Riverside Inn & Suites
505 Riverside Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060-5123
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Room & Suite (28)
Bathroom (5)
About
#34 of 56 hotels in Santa Cruz
Location
4.0
Cleanliness
3.3
Service
3.5
Value
3.3
Finding an ideal budget friendly hotel in Santa Cruz does not have to be difficult. Welcome to Riverside Inn & Suites - Boardwalk, a nice option for travelers like you. Nearby landmarks such as Boardwalk's Cocoanut Grove (0.4 mi) and Mission State Park (0.7 mi) make Riverside Inn & Suites a great place to stay when visiting Santa Cruz. You’ll enjoy relaxing rooms that offer a refrigerator and air conditioning, and you can stay connected during your stay as Riverside Inn & Suites offers guests free wifi. Plus, Riverside Inn & Suites Hotel/Motel offers free breakfast, providing a pleasant respite from your busy day. For guests with a vehicle, free parking is available. During your visit, be sure to check out one of Santa Cruz's popular crab restaurants such as Stagnaro Bros Seafood, The Crow's Nest, and Aquarius, all a short distance from Riverside Inn & Suites. If you’re looking for things to do, you can check out West Cliff Drive (0.4 mi) or Santa Cruz Wharf (0.3 mi), which are popular attractions amongst tourists, and they are all within walking distance. Riverside Inn & Suites looks forward to welcoming you on your visit to Santa Cruz.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Vending machine
Non-smoking hotel
Room features
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Telephone
Coffee / tea maker
Microwave
Cable / satellite TV
Bath / shower
Iron
Private bathrooms
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Centrally Located
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish, Hindi
Location
77Somewhat walkable
Grade: 77 out of 100
145Restaurantswithin 0.75 miles
56Attractionswithin 0.75 miles
Contact
505 Riverside Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060-5123
Getting there
Rental CarsSee rental cars from $37/day
Nearby restaurants
Jack O'Neill Restaurant & Lounge
162 reviews11 minAmerican
Linda's Seabreeze Cafe
402 reviews14 minAmerican
Laili Restaurant
530 reviews11 minMediterranean
The Buttery
635 reviews12 minFrench
See all nearby restaurantsNearby attractions
West Cliff Drive
1,338 reviews9 minScenic Drives
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
3,639 reviews7 minAmusement & Theme Parks
Santa Cruz Wharf
1,335 reviews7 minPiers & Boardwalks
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center
114 reviews10 minSpeciality Museums
See all nearby attractions126Reviews2Q+A20Room tips
Reviews
Traveler rating
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- 15
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Most Recent
Mike P wrote a review Dec 2022
Stayed in room 312, with 3 queen beds and a kitchen with stove/fridge. One level facility with a clean room and parking directly outside of our room. Convenient location and quiet. We would certainly consider it again. The bathroom was very clean. The location allowed us to go anywhere. Staff was friendly and we got early, and allowed us to check in at 2pm. We will definitely consider to stay here again.
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Date of stay: December 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Riverside Inn , General Manager at Riverside Inn & Suites
Responded Dec 27, 2022
Hello Mike P. We are glad to see that you had a wonderful stay at Riverside Inn & Suites! We are always delighted to receive amazing feedback from our guests about their experience with us. Riverside Inn & Suites aims to provide a comfortable experience for all our guests, and we are thrilled that we were able to provide you with top-notch hospitality during your stay. We hope our positive impression has earned us your consideration to book with us again in the future; we'd love to continue to host you! Sincerely,
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PAUL S wrote a review Nov 2022
Clean room and convenient parking directly outside of our room. We appreciated the inexpensive booking. We would certainly consider it again. The bathroom was very large! The location allowed us to attend our function outside of Santa Cruz as well as to be near shopping.
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Riverside Inn , General Manager at Riverside Inn & Suites
Responded Nov 20, 2022
Hello PaulsX1629FA. Thank you for taking the time to review your stay. We are happy to have been able to earn such high marks for our cleanliness, location and price. We strive for customer satisfaction and to learn we were able to to exceed your expectations is phenomenal! Your review reaffirms the hard work we put in every day! Thank you for your kind words and we hope we will have the honor of hosting you again for any future stays in Santa Cruz. Best regards,
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The hotel is not in the best part of town. I immediately upgraded my room because I would have faced a busy street. The upgrade, fortunately, was only $5.50. The room was small but clean and more than adequate. I had a problem with my wifi that the staff helped to fix. If you're okay with the location, I could recommend this hotel.
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Date of stay: June 2022
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Be sure to avoid rooms on Riverside.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Riverside Inn , General Manager at Riverside Inn & Suites
Responded Jul 2, 2022
Hello MikedX8969VW. Thank you for taking the time to give us some insight regarding your stay at Riverside Inn & Suites. We are happy to learn that our staff was able to accommodate moving you to our standard queen room that is located inside the courtyard. The budget/basic queen room you had booked is facing the street side; if you used Booking.com to reserve your room, the description is in the email confirmation. If you used Expedia (hotels.com, etc.), unfortunately there is no way to add room descriptions but the main photo for the room shows it is facing the street. We apologize if this was not made more clear upon booking. Most people enjoy our close proximity to the boardwalk and downtown but we understand the constant foot traffic may not be for everyone. We hope you will reconsider staying with us so we may improve your impression of Riverside Inn & Suites.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Staying in Santa Cruz is not cheap anywhere but I was looking to pay as little as possible for a quick one night stay. This motel was perfect! It was a clean and well maintained room. Staff was friendly. Our room was ready and they let us check in early. Walking distance to the boardwalk. It’s a great budget motel and I would stay here again.
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip: Budget rooms face the street.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Riverside Inn , General Manager at Riverside Inn & Suites
Responded Apr 25, 2022
Hello Ambassador540280. We appreciate the time you took from your busy schedule to let us know how we are doing. We are thrilled to learn that we made quite the positive impression! We are known for our great location, clean rooms, and competitive rates -- so to hear you mention all the above lets us know that we are on the right track in providing the best possible service to our guests. We love to hear that you will consider staying with us again! We hope you will give us the honor of being your host in the future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I was very happy with the accommodations--the motel was clean and in a great location, within walking distance to the boardwalk and downtown. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. I would stay there again.
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Traveled on business
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Riverside Inn , General Manager at Riverside Inn & Suites
Responded Apr 25, 2022
Hello JCRinCA1. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to give us some valuable feedback. We are thrilled to learn that you enjoyed your room! Guests rave about our clean, comfortable rooms, competitive rates and our prime location! As you mentioned, we are within walking distance to the Boardwalk/beach and downtown Santa Cruz - making Riverside Inn & Suites ideal for anyone who wants to be near all the attractions but without the noise. Again, we appreciate your feedback and we hope we will have the honor of hosting you again for any future stays in Santa Cruz.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
We spent one night in this motel. You can do everything by foot. A little bit noisy because our room was on the road Clean and nice staff Thé price is very correct for Santa Cruz We didn’t take the breakfast Cool stuff you have conditionner shampoo and moisture cream and a soap.
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Riverside Inn , General Manager at Riverside Inn & Suites
Responded Apr 25, 2022
Hello superpapo22. Thank you for your kind review. We are very pleased to learn that we were able to meet all your traveling needs. We have essential amenities like a microwave and refrigerator, coffee maker, hair dryer, and even ear plugs to ensure a great sleep! Everything to make your night as comfortable as staying in your own home. However, we need to clarify that we do not have breakfast at Riverside Inn & Suites. We hope we will have the pleasure of hosting you again if you are ever back in Santa Cruz.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Second time I have stayed here and both were great. 1st time we had a room with a kitchen, king bed and queen bed in separate rooms. The only negative in this room was you had to bring your own cookware, plates, etc. The clerk said it was in the hotel info but it wasn't noted on Booking.com. 2nd stay we had 2 queen beds in separate rooms with bathroom in between. This one was better for privacy if say 2 couples, not family. The other room you had to walk through one bedroom to get to the bathroom. Both times I found the beds to be super comfy and soft. I have bad back and hips, but I slept well. The sheets and bath towels are quality and soft. The hotel is walkable to the Boardwalk. Definitely will pick this hotel for future trips to Santa Cruz!!
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Bring your owns cookware, plates, etc if you book a suite with kitchen!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Riverside Inn , General Manager at Riverside Inn & Suites
Responded Sep 12, 2021
Hello Cheryl. Thank you for your stellar review! We are delighted to learn that you have enjoyed staying with us and even returned a second time! We strive to make our guests comfortable while providing essential amenities such as microwave, refrigerator and coffee makers in all our rooms. We have our room descriptions online; specifically for Booking.com, you click the room type you are interested in and a pop-out window will list the amenities in the room, as well as any important information about the room (for example, that our kitchenettes do not come with cookware/utensils). We apologize if this was not made clear and we hope it did not cause an inconvenience. We hope we will have the honor of hosting you again in the future. Thank you for your time. Best regards.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed three nights and were within walking distance of the boardwalk and beach which saved on parking fees. The room was very clean and tidy. It was noisy but we brought a sound machine and slept great. We would definitely stay there again.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Riverside Inn , General Manager at Riverside Inn & Suites
Responded Aug 20, 2021
Hello brendahB5026WP. Thank you for your feedback. We are delighted to learn that you enjoyed your stay with us. Guests love our close location to the beach, Boardwalk, and downtown Santa Cruz - no need to deal with traffic! We hope we will have the pleasure of hosting you again in the future. Best regards.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
It was a wonderful surprise, friendly owner & clean rooms. Affordable & convenient. I normally book a Hotel and it was a last minute girls trip to book our stay in Santa Cruz. Riverside Inn was so clean, comfy and the bathroom was large for an Inn. There is also a fridge and microwave inside.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled with friends
Room Tip: Ask for a room with little noise.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Riverside Inn , General Manager at Riverside Inn & Suites
Responded Aug 7, 2021
Hello taryntravelss. Thank you for your generous review! We are so pleased to learn that you enjoyed your stay! We are known for our clean, comfortable rooms and our close location to downtown Santa Cruz and the beach/Boardwalk. We hope we will have the pleasure of hosting you again in the future. Best regards.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We were pleasantly surprised by room layout. We booked 1 room with 2 queen beds and there were 2 rooms separated by bathroom and a hallway . Super clean , no smell , comfortable beds and pillows. Very friendly front desk . No complaints at all. Thank you, riverside inn for great accommodation.
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Date of stay: March 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Riverside Inn , General Manager at Riverside Inn & Suites
Responded Mar 23, 2021
Hello allay934. We are so pleased to learn that you had an excellent stay with us! Our clean, comfortable rooms offers basic necessities such as a microwave and refrigerator, and coffee maker to make our guests' stay as convenient as possible. Our close proximity to both downtown Santa Cruz and beach make Riverside Inn & Suites the ideal location to set up base - no need to drive everywhere! Thank you for taking the time to post your review. We hope we will have the pleasure of hosting you again in the future. Best Regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
$91 - $181 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
americas best value inn & suites-boardwalk hotel santa cruz, americas best value inn and suites-boardwalk
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Americas Best Value Inn & Suites-Boardwalk
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSanta Cruz
NUMBER OF ROOMS
25
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Claim Your ListingRIVERSIDE INN & SUITES - Prices & Hotel Reviews (Santa Cruz, CA)
Frequently Asked Questions about Riverside Inn & Suites
Which popular attractions are close to Riverside Inn & Suites?
Nearby attractions include West Cliff Drive (0.4 miles), Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (0.3 miles), and Santa Cruz Wharf (0.3 miles).
Which room amenities are available at Riverside Inn & Suites?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a refrigerator.
Is parking available at Riverside Inn & Suites?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Riverside Inn & Suites?
Conveniently located restaurants include Jack O'Neill Restaurant & Lounge, Linda's Seabreeze Cafe, and Laili Restaurant.
Is Riverside Inn & Suites located near the city center?
Yes, it is 0.7 miles away from the center of Santa Cruz.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Riverside Inn & Suites?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Spanish, and Hindi.
Are there any historical sites close to Riverside Inn & Suites?
Many travelers enjoy visiting San Lorenzo River Railroad Bridge (0.9 miles).