Following a $750,000 renovation, the historic Santa Cruz Hostel on Beach Hill is ready to welcome seasonal visitors. The hostel is located two blocks from Santa Cruz’s Main Beach and four blocks from downtown and is comprised of a series of cottages dating back to the 1800s and a heritage rose garden.  

The complex includes six principal structures – the Carmelita Cottages – which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The two front cottages, constructed circa 1872, are among the oldest surviving buildings on Beach Hill. The grounds sit on more than a half-acre and the board and bat cottages feature gables and stained-glass windows, surrounded by trees and flowers. The renovations took six months to complete and include restoration of the rose garden, the addition of the new ADA-accessible Cyclery Cottage and an expansion which enables the hostel to host up to 51 guests in dorms, private rooms and private cottages. A small onsite museum is dedicated to the history of the Carmelita Cottages. 

The property is technically a public park, and the hostel hosts potluck dinners inviting the community to dine with guests every Wednesday night.