The Santa Cruz Dream Inn A Joie De Vivre Boutique Hotel
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Pool
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3 Reviews for The Santa Cruz Dream Inn - a Joie de Vivre Bout...
2
00 families found this helpful
"A Dream Stay"
As a family of 4 we had a great week at the Dream Inn Hotel!
With its lovely staff to help us!
Great Pool area for the kids to play in! And the beach is in front of the hotel!
The view is magnificent! Will never forget the sunrise there!
We would love to come back!!!
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2 families found this helpful
"Location, location, location"
I took the kids twice to Santa Cruz this summer ('09) and both times we stay at the Dream Inn. We love it. It's right on the beach, a short walk to the Boardwalk and an even shorter walk to the wharf. Rooms are clean, beds are comfy and the staff very friendly. We'll be coming back.
'10, '11
2 families found this helpful
"Best location for families on the beach"
The Dream Inn has nothing short of a dream location. Perfectly situated on the cliffs north of the Santa Cruz boardwalk, but within a short walking distance of the center of activity(even with a 2 year old). But best of all, it is the only hotel in the county with a beachfront location and direct access from the pool to the beach.
First Impressions: Immediately upon driving up to the Dream Inn, I was struck by the attentive valet and hosts. The lobby with its fun and modern colors made me feel relaxed but hip. When we first set eyes on the brightly colored room and the stunning view of the beach, the kids immediately lit up and rushed into the room with smiles from ear to ear.
Rooms: Our room with two queen beds was just big enough. The décor was playful, setting the perfect tone for a family vacation to the beach. The clean white sheets and duvet made all the chaos of normal home life melt away. The room and bathroom were sparkling. However, there was a little surprise pair of underwear from a previous guest left hanging on the shower curtain rail.
The best part of this hotel is that every room has a view of the ocean with a patio or small balcony. With the sliding doors open, you can enjoy the ocean breeze and fall asleep to the sound of lapping waves – nature’s noisemaker. Our beds and bedding were wonderfully comfortable. The poolside rooms with a patio had deck chairs to hang out on as well as a table and two chairs. This was great for hanging out in after our kids fell asleep . Fortunately for us, it was a fairly warm night. Bring along a reading lamp if you plan to read. There was no light in our patio area. On a cold night, the only place to hang out would have been the few couches in the lobby.
Families will like that there are 24 sets of adjoining rooms at the Dream Inn. There are also 12 suites and one executive suite called the Dream Suite. Only the Dream Suite actually has a door that separates the bedroom from the living room. But all the suites have fireplaces.
Amenities: There is only one microwave in the hotel on the 4th floor. If you need to get a bottle warmed up in the middle of the night, you’ll have to run out of the room or ask the front desk to help you out. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that guests could request a refrigerator be brought to their room - great for storing leftovers or snacks.
We loved that the Dream Inn has a library of games that you can check out at the front desk for kids as well as adults. It was great not having to lug any entertainment along with us on our trip. They also have volleyballs that you can borrow for use at the beach. When I asked what else there was to keep my sons entertained, the front desk produced two bubble wands that blessed us with a full hour of giggles.
The crib was a clean metal crib that felt nice and stable. It was the size of a portable crib. It definitely wasn’t big enough for my 3 year old. My only complaint was that mattress was a little thin. There was not blanket in the crib, so do bring your own blanket for baby.
Facilities: Our kids simply loved the heated pool with views of the Pacifica Ocean. It’s not a luxurious pool, but the water was a perfect temperature for my sensitive three year old. I am guessing that the main pool was about 85 degrees . The little wading pool was tiny and 2.5 ft deep but not heated. Cowell Beach just beyond the pool deck has a lifeguard on duty for moms and dads concerned about safety. We had a poolside room and we were happy to find that the pool is fully fenced in. However, for most of our stay, staff and other guests kept the gates propped open which meant that I still had to keep an eye on the little one whenever he was in the patio.
Food: At the time of our stay, the restaurant was still under construction. So we ordered room service to the delight of our boys who had never experienced room service before. Our kids were so delighted by the whole experience. I loved that the eggs were organic and local and so were the berries. The food arrived warm and tasted great. We also loved the coffee maker with the individual one-cup servings.
Forever Young Package: At the Dream Inn, the family package included a welcome bucket with some sand toys, bubbles, two pairs of goggles and lots of candy. Our boys immediately noticed it when we arrived in our room. They were very excited to find so much candy, but I must say that I was secretly wishing that the bucket was filled with fruit and healthier snacks. When we got to the beach, the kids were starting to fight over the one bucket and shovel, but ended up sharing okay. They were both so excited to head right off to the pool to try out their new goggles. After a few dives, we realized that the goggles were too big for both our 3 and 6 year old. The highlight of the family package by far were milk and cookies at bedtime. The kids felt so special to have this treat. I for one was happy that there were plenty of cookies for mom and dad too.
Service: All the staff we met were very professional and friendly. They were incredibly patient with all my questions. Voie De Vivre hotels pride themselves for their above and beyond customer service and I really found all the staff from housekeeping to front desk to be wonderfully helpful.
Loved:
• Perfect location
• Rooms were very comfortable, clean, and fun
• Toiletries smelled and felt great
• Service was very professional and friendly
• Room service – on time and quality of food was great
• Kids loved the cookies and milk
• Kids loved the sand toys and the bubble wands
I’d love to see:
• One welcome bucket for each child with healthy snacks
• Signs on the pool gates to remind adults and kids to keep the gate closed
In a nutshell: Kids loved it and we had a wonderful stay. Falling asleep to the surf was priceless. This hotel receives 4 stars from our family.
This review is based on a complimentary stay at the Dream Inn - a Joie De Vivre Boutique Hotel in Santa Cruz, CA. I received no other compensation besides the hotel stay and the hotel did not express any requirements that I express a particular point of view.
Location.
Located in Santa Cruz, this beachfront hotel is near Main Beach,
Cocoanut Grove, and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Additional
attractions include Santa Cruz Surfing Museum.
Features.
Dining options at The Santa Cruz Dream Inn a Joie de Vivre Boutique
Hotel include a restaurant and a bar/lounge. Room service is
available. Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool, a
children's pool, and a spa tub. This 3.5 star property has a 24
hour business center and offers meeting rooms for small groups,
audio visual equipment, and business services. Complimentary
wireless and wired high speed Internet access is available in
public areas. This Santa Cruz property has 3,500 square feet of
event space consisting of conference rooms. Concierge services and
tour assistance are available. Guest parking is complimentary.
Additional property amenities include a poolside bar, valet
parking, and currency exchange. This is a smoke free property.
Guestrooms.
There are 163 guestrooms at The Santa Cruz Dream Inn a Joie de
Vivre Boutique Hotel. Guestrooms have balconies. Bathrooms feature
bathrobes, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. Guestrooms
offer free local calls and voice mail. Televisions have cable
channels, video game consoles, and pay movies. Air conditioned
rooms also include desks, coffee/tea makers, blackout
drapes/curtains, and electronic/magnetic keys. Housekeeping is
offered and guests may request wake up calls. Cribs (infant beds)
are available on request.
Check-In: 4 PM
Check-Out: 11 AM
Number of Rooms: 163
Number of Suites: 0
Non Smoking Rooms Available: yes
Handicap Accessibility: yes
Website:
http://www.jdvhotels.com/hot...
Phone:
831-426-4330
Recreational Facilities:
Pool
Kiddie Pool
Services:
In house Restaurant
In house Bar
Room Service
High Speed Internet
WIFI
Children's Equipment
Full size cribs
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