Hotel Review: Hotel Paradox, Santa Cruz
Slate showers with cobblestone shower pans were part of the eco-friendly design. Rating: ****1/2 The recently remodeled Hotel Paradox in Santa Cruz, CA is a major winner. Before I get into the review, I want to say that overall I've always found the city of Santa Cruz to be slightly grungy and prefer Capitola just a few miles up the road. Santa Cruz has a rundown quality that can't quite match up to its sister coastal cities like Capitola, Monterey or Carmel. At the same time, it offers a fun shopping area in the downtown and is center to many activities. Wanting to try something different than tried-and-true favorites, I spotted Hotel Paradox online on Expedia that had a great offer for $180 a night, which is not the standard rate, which is closer to $250 to $450 per night. Taking the last-minute offer, I booked a room based on the room pictures that showed an enticing, clean and well-decorated room. The gamble paid off. The redone 1950's-style hotel had been reno...