How much do hotels in Santa Cruz (CA) cost at Christmas 2026?
Over Christmas 2026, the nights of 24 and 25 December, places to stay in Santa Cruz (CA) asked a median $152 a night, +3% against $148 on the 12 ordinary nights within a week either side (latest scan 25 October 2026). On the dearest of those nights, 25 December, the middle half of the 48 places showing a price asked $120 to $194, and 4 of the 52 places checked showed no price; nights read on 25 October 2026.
Measured by Bed&Market (bedandmarket.com) from 73 places checked, read 25 October 2026 20:57 UTC.
Updated
Asking prices on Christmas 2026
Over Christmas 2026 in Santa Cruz (CA), the nightly median ran from $138 (24 December) to $152 (25 December).
| Night | Median | Middle half | Cheapest | Dearest | Places priced | No price / checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 24 December | $138 | $111–$210 | $69 | $2 854 | 53 | 4 / 57 |
| Fri 25 December | $152 | $120–$194 | $83 | $2 751 | 48 | 4 / 52 |
A night is named by its check-in date: the night of 31 December is the stay from 31 December to 1 January. “No price” counts places checked that showed no price that night (sold out or closed).
Against ordinary nights nearby
Over Christmas 2026 in Santa Cruz (CA), the median a night across its 2 nights sat +3% against the 12 ordinary nights within a week either side: $152 against $148.
| Nights | Median | Compared with | Their median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All 2 nights | $152 | 12 nights within a week either side | $148 | +3% |
| Thu 24 December | $138 | 7 Monday-to-Thursday nights | $136 | +1% |
| Fri 25 December | $152 | 5 Friday-to-Sunday nights | $162 | -6% |
Ordinary nights leave out other holiday nights; not counted: 31 December and 1 January. The difference belongs to the night: it says what places asked, not why.
The nights around it
From 21 December to 28 December in Santa Cruz (CA), the nightly median ran from $129 (22 December) to $170 (26 December).
| Night | Median | Places priced | No price / checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 21 December | $132 | 63 | 5 / 68 |
| Tue 22 December | $129 | 60 | 4 / 64 |
| Wed 23 December | $133 | 57 | 4 / 61 |
| Thu 24 December · Christmas | $138 | 53 | 4 / 57 |
| Fri 25 December · Christmas | $152 | 48 | 4 / 52 |
| Sat 26 December | $170 | 50 | 5 / 55 |
| Sun 27 December | $149 | 56 | 4 / 60 |
| Mon 28 December | $148 | 58 | 4 / 62 |
By star rating on the night of 25 December 2026
On the night of 25 December 2026 in Santa Cruz (CA), 4★ places asked the highest median, $345 over 8 places priced.
| Stars | Median | Places priced |
|---|---|---|
| 4★ | $345 | 8 |
| 3★ | $162 | 11 |
| 2.5★ | $155 | 9 |
| 2★ | $120 | 18 |
- Places with a guest score of 9 or more asked a median $352 (4 places); places under 8 asked $135 (15).
Hotels and homes on the night of 25 December 2026
On the night of 25 December 2026 in Santa Cruz (CA), hotels asked a median $152 (48 priced) and homes $172 (96 priced).
| Night | Hotels | Hotels priced | Homes | Homes priced | All together |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 24 December | $138 | 53 | $185 | 97 | $162 |
| Fri 25 December | $152 | 48 | $172 | 96 | $162 |
Homes are apartments, B&Bs and private rooms; “all together” is one median over both.
Five places at the middle on the night of 25 December 2026
On the night of 25 December 2026 in Santa Cruz (CA), the median of 48 asking prices was $152; below are ranks 22 to 26, counting from the cheapest.
| Rank | Place | Stars | District | Asking price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Best Western Plus All Suites Inn | 3★ | Santa Cruz City Center | $136 |
| 23 | The Aqua Pacific Hotel | 4★ | Santa Cruz City Center | $139 |
| 24 | Best Western Inn | 2★ | Santa Cruz City Center | $148 |
| 25 | Carousel Beach Inn | 2★ | Santa Cruz City Center | $152 |
| 26 | Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Santa Cruz By IHG | 2.5★ | Santa Cruz City Center | $155 |
Names and prices as shown on the day they were read; a rank counts from the cheapest of the 48 places priced that night.
The cheapest places rated 8 or more on the night of 25 December 2026
On the night of 25 December 2026 in Santa Cruz (CA), the cheapest place with a guest score of 8 or more asked $86 (National 9 Motel, rated 8.4).
| Rank | Place | Guest score | Stars | District | Asking price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | National 9 Motel | 8.4 | 2★ | Santa Cruz City Center | $86 |
| 4 | Seaside Inn & Suites | 8.7 | 2.5★ | Santa Cruz City Center | $98 |
| 5 | Continental Inn | 8.1 | 2★ | Santa Cruz City Center | $100 |
| 6 | Hitching Post Studios Inn | 8.7 | 2★ | Live Oak | $104 |
| 11 | Beachview Inn | 8.6 | 2★ | Santa Cruz City Center | $117 |
Names and prices as shown on the day they were read; a rank counts from the cheapest of the 48 places priced that night.
Christmas 2026 in other towns
Over Christmas 2026, the median a night in Santa Cruz (CA), $152, was higher than in 207 and lower than in 146 of the other towns measured in USD (other towns: 353).
| Town | Median a night | Against ordinary nights | Places priced | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis (MN) | $155 | -5% | 99–145 | 7 November 2026 |
| Birmingham (AL) | $155 | -1% | 113–145 | 7 November 2026 |
| Willemstad | $154 | +6% | 40–48 | 25 October 2026 |
| Pittsburgh (PA) | $154 | +14% | 194–196 | 7 November 2026 |
| Milton Keynes | $153 | +16% | 87–88 | 7 November 2026 |
| Santa Cruz (CA) | $152 | +3% | 48–53 | 25 October 2026 |
| Charleston (SC) | $152 | -15% | 141–151 | 25 October 2026 |
| Singapore | $152 | -21% | 199 | 25 October 2026 |
| Perth | $151 | +3% | 197–199 | 24 October 2026 |
| San Francisco (CA) | $151 | +4% | 197–198 | 24 October 2026 |
| St. Louis (MO) | $151 | 0% | 137–146 | 7 November 2026 |
Towns in the same currency only; prices are never converted.
What was measured
Nights measured in Santa Cruz (CA) within a week of Christmas 2026: 16, from 17 December 2026 to 1 January 2027; each with at least 30 places showing a price.
- Up to 70 places checked per night; a place with no price that night (sold out or closed) is counted but carries no price.
- Prices in USD, as shown on the day each night was read, on 25 October 2026.
- Asking prices seen while searching for one night: not prices paid, and not a forecast; holiday asks move as the date nears.
Source: asking prices for one night, read from public search results on the scan date; not prices paid, and not a forecast. How we measure →