We are looking for a nice hotel in the Santa Cruz and Monterey areas for 5 nites. Adults only... three of us. Would love ocean views ... planning on winery tours.

Early August 2010 are our dates. Flying into and out of San Jose ...

The Marriott in Monterey has ocean views from the upper floors. Good location.

Also some other good choices on this site:

http://www.canneryrow.com/hotels

We stayed at the Portola Hotel last year and were quite happy with it. We had some ocean views, but were a little far to hear the surf. The location is good though - near the water, right at the history park, close to downtown restaurants.

We also stayed at Portola Hotel last year and plan to stay their again this year because it is within walking distance of the wharf, the recreation trail, the ocean, and many excellent restaurants and bars. Not all the rooms have ocean views and for the ones that do, you will pay a premium.

Monterey Plaza. Beautiful rooms on the water (be sure and ask for one, they have others, too), good restaurant, within walking distance of the acquarium. montereyplazahotel.com

If you want to stay in Monterey proper there is also the Intercontinental, built in 2008 a brand new luxury property. But the choices below are all great too; Plaza, Marriot, Portola. You can wine taste right on Cannery Row or if you are planning wine tasting in Carmel Valley, you might trying staying out there, Bernardus Lodge is uber fantastic!

We stayed at the Marriott and did not like it too much - a business & conference hotel without any maritime feeling. Most of the rooms look onto a barren courtyard..

Next time, I would stay in one of those charming historical boutique hotels in Pacific Grove.

I stayed at the Hotel Pacific a couple years ago and just loved it, it is one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed in
http://www.hotelpacific.com/

No ocean views, though, but I didn't personally care. It is a better location than Cannery Row IMO, as it is quieter but you can walk to the wharf fairly easily and catch the shuttle to the cannery row area. Also, it's on a main street that makes getting in/out of town easy.

I really don't like cutesy poo B&Bs, but if you do, there are tons of them in Pacific Grove. They are not cheap, however.

MANY thanks ... we are really looking forward to the whole California beach experience.

For Monterey and a view, yes, the Monterey Plaza hotel is really very nice.

The Hotel Pacific -- there are a couple of rooms that sort of have side views; but I've given up on Hotel Pacific after their repeated nickel and diming, and a new manager who is younger than some of my underwear and with an attitude to match (youth, not underwear!).

Portola -- perfectly acceptable hotel, many with views, but has to be requested. The Portola used to be a Double Tree -- I forgot what it was before that, but not unlike the Marriott by way of rooms, etc.

For the "whole California beach experience", I would suggest the Surf N Sand -- their executive suite -- in Santa Cruz. It's like having your own beach shack -- living room, bedroom, kitchen, dining area; backyard overlooking the bay and the surfers, with your own hot tub and patio furniture (including table and chairs) outside. I think it also has a barbeque. From there, you could walk to the Santa Cruz pier and amusement park and downtown Santa Cruz -- a very short drive to old town.