooperative and took care of all of the issues. I asked about the security of the parking lot and their response was to take everything we can into our room so not exactly a boost of confidence there.

8

Blake

May 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Good distance from the boardwalk, they have cameras on the parking spaces so I felt very reassured about not having my windows broken either.

8

Kaylea

Aug 29, 2023

·

The hotel room was very nice and the patio made the room feel that much more spacious. Parking was a little difficult with a truck but there was plenty of spaces to choose from! The only downside was the transients helping themselves to the facility, such as using the ice machine in the middle of the night.

10

jennifer

Oct 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This is my go to hotel when going to Santa Cruz it is a $10 Uber ride from the hotel to the Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk. The hotel is always clean and the staff is extremely friendly. Beds are super comfortable and the rooms are very spacious. Only downfall this trip was the elevator was being maintenance so we had to walk up to the third floor other than that I highly recommend this hotel.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is inconsistent, with many saying rooms are clean while others report dirty floors, stains, lingering smoke smells, and occasional pests or mold, plus housekeeping lapses.

Related guest reviews

6

Annabelle

Feb 26, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The property is somewhat near the Boardwalk however, you have to take like a mile walk. The staff was friendly and informative about the area. The Inn was remodeled. TV, wifi, movies accessible. The room is clean but their towels are dirty and old. Need to replace. Same as their bedsheets. Had a lipstick mark and tearing to pieces. Replace what is needed to be replaced. Thanks

4

Drew

Dec 1, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Not very nice area and wasn't the cleanest.

4

Christine

Aug 2, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The singular staff member was creepy and made me feel uneasy. The back of the hotel over looks private residents who's yards are just packed with literal trash. The walls were dirty and there were unknown dirty splashes on the walls in the bathroom. The only positive thing I have to say is that the rooms themselves were very large .

4

Carolina

May 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

When I got to the inn, the receptionist guy was so nice and explained everything to me so well. When I got to the elevator it was a bit suspicious, meaning it looked as if it was outdated and I was very afraid I would get stuck in it, but it worked well. The room was "clean", but not mopped or cleaned thoroughly. The baseboards had dust, the bed sheets had stained, FYI bring your own, the restroom was clean and the sink as well. The balcony glass was dirty and the balcony itself had dust and was stained. There was one mirror above a table and that had streaks as if you were going to clean and sprayed but forgot to clean it so it dried wet. My last night at the inn, we kept getting the smell of weed, extremely strong smell, probably our next door neighbors. Overall the beds were very uncomfortable and we found a roach when it was time to tidy up and head home. Will not be booking here again.

4

Brooke

Jan 14, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very dirty. No hot water. Blow dryer didnt work. Floors were disgusting. Very noisy couldn't sleep. Will not be back

8

Evelyn

Nov 13, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The office was great in working with us for early check-in. Staff was nice. Room was a usual hotel room. The only negative was my feet were nasty after walking on the floor and had to wash again before putting shoes back on.

2

Erika

Sep 23, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

There was a rotten banana in the lobby. It was attracting gnats and looked like it was there for at least a week. The room smelled of smoke and was dusty on the table tops.

2

gregorio

Nov 12, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nothing about the place was liked, this hotel was so dirty and filthy. There was mold in the bath tub and the room smelled like cigarettes! Also room service came and made the bed but took all the towels didn’t replace them or the papers for the restroom. It was really noisy and there was people yelling 2 and 3 am. Bad place

4

Erika

Sep 23, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was dirty and old

8

David

Apr 5, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This property is close to many great attractions in Santa Cruz. It is next to a busy roadway that can be quite noisy during the daytime and evening. It gets more quiet in the middle of the night and early morning. Despite having a slightly dirty floor, out of facial tissues, no ice bucket, and no hand soap in the dispenser at the sink, the staff is very cooperative and took care of all of the issues. I asked about the security of the parking lot and their response was to take everything we can into our room so not exactly a boost of confidence there.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Rooms are generally spacious, with some balconies offering boardwalk or river views. Thin walls and street noise are common, and several note dated lighting, outlet issues, or smoke odors in non-smoking rooms.

Related guest reviews

10

carlos

Jul 7, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Close to pier. Beautiful balcony view.

6

Sylvester

Oct 21, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was clean and spacious. Electrical outlets were not available or did not work correctly, especially around vanity. Lighting was inadequate to do makeup at bath vanity. Lighting throughout room was either glaring white or off- there was no reading-level, comfortable lighting available. There were steel brackets protruding from the bed frame below to out beyond the side walls of the mattress, rough-edged and unprotected, which could easily cut or scratch one's legs or arms severely. I discovered these when I swung my legs out of bed in the morning; luckily, I only brushed lightly across one. Soap dispensers were oddly and incorrectly mounted near vanity and in shower. More bath linens would have been useful; the supply was marginal.

4

Christine

Aug 2, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The singular staff member was creepy and made me feel uneasy. The back of the hotel over looks private residents who's yards are just packed with literal trash. The walls were dirty and there were unknown dirty splashes on the walls in the bathroom. The only positive thing I have to say is that the rooms themselves were very large .

6

Andrew

Oct 14, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The inn was definitely a little old, and it shows. The shower head in the room we got was slightly coming off the wall. The walls are also very thin, we could hear the people next door speaking loudly and blasting their music. That said, the room was very comfortable. The room was clean and was tidied up well after we came back for the night of the stay. It has a fridge, a microwave, and a coffee maker. It also is pretty spacious and the shower worked well. Overall, it's a nice inn for the price. It is a little old, and it isn't maintained the greatest, so there are better options around the area. Check this one out if you want to save some money and don't mind an antiquated building.

10

Nickie

Aug 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I stayed in the room that had one king size bed with my two little boys and it got us perfectly. The shower had two different heads which was nice. The balcony patio was an awesome feature. My only complaint is that even though it was a non-smoking room, it still smelled like smoke.

10

Claudia

Aug 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely view of the boardwalk and ocean even though there was a road between the motel and the ocean. Balcony was great and interior decor was well done.

6

Michelle

May 29, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Good location and value compared to other hotels in area. Decent bed. Towels were raggedy. The walls are thin so water and snoring from other rooms heard and location is on a high traffic street (E. Cliff) that is so noisy at all hours with motorcycles, buses and other traffic that make it hard to sleep.

6

David

Sep 17, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Clearly this place has been recently remodeled. Everything in the room is clean and new, and the room was fairly spacious. My only complaints are: the lighting is so blindingly white, it's like opening a refrigerator- and no table lamps. The wall sconce lighting is too "white" and the charging outlets are on the sconces- how do I plug a phone into that? The other problem is that if you have a lovely balcony view of the boardwalk, and like to open the window to enjoy the breeze at night, be ready for non-stop traffic, guys revving their engines, noisy car radios, etc, all night long. I'd rather pay more and stay on the west side.

8

Patrick

May 4, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location. Spacious room. Easy walk to the boardwalk. Slight whiff of left over smoke even though a non-smoking room. Plenty of parking but the spots are a bit narrow. Not great for a large/wide vehicle.

10

jennifer

Oct 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This is my go to hotel when going to Santa Cruz it is a $10 Uber ride from the hotel to the Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk. The hotel is always clean and the staff is extremely friendly. Beds are super comfortable and the rooms are very spacious. Only downfall this trip was the elevator was being maintenance so we had to walk up to the third floor other than that I highly recommend this hotel.

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Service

Service is often friendly and helpful, with multiple mentions of great front desk support. However, some guests experienced rude or unsettling interactions, poor housekeeping follow-through, or slow responses to maintenance.

Related guest reviews

10

Jonathan

Aug 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Better than expected, but not by much. However excellent service from Bob.

10

Patricia

Jul 28, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Bob gave us great customer service.

4

Morgan

Jul 30, 2023

·

Stayed 5 nights

Area of hotel is wonderful! Front desk women really needs a better attitude to be in customer service. Our toilet clogged& was told “house keeping has already left” clogged toilet is not a house keepers job, more like maintenance. Then was told her “husband” is not there and she will let him know. 3 HOURS later I went back down to the office and little to my surprise no one was aware of our clogged toilet. I would rather spend my money somewhere else that seems more grateful for your stay.

10

Russell

Sep 7, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Owner was very pleasant and helpful!

10

Kody

May 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Was an excellent stay, manager and front desk clerk were both were kind and very helpful, parking was awesome, clean inside and out. Balcony was an awesome view and we were a happy family!

10

Nicholas

Jan 31, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Friendly staff

10

Jennifer

Nov 30, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff is great, space is safe. A favorite of ours.

10

Gregorio

May 10, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff was very friendly and the room was very clean 10/10

2

Johnathan

Mar 30, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

I had to fix my key the time I stayed at this hotel and the first room after I walk out of the room. I couldn’t go back in asking the person on duty she’s not happy and it’s wasn’t something we wanted but she made its my fault her lock isn’t working properly

6

Italo

Aug 28, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Housekeeper keep on asking me to say yes if management asked if my room got cleaned up. However, she never cleaned my room.

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Location

Convenient for the boardwalk and beach with many places walkable and some rooms offering views. Traffic noise is common and a few guests felt the immediate area or parking lot could feel sketchy.

Related guest reviews

10

William

Jul 19, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great price and location

2

Cathy

Sep 5, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

It was within walking distance of the boardwalk but it was extremely noisy due to road traffic, not well maintained, run-down, things were haphazardly put on walls barely hanging on by one screw, homeless were going through the trash bins on the premises within feet of my car. Parking was difficult, very narrow with pillars on each side.

8

Mark

Jul 19, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

For the money its a good deal, it has a good location, the people running it are good people, you can walk to the boardwalk and the Warf to eat.

6

Remy

Nov 22, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was comfortable enough but it was a bit dirty and sketchy. Short walk to the boardwalk and a great view of the river though

8

Elliot

Aug 9, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice staff. Clean room if a bit spartan. TV channel selection is good. Walk to beach/boardwalk is not too far but you have to cross a busy roadway and then walk along it for a block or so before turning toward the beach.

10

Jorge

Jul 23, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Very close to Boardwalk

6

Michelle

May 29, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Good location and value compared to other hotels in area. Decent bed. Towels were raggedy. The walls are thin so water and snoring from other rooms heard and location is on a high traffic street (E. Cliff) that is so noisy at all hours with motorcycles, buses and other traffic that make it hard to sleep.

8

Amy

Aug 8, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The place seemed a little sandy when we arrived but perhaps that's inevitable. Cleaners did not replenish the coffee, coffee was pretty bad. (Go to one of the many nice breakfast spots nearby.) But otherwise we had a nice stay here. It's not on the ocean but the walk to boardwalk isn't far. With a car you are close to several other calmer beaches, lots of hiking trails, and downtown. It's at a busy intersection with traffic on two sides, but did quiet down at night. King bed was great. Good service, attentive. Pleasant stay for the price.

10

Evangeline

Jul 18, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

We had a great time! Location is superb and easy access to the beach and other areas

10

jennifer

Oct 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This is my go to hotel when going to Santa Cruz it is a $10 Uber ride from the hotel to the Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk. The hotel is always clean and the staff is extremely friendly. Beds are super comfortable and the rooms are very spacious. Only downfall this trip was the elevator was being maintenance so we had to walk up to the third floor other than that I highly recommend this hotel.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

Not enough information in reviews.

Related guest reviews

10

Claudia

Aug 4, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Bed comfort excellent. No food on premises.

8

Amy

Aug 8, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The place seemed a little sandy when we arrived but perhaps that's inevitable. Cleaners did not replenish the coffee, coffee was pretty bad. (Go to one of the many nice breakfast spots nearby.) But otherwise we had a nice stay here. It's not on the ocean but the walk to boardwalk isn't far. With a car you are close to several other calmer beaches, lots of hiking trails, and downtown. It's at a busy intersection with traffic on two sides, but did quiet down at night. King bed was great. Good service, attentive. Pleasant stay for the price.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$67
February	$87
March	$87
April	$99
May	$114
June	$140
July	$149
August	$136
September	$106
October	$89
November	$76
December	$73

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15 $84	16 $84	17 $84	18	19 $297
20 $84	21 $84	22 $84	23 $84	24 $84	25 $213	26 $241
27 $84	28 $84	29 $84	30 $84

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $84	2 $127	3 $160
4 $84	5 $84	6 $84	7 $84	8 $84	9 $127	10 $160
11 $84	12 $84	13 $84	14 $84	15 $84	16 $127	17 $160
18 $84	19 $85	20 $85	21 $85	22 $85	23 $127	24 $180
25 $85	26 $85	27 $85	28 $86	29 $84	30 $140	31 $161

Select dates to see prices and availability

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Standard Single Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible, Refrigerator & Microwave

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds

Standard Room, 1 King Bed

Standard King, View

Guest reviews

Good

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Security deposit

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Ocean Gate Inn

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Prices for upcoming dates