The Good-

The outside of the hotel is very well kept. Landscaping is very tidy. Our room was fantastic! Two queen size beds, brand new decor, heated floor in the bathroom, two sinks, free wireless internet, VERY CLEAN. Nice amenities in the room including satellite TV with a nice large flat panel TV. Nice appointments throughout. Granite counters, nice linens and towels, and a good assortment of "spa" type lotions and potions. Has a big walk in closet with an in-room safe. This room was more than large enough for the four of us (wife, two kids (ages 6 and 3) and me.

The Bad-

OK, so I need to get knit-picky to get to the "bads". The satellite TV was a bit finicky. Seems too many options for my aging self. The prior guest had it on the wrong input and I just kept running myself in circles. If I were more patient, then I would have found the right input. I had to *gasp, ask for help. Also, there were only 2 towels in the room for the 4 of us. Not a big deal, we just need to ask for more.

The Ugly-

The location of the hotel is on a somewhat busy street. Not too much road noise from the room, but maybe a little busier than we're used to. No swimming pool (not a big deal since we came here for the beach!).

Summary -

We researched the hotel options quite heavily before we arrived. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at things), there are no large chain hotels here in Santa Cruz (think Ritz, 4 Seasons.....Marriott) The nearest one is a Hilton that got some conflicting reviews. We have an early morning surf lesson so we opted to stay closer to the beach to get a little more sleep time.

We're familiar with the area and the hotel options available so I was expecting a drive up "motel" type facility in the pink/light blue variety with the station wagons parked in the diagonal parking stalls immediately in front of the rooms. (Not that there's anything wrong with that mind you. We had prepared ourselves for that....)

So when we passed a number of these types of facilities looking for Bella Notte, we were quite pleased to see this tidy little facility. Not that many rooms, but that's OK. As I write this, I'm told that the hotel is only 4 years old (as of 2008). Not a remodel mind you, but built from the ground up new. Our room and its amenities looked brand new.

The Mrs. really loved the heated floor in the bathroom. I personally liked all of the space. The last family trip we took was to New York so I was fearful of another cramped room given our growing family. Not so here. Plenty of space for my family and all of its gear.

Price was not bad either. Not "knock your socks off" good, but fair given the care that the owners of this facility obviously put into the property. I would definitely recommend this to our family and friends if they ever wanted to stay in the night in Santa Cruz.

Unrivaled upmarket experience in Santa Cruz!
The tastefully decorated and spacious room that we had was fitted out with the best materials and equipment, and the bed was incredibly comfortable, complete with very soft Egyptian cotton. The owner is evidently aiming to provide exceptional accommodations in Santa Cruz, and this was just what we received over the four nights that we stayed.
In reception, Alan is the most accommodating, charming and helpful host, able to recommend very good restaurants (including the nearby good value Crow’s Nest), and Michele was also a mine of helpful local information. Susan was a joy to meet.
The location is good – away from the buzz of the Boardwalk in the summer season, but near enough to beach, mall, restaurants and other local services.
If we visited Santa Cruz again we would reserve a room here without hesitation. We have already recommended it to friends, and will do so to anyone who asks.

Very comfortable, very quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Excellent service from "Allan" at the front desk. One of the most comfy beds I have ever slept in. My home away from home when in Santa Cruz!

The hotel that we normally stay at while visiting Santa Cruz was closed for restoration, so we drove around and happened to see the Bella Notte Inn. We just walked in and were able to get a room - and what a room it was! Everything was brand new and beautiful! Most comfortable bed of any hotel we've ever stayed at, flat-screen TV, heated tile floors, whirlpool tub. We were shocked because the nightly price was so reasonable.
Steve at the front desk was amazing. He referred us to a delicious restaurant that wasn't tourist-y, and then made the reservations for us.
The next morning, we woke up and walked down the block to a private beach. It was the perfect 24 hours. We'll never stay anywhere else again.