Hi!

I am planning on surprising my fiance' for her birthday in October by taking her to Cambria for the weekend. I am wondering what great hotels or B &B you'd recommend, preferable but not a must, with an ocean view for no more than $250. Thanks

If you mean $250/night and not $250 weekend, you have your choice of just about any of these:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g3...ia-Hotels.html

Cambria is a small beach town with (for some reason) an overabundance of good B&B's and Italian restaurants. Or in other words, has everything my dream vacation could ever have.

We enjoyed this one: http://marinersinncambria.com
If you want an ocean view, just be sure you stay at one of the ones on Moonstone Beach Drive. They're all good and probably close in price to each other. Robyn's is a very good restaurant in town too.

Blue Whale Inn on Moonstone Drive is very romantic, great gourmet breakfasts, P.M. snacks/wine. I posted a review with pics on www.tripadvisor.com in early 2006.

Thank you for your replies. I appreciate it. Additonal suggestions about hotels or restaurants would be great.

The Blue Whale Inn is very nice, but no oceanview here. Our last stay at the Pelican Cove Inn was very nice, they offer a complimentary wine and and cheese reception, dessert buffet in the evening and they are right across the street from Moonstone Beach.

The Black Cat Bistro or the Sow's Ear would be nice for a romantic dinner in Cambria. Have fun! ***kim***

I did a motorcycle ride there last April and stayed on Moonstone. It is sort of isolated from downtown.

If I were to do it again I would stay more in downtown. You must eat at the Mustache. We ate downstairs and the bar and food was very good. They also had an upstairs which was more "upscale" if you are looking for that.

Two comments: Moonstone Beach area is only a 5 min. drive into town, not exactly remote. Blue Whale Inn has head on picture window views of the ocean from their public rooms and partial from the guest rooms.

I am not sure about the Moonstone beach remote comments. You can drive through the whole town of Cambria in probably under 10 minutes.

I enjoyed staying at Moonstone Landing in their room facing the ocean.
www.moonstonelanding.com. The Sea Chest Restaurant is right next door.

Moonstone Landing has a few rooms with full ocean view.

They serve a good breakfast and evening snacks.

If you book a "partial view," you will have to stick your neck out the window to see the ocean.

Paula -- Did you eat at the Sea Chest?

No, I didn't try it. The wait was very long so we went into town.

I haven't eaten at Sea Chest because they don't accept reservations and hopefuls start lining up early--not great for a surprise birthday party.

I've eaten at the Sea Chest and if you are patient with the no-reservation policy, be sure to bring cash because they don't take credit cards. Good food though.

Wow-no reservations and no credit cards and people still line up!

October weekends are very popular along that stretch of the coast. Book soon!