In mid-November 09, my husband and I (no kids) are planning on driving the Pacific Coast Highway for the first time, leaving from the San Francisco area and heading south. We plan on spending about four nights sightseeing. Can anyone suggest some nice hotels or spas for us to stay at, for a reasonable price, (less than $200/night if that's possible)? How easy it is to get a nice, but reasonable hotel room? Is it possible to go without reservations and play it by ear?

Just so you know, it's not called the Pacific Coast Highway until you get to Southern California. Otherwise, from San Francisco it's Highway 1.

Curious

How far south are you going? If you stay in San Lois Obispo, check out Madonna Inn. When checking the prices, scroll down to page 3, there are rooms under $200.

Spa + on the coast = more than $200, usually waaaay more.

Carmel, Big Sur, Santa Barbara etc are generally the high rent district.

For more moderate rates you'll have better luck in Monterey, Cambria, San Luis Obispo.

There are many threads on here w/ LOTS of suggestion for places to stay in each of those places.

There's no spa, but there is (or atleast there was a year ago)a 3-par golf course on the grounds at the San Simeon Pines Inn on the northend of Moonstone Beach Drive in Cambria. Also the Inn at Morro Bay is next door the Morro Bay State Park and it's golf course (unless the state shuts it down due to lack of funds).
The Madonna Inn is unique. Never stayed there, but had a some dinners and the food was good. In November you should be able to find places w/0 reservations if you stop early in the day.

You might look into Sycamore Mineral Springs near Avila Beach.

You can also just use the hot tubs and services without staying at the adjacent hotel.

http://www.sycamoresprings.com/treatment.html

Due to the recession, some hotels in the Monterey area are offering big discounts. Check on expedia.com and if you see some you like even if they are above your price range, call the hotel directly. Ask them for their best current promotional rate and you just might get something below $200.
You could try the same thing for Santa Cruz, Seaside, and San Luis Obispo.
Good luck.

In November I would just "wing it". You never know what the weather will be like. If it is beautiful you might want to do one type of thing, but if is nasty - perhaps another plan would be better. I've lived on or very close to the Calif coast all my life (over 60), and I don't think you'll have any problems at all finding a place to stay. If Carmel/Monterey/Pacific Grove can handle the millions of people that want to stay there in the peak of tourist season - they will have plenty of open rooms in mid-Nov - especially on a week day.

For 4 nights. I would just plan to explore the coast between SF and San Luis Obispo.

2 nights Carmel
1 night Big Sur
1 night SLO
Fly into SFO & out of Santa Barbara.

Stu Dudley