We had a delicious meal with views of the pool on one side and the gorgeous lobby on the other. The food was very good, and the details of the design of the whole place were inspiring. We had refreshing cocktails and thoroughly pleasant experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
MikeandJim
We were here for a weeks trip at the Paradox. The saving grace of the hotel was the restaurant, the bar, the food and the quality of the staff that works for the bar and restaurant. A few to mention were Rainbow and Jeff. Both masters of their respective fields. Funny, efficient, helpful and attentive. Both remembered us from prior trips to the hotel. There are others at the restaurant, whose names we don't remember were also good. By far, the most pleasant experience of our stay, unlike the front desk "team". The food is good. It's totally what we expected based on previous trips and was completely acceptable. We booked our room with the breakfast package so we ate there every morning of our week long stay. Be prudent though. It took us two calls back to the hotel to have these breakfast charges removed from the invoice and credited back to us. The fault of the front desk, not the restaurant.
Josiah Kelly
Pleasantly surprised in the best way. The design of the space is absolutely beautiful! Styled, modern, and way more impressive than what I expected from a hotel restaurant and bar. It has the kind of atmosphere you'd expect from a trendy standalone spot, not something tucked inside a hotel. The food and drinks were also incredible. The only reason I’m giving 4 stars for service instead of 5 is because my friends and I had a less than desirable experience with one server during breakfast. Pretty rude and not what you expect in terms of hospitality. That said, I have to shout out Susan (the manager or lead) and Iris (bartender) who were both amazing. Super friendly, welcoming, and really made us feel at home. I work in property development and events/marketing, so I tend to notice the details, and these two really stood out for all the right reasons. All in all, this place far exceeded my expectations. I'd absolutely come back and recommend it whether you're staying at the hotel or just in the area looking for a great spot to eat or grab drinks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Debbie
Very accommodating to my dog. They even had dog choices on the menu! Food was good. Service was good! Everyone was very nice.
Elsie
I was hesitant to book here due to the low rating. But after reading that the low ratings seemed to be one-offs at holiday times, we gave it a try and loved it! We ordered the giant steak, salads and appies. Although they had run out of the salmon crudo, we enjoyed our meal. The salads were especially outstanding and we would order again! The hotel is funky and nice. Great service and bartending! Enjoyed our time!
Laura Bowers
I am loving their current menu. I work next door so it's very convenient. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Tasty food and cocktails
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jackie Just
Our server Renee was great. The burger did not dissapoint! Thoughtful and fun decor.
Jefferson Lee
I was only taking out food, Shirlyn helped me out with her friendly and attentive attitude. Firstly she made sure that I was ok with todays Manhattan style clam chowder, and she even helped with my request to add more vegetables in my sandwiches. Shirlyn was just so delightful!
Dory
Went on New Year's Eve, but did not realize there would be large groups and lots of noise. They were short staffed . The cocktails were good and the dinner was decent . Will probably not return, too many choices out there!!
Molly
We strategically made a reservation for breakfast at Solaire before checkout at the Paradox so we could enjoy our last day at the hotel on the property before heading out. We sat in our room, relaxing, waiting for our reservation to arrive, just to finally go downstairs and be told they'd be closing the kitchen at the exact time of our reservation (the tone from the hostess was definitely not customer service certified either, and I'm not sure why we weren't notified sooner or why we were even able to make a reservation in the first place if that was the case). The hotel was great. This restaurant, true to other reviews, simply does not care for patrons in a way that leaves attempted customers with a good impression. I hope management sees these reviews and feels inspired to step it up, for all involved!
Disappointing Experience at Solaire on Christmas Evening My wife and I stayed at the Marriott for a special date night on Christmas evening, but unfortunately, our experience at the Solaire restaurant, which is part of the hotel, was deeply disappointing. I want to emphasize that this review is for the restaurant, not the hotel itself. As a Marriott Gold Elite member, I've always had positive experiences, but this was the first time I've ever encountered such poor service. The website menu was not updated to reflect the reduced menu for Christmas evening, leaving us unprepared for the limited options. Upon arriving at the restaurant, despite many empty tables, we were told we'd have to wait 20 minutes due to "the amount of people." This eventually turned into a one-hour wait, even as the restaurant remained far from full. While waiting, we sat at the bar, where the bartender--visibly uninterested and lacking basic courtesy--refused to make eye contact. After 20 minutes of being ignored, we were finally asked for our drink order, only to be told he could only make one cocktail from the menu. Frustrated, we settled for Pinot Noir, which felt like the easiest option. When we were finally seated, the dining area was still mostly empty. We noticed several other diners experiencing similar delays, making it appear as though the staff were intentionally discouraging guests from staying. This experience completely overshadowed what should have been a special evening. As a loyal Marriott guest, I've come to expect a higher standard of service, but Solaire fell far short of those expectations. I would not recommend dining here, especially for any occasion.
Hope
We decided to spend Christmas in Santa Cruz and have a nice dinner. After reading reviews of the restaurant it sounded like a nice place for Christmas dinner. The menu was changed to a few items and most of staff must had the night off. Our waiter was very rushed and did apologize for the service but that did not make up for an unpleasant experience. The best thing was the crispy French fries.
Meribeth
We had reservations for Christmas Eve, a family tradition. We arrived and waited in line for nearly 15 minutes, the line behind us growing longer by the minute. A waitress came to our line to tell us that so many employees had called out that the restaurant would not be able to accommodate us. Were we to wait, perhaps an hour or more we might be served. First of all, I do understand about staffing & holidays can be tricky. It seemed very unfair to send the young waitress to deliver bad news though. A manager perhaps or someone capable of offering a beverage or a coupon for a later date would have been much better for us & for the business as well. Dinner options for those of us left hanging were very slim. We were excited to try this restaurant. I don't know that we will give it another try. Very disappointed.
CJ
On Xmas Eve, I expected a good dinner and exceptional service. The servers were courteous and forth empathy due to lack of servers and menu selections. Rainbow, bartender; Kat, another evening Xmas Eve lady server were great! Food is satisfactory due to lack of menu selections and entrees preparations were ordinary. Hotel atmosphere and natural setting and holiday decorations made hotel festive. My grandson & sons enjoyed warm pool and jaguzzi! Rooms are clean and comfortably. I like the makeup mirror! Everything was perfect! Only con: the food/bar times after 4 pm to 10 pm. So no foods available but near a few fast foods nearby in walking distances.
Sterling
Made a reservation for 4:00 PM which was listed as available through Open Table. It was supposed to be a Christmas dinner for my Godfather who was only in town for a night. Got to the restaurant and found it empty, was told that it doesn't even open until 5:00 PM.
We had a delicious meal with views of the pool on one side and the gorgeous lobby on the other. The food was very good, and the details of the design of the whole place were inspiring. We had refreshing cocktails and thoroughly pleasant experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We were here for a weeks trip at the Paradox. The saving grace of the hotel was the restaurant, the bar, the food and the quality of the staff that works for the bar and restaurant. A few to mention were Rainbow and Jeff. Both masters of their respective fields. Funny, efficient, helpful and attentive. Both remembered us from prior trips to the hotel. There are others at the restaurant, whose names we don't remember were also good. By far, the most pleasant experience of our stay, unlike the front desk "team". The food is good. It's totally what we expected based on previous trips and was completely acceptable. We booked our room with the breakfast package so we ate there every morning of our week long stay. Be prudent though. It took us two calls back to the hotel to have these breakfast charges removed from the invoice and credited back to us. The fault of the front desk, not the restaurant.
Pleasantly surprised in the best way. The design of the space is absolutely beautiful! Styled, modern, and way more impressive than what I expected from a hotel restaurant and bar. It has the kind of atmosphere you'd expect from a trendy standalone spot, not something tucked inside a hotel. The food and drinks were also incredible. The only reason I’m giving 4 stars for service instead of 5 is because my friends and I had a less than desirable experience with one server during breakfast. Pretty rude and not what you expect in terms of hospitality. That said, I have to shout out Susan (the manager or lead) and Iris (bartender) who were both amazing. Super friendly, welcoming, and really made us feel at home. I work in property development and events/marketing, so I tend to notice the details, and these two really stood out for all the right reasons. All in all, this place far exceeded my expectations. I'd absolutely come back and recommend it whether you're staying at the hotel or just in the area looking for a great spot to eat or grab drinks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Very accommodating to my dog. They even had dog choices on the menu! Food was good. Service was good! Everyone was very nice.
I was hesitant to book here due to the low rating. But after reading that the low ratings seemed to be one-offs at holiday times, we gave it a try and loved it! We ordered the giant steak, salads and appies. Although they had run out of the salmon crudo, we enjoyed our meal. The salads were especially outstanding and we would order again! The hotel is funky and nice. Great service and bartending! Enjoyed our time!
I am loving their current menu. I work next door so it's very convenient. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Tasty food and cocktails
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Our server Renee was great. The burger did not dissapoint! Thoughtful and fun decor.
I was only taking out food, Shirlyn helped me out with her friendly and attentive attitude. Firstly she made sure that I was ok with todays Manhattan style clam chowder, and she even helped with my request to add more vegetables in my sandwiches. Shirlyn was just so delightful!
Went on New Year's Eve, but did not realize there would be large groups and lots of noise. They were short staffed . The cocktails were good and the dinner was decent . Will probably not return, too many choices out there!!
We strategically made a reservation for breakfast at Solaire before checkout at the Paradox so we could enjoy our last day at the hotel on the property before heading out. We sat in our room, relaxing, waiting for our reservation to arrive, just to finally go downstairs and be told they'd be closing the kitchen at the exact time of our reservation (the tone from the hostess was definitely not customer service certified either, and I'm not sure why we weren't notified sooner or why we were even able to make a reservation in the first place if that was the case). The hotel was great. This restaurant, true to other reviews, simply does not care for patrons in a way that leaves attempted customers with a good impression. I hope management sees these reviews and feels inspired to step it up, for all involved!
Restaurantji Recommends
Disappointing Experience at Solaire on Christmas Evening My wife and I stayed at the Marriott for a special date night on Christmas evening, but unfortunately, our experience at the Solaire restaurant, which is part of the hotel, was deeply disappointing. I want to emphasize that this review is for the restaurant, not the hotel itself. As a Marriott Gold Elite member, I've always had positive experiences, but this was the first time I've ever encountered such poor service. The website menu was not updated to reflect the reduced menu for Christmas evening, leaving us unprepared for the limited options. Upon arriving at the restaurant, despite many empty tables, we were told we'd have to wait 20 minutes due to "the amount of people." This eventually turned into a one-hour wait, even as the restaurant remained far from full. While waiting, we sat at the bar, where the bartender--visibly uninterested and lacking basic courtesy--refused to make eye contact. After 20 minutes of being ignored, we were finally asked for our drink order, only to be told he could only make one cocktail from the menu. Frustrated, we settled for Pinot Noir, which felt like the easiest option. When we were finally seated, the dining area was still mostly empty. We noticed several other diners experiencing similar delays, making it appear as though the staff were intentionally discouraging guests from staying. This experience completely overshadowed what should have been a special evening. As a loyal Marriott guest, I've come to expect a higher standard of service, but Solaire fell far short of those expectations. I would not recommend dining here, especially for any occasion.
We decided to spend Christmas in Santa Cruz and have a nice dinner. After reading reviews of the restaurant it sounded like a nice place for Christmas dinner. The menu was changed to a few items and most of staff must had the night off. Our waiter was very rushed and did apologize for the service but that did not make up for an unpleasant experience. The best thing was the crispy French fries.
We had reservations for Christmas Eve, a family tradition. We arrived and waited in line for nearly 15 minutes, the line behind us growing longer by the minute. A waitress came to our line to tell us that so many employees had called out that the restaurant would not be able to accommodate us. Were we to wait, perhaps an hour or more we might be served. First of all, I do understand about staffing & holidays can be tricky. It seemed very unfair to send the young waitress to deliver bad news though. A manager perhaps or someone capable of offering a beverage or a coupon for a later date would have been much better for us & for the business as well. Dinner options for those of us left hanging were very slim. We were excited to try this restaurant. I don't know that we will give it another try. Very disappointed.
On Xmas Eve, I expected a good dinner and exceptional service. The servers were courteous and forth empathy due to lack of servers and menu selections. Rainbow, bartender; Kat, another evening Xmas Eve lady server were great! Food is satisfactory due to lack of menu selections and entrees preparations were ordinary. Hotel atmosphere and natural setting and holiday decorations made hotel festive. My grandson & sons enjoyed warm pool and jaguzzi! Rooms are clean and comfortably. I like the makeup mirror! Everything was perfect! Only con: the food/bar times after 4 pm to 10 pm. So no foods available but near a few fast foods nearby in walking distances.
Made a reservation for 4:00 PM which was listed as available through Open Table. It was supposed to be a Christmas dinner for my Godfather who was only in town for a night. Got to the restaurant and found it empty, was told that it doesn't even open until 5:00 PM.
Loading...