Hyatt Place Santa Cruz

This was our second time staying at this particular Hyatt and it is obvious times are tough. Because we were in town for a special occasion (Wharf to Wharf), we paid the heart-stopping price of $450/night. For our money, we got 1-ply toilet paper, scratchy tissues, very flimsy comforter (not fluffy, but thin, like another blanket), and paper cups, not glass. On Monday, when the garbage truck came (right under our room, apparently), it was like they were off-loading an SUV into the garbage truck at 5:30 in the morning! The sanitation workers were also yelling at each other and causing a ruckus. Not what you would want on vacation. Additionally, as a Hyatt member, the hotel staff treat different classes of members differently. They offer water to a higher class of member, and when you ask for bottled water because you are also a Hyatt member, they say, "Oh, sorry, you don't qualify for water". Pretty tacky. They would do better to offer "members who qualify" water in their rooms and ask to have water sent up, rather than embarrassing other members right in the lobby. The good about this place is that the valets are wonderful. They know everything and have tips and tricks for getting around town and knowing where to eat, etc. The location is great - in the long days of summer you can walk downtown, and it is less than a mile to the Boardwalk. There is a pretty good and busy Chinese restaurant right around the corner. The staff here is great! Nice and friendly.

Very clean Hyatt. Great big rooms - great for families. Walk to the beach, walk to downtown. Must Valet cars and the valets are really nice.

Great location, but hotel is getting a bit dated. It is also very busy especially on weekends in the summer with families. This causes breakfast to be overrun and the team has a difficult time keeping up with the food items. Parking is valet only for $19/day. The valet team is great and manages the parking garage so you don't have to. EV charging (J-plug) is available for a fee of $10/charge - the valet team also manages this to ensure all are charged update. Some of the hotel rooms are a bit dark - I would suggest requesting a west facing room or a high (4th) floor if you want to ensure you have some sunlight. Staff is great. Super friendly. Just wish there were more of them to manage the breakfast and the overall upkeep.