Capitola Inn Rebrands as Quality Inn

Becoming a Quality Inn Suites doesn't mean the is trying to run away from where they are located, according to owner Ank Patel. After running the hotel for two years, Ank Patel decided the business needed a clean slate.

"We are not forgetting about Capitola," said Patel. "We will be called the Quality Inn, Capitola-By-The-Sea."

He hopes the name change will help repair the hotel's reputation after the “former owners ran down the property.” From the landscaping, to maintaining a calm atmosphere to the appearance of the buildings, he has been revamping the whole joint.

"The old owners didn't take care of it, and the people who wanted to party hard were the only ones coming back," he said.

This pattern earned a stockpile of mixed reviews for Capitola Inn on sites including Yelp.com and Tripadvisor.com. Yelp currently rates the former Capitola Inn at 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Located on Bay Avenue across the street from , one mile from the beach and a short walk to dozens of restaurants, the hotel has the potential to be much more highly rated, Patel said.

Their online exposure will increase dramatically as well. Rather than competing against nearby chains for guests as a stand-alone hotel, they will be weaved into the network of reservation sites along with more than 6,000 other Quality Inns.

Employees must become certified in all the standard house keeping practices the chain requires and wear uniforms and name tags—something not always enforced under old ownership, Patel said.

He and his family have invested more than $150,000 so far bringing the hotel up to Quality Inn's standards. The front of the building was being painted when Patch stopped on Monday afternoon.

Although it is 100 yards from a consistently busy shopping center, it is well hidden from view and the noise of traffic. Patel hopes a makeover and brand exposure will change building's invisibility for locals and travelers alike.