Hotels Monterey area
 

We are travelling from the UK to tour part of California next year (6 adults). Our first stop is in the Monterey area and we have looked at the BW Monarch Resort. However after looking at various reviews (incl. Tripadvisor) we are very unsure as to where to stay. We are not restricted by budget but do want value for money with clean comfortable rooms in a reasonable location. Any suggestions please?

Welcome to Fodor's first of all! I would suggest checking out the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa. Gorgeous property, right on the water. Spa, two great restaurants and right in the heart of Cannery Row. :)

If you like a B&B type feel, the Spindrift Inn is nice, also in Cannery Row. We had the king corner room with beautiful views of the bay from our room. Fireplaces, hardwood floors, breakfast delivered to your room in a picnic basket, nice touches.

I've also heard good things about the Hotel Pacific which is an all suites hotel and walking distance to the wharf area in Monterey. Have fun! ***kim*** ((l))

First, I highly suggest that you stay in Carmel and not Monterey. Coming from the UK, you will probably feel much more comfortable in Carmel.

Second, as for your accommodations, there are many lovely inns that allow you to spend time on Carmel's beautiful beach, stroll the downtown area, hear the waves and walk to restaurants. The La Playa Hotel, Cypress Inn, Normandy Inn, Adobe Inn, Carriage House, Cobblestone Inn are all very nice and will give you good value.

I live in Carmel and have been to the UK many times. I am more than happy to provide other suggestions for you.

I'd agree with both posters! :)

If you are going to stay in Monterey, check out the Monterey Plaza.

Otherwise, try Carmel which is far more relaxing and charming. Old time movie stars like Doris Day and Clint Eastwood both run hotels in Carmel. If you don't want to stay in the heart of Carmel (and I can't see why not!) you'll find Carmel Highlands just south of Carmel. Carmel Highlands is home to the Carmel Highlands Inn and the Tickle Pink Inn.

Or, try the B&Bs in Pacific Grove, which is between Monterey and Carmel and seldom gets the attention it should - thank goodness. There are several B&Bs right along the shore (across the road). A bit away from all the "action" but quiet and wonderfully relaxing also.

Welcome to California! :)

Clint Eastwood and Doris Day do not run their hotels. Doris is part owner of The Cypress Inn but both have a staff running their hotels. The Mission Ranch, Eastwood's inn, is not in a reasonable location, as the poster requested, neither is Highland's Inn or Tickle Pink. Pacific Grove is not located between Monterey and Carmel. Pebble Beach is. Pacific Grove is north of Monterey.

Why so harsh TravelTess? Pacific Grove is between Carmel and Monterey on the PCH as is Pebble Beach. I'm confused by your post. I thought Tinkle Pink looked like a great location, but too expensive for my budget. The original poster didn't say what would be a reasonable location.

This is what you posted a while back??????

Author: TravelTess
Date: 06/27/2004, 02:01 pm
The Mission Ranch is only a minute to town and is in a wonderful location. You can walk to the beach with ease, stroll the grounds of the property watching the ocean and sheep graze in the meadow. There is a restaurant on the property and is a couple of minutes from the Crossroads Shopping Center where Wasabi Bistro, the best sushi restauarant on the peninsula, is located.

The Seven Gables is right across the street from the ocean and is incredibly beautiful. Do you want a B&B experience in a noiser area but in a beautiful Victorian with lovely ocean views or a cottage experience in a serene area? Carmel Valley Lodge is too far away, I wouldn't bother with that location.

As far as restaurants are concerned, what cuisines do you favor?

I didn't mean to imply that if you go to the Mission Inn you'll find Clint Eastwood behind the front desk ready to welcome you nor the same for Doris Day at the Cypress. Sorry, if I misled anyone. Should not have used the word "run", should have used the word "own".

Just trying to give liam some more choices.

Every post on here is just my personal opinion, just MHO. :)

Mission Ranch is a short distance by car, not walking. Taking posts from one forum and moving them to another (as you did, jd_denver), takes them out of their context and may not fit the OP's request.

No, Pacific Grove is not between Carmel and Monterey. It is north of Monterey.

Yes, the boards are for opinions. If you state things as facts, then your statements should also be correct. Otherwise, the OP will not get the good advice they deserve.

It appears you were specifically attacking Easytraveler instead of helping OP.

The OP did not indicate walking v. driving. I was simply pointing out the inconcistancies in your advice on The Mission Ranch.

Your posts are rude and spiteful and not in the spirit of this travel board. You have been attacking another poster in another thread today as well.

jd_denver - I do not see a single post of yours on this thread that helps the poster. All I see is misinformation and attacks on me.

YOU are not abiding by the rules of this board and are certainly not helping the poster. I suggest you take your own advice. I will post however I choose and it is not up to you to state otherwise.

I clicked on TravelTess name and read some of her posts. This poster is rude!

F2,
A one person clique? :-B

jd-denver: thanks for your valiant defense! Much appreciated!

F2: pleeese! If you keep siding with me, others will definitely think this is a clique! Or the Borg at least! LOL!

TravelTess: I had never thought of myself as the Oracle of Delphi, but you may, of course, differ in your opinion of what I write.

One of the most fun part of Fodors for me is to see all the different opinions, especially from occasional visitors or one-time visitors or single-time visitors. The Europe Board has some very enthusiastic visitors of this sort.

Yes, the information may be incorrect sometimes, but this goes with the territory. Not all the information in the guidebooks are all that accurate either. I remember one guidebook, especially, on a country in Asia. It gave the wrong street name for taking a particular bus, AND it told its readers to go in exactly the opposite direction once they found the right bus stop.

liam: please use the information on this board in conjunction with your own research. And - have a great trip! The beauty of the Monterey Peninsula awaits you. (Yes, I know, it's actually a BAY and Monterey does not cover the entire peninsula which juts out into the bay...)

Think I'll go and pontificate some more on the other threads now. :)

Let's not let another Monterey thread descend into squabbling, lest the Editors "disappear" it! Surely one can disagree with toher posters without taking such a rude tone...
(And don't call me Shirley!)

So sorry Liam! I've been reading this board for years, getting great information and just recently started posting. I must be having a bad day to let TravelTess get under my skin this time.

We have reservations to stay at the Holiday Inn Express Cannery Row in November. We are using Holiday Inn points, so this limits our choices. Although as far as this level of chain hotels goes, I've heard some decent reviews. I'll post a report on the hotel when we return.

Liam: If you are looking for a resort or spa type hotel, read no further. We go to the Monterey Area about three times a year and the last two years we have stayed at the Casa Munras Garden Hotel. This is not a luxury hotel, but it is a beautifully landscapped, comfortable, well appointed hotel. It is two levels spread out over four acres in a garden environment. The rooms are large and nicely furnished with fireplaces and a second basin in the bedroom area. The bathrooms are large and, again, well appointed. They almost always offer a package which includes breakfast of your choosing in their full service restaurant. We find this hotel to be very comfortable and excellent value.
It is about a six block walk to fisherman's wharf and to downtown Monterey. We are avid walkers, so thsi has never been a problem for us. We even walk along the bay's edge to Cannery Row and the aqarium which you should not miss to be sure.
The only complaint we have had is they provide terrible coffee. There is a coffee house directly across the street from the hotel and we have taken to getting our coffee there, a minor inconvenience.
WE have our favorite restaurants: Fish Wife at Seaside which features seafood with some latino influences.
Monterey Fishouse for impeccably fresh fish with Italian influences.
The Sardine Factory on Cannery Row. Yes, this is also tourist trap row. But, you can't beat the quality of seafood they serve.
Up at Moss Landing, we get a kick out of Phil's Fish Market and Eatery. As the name implies, it started years ago as a fish market, added some prepared takeout and just continued to grow. You stand in line to order from a huge menu on the wall, choose your wine or beer, pay your bill and find a table. Your dinner will be brought to you; large portions of well prepared grilled or fried fish of alomost any kind. If you must have a cocktail (we must), bring in a small bottle (in our case Beefeater), get a couple of cups at the water table, fill with readily available ice and discreetly pour your elixir of choice. It is a fun atmosphere.
For fine dinning, we enjoy Anton& Michel in Carmel. The rack of lamb is outstanding as are the tableside ceaser salad and the souffles.
And for fine dinning with one of the most spectacular views in the world, the restaurant Cielo at Ventana in Big Sur. Have your cocktails out on the well furnished veranda overlooking the Pacific Ocean and then with prearrangements, go into the beautiful dinning room for an excellent dinner. Awesome!
By-the-way, our favorite coffee shop in downtown Monterey is La Plume where they brew your coffee to order. Yes, we are coffee drinkers and as I understand it, coffee has overtaken tea as the preferred hot drink in the UK. Have a great trip.

The favored hotels of the peninsula are Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, two or more b&b's with ocean views in pacific grove, and numerous in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The Tickle Pink inn, & Highlands inn are headed south down the coast past Carmel, but are also favored.

Pacific Grove is out on a point, on a circular bay. So technically it is north of main parts of Monterey, but not all. But if you drive along Hwy 1 south, first comes Monterey, then Pacific Grove, Pebble beach exit, then Carmel. The technicality is mute to me since driving on a circular bay around town always has you confused unless you look at the sun and moon, or various north arrows about town.

Pacific Grove is a lovely town that Brits would also love. I vote no on Monterey however.

The Best Western Monarch resort is in Pacific Grove

jb we've stayed at that Holiday Inn Express in Monterey (using points) and have been well pleased. It's one of the nicest in that chain.

No matter which direction Pacific Grove is from Monterey, it's a delightful village with some wonderful B&Bs. Easy walking from PG to Monterey too. Seriously consider the Centrella. In Carmel, the Wayside Inn is our favorite.

Even if you don't stay overnight in Monterey, don't miss the historic district and tour.

The Monterey Peninsula is a jewel and deserves accurate advice to visitors from knowledgeable people. Some of you people are as intelligent as the kids in Mrs. Smith's "special" class. No wonder Tess and Beach have made their comments.

Centrella Inn is in Pacific Grove, not Carmel. Pacific Grove is not between Monterey and Carmel and is not off of Highway 1. You reach it via roads through Monterey or Holman Highway.

The Wayside Inn is comparable to a Motel 6. Some of the restaurants mentioned, ie: Sardine Factory, Domenicos, Anton & Michels and Phil's - not surprised you people would recommend them since they're certainly on the B list or below. As for the "Oracle of Delphi" sombody so ignorantly commented, give me her opinions anytime over the comments of you "special" people.