Froggy

We are going to spend a 4 day weekend up in the Monterey Pennisula. From the threads I've read, Pacific Grove is the place that sounds the best to make our homebase. Now the big question is where to stay and eat. My husband is not a big fan of B & B's so I need a nice hotel or motel that is reasonable. Our budget would be more like $150 a night. I found a place called the Asilomar conference center that looks interesting but I don't know that much about it than it was founded by the YMCA and is near the ocean. If anyone knows about it
or any other place in the area that is nice, please let me know. We are interested in the outdoors and the coast up there. If you live up there and have a favorite restaurant, please share it. We will make this trip sometime in the middle of August. Thanks.

bookhall

We stayed in Asilomar a couple of years ago and were quite pleased. It's a state-owned conference center that rents rooms to individuals on a space-available basis. Part of the ground abuts the ocean, though we didn't actually get over to the shore. There are a couple, perhaps several, kinds of accommodation. We rented a room with a fireplace, though we only used it one night--it wasn't that cold. A decent breakfast was included, as well.

If you go to the last two pictures in the Monterey album at http://community.webshots.com/user/bookhall , you'll see a couple of pix I just added at the bottom.

kikahead

Asilomar is in a great location--you are very close to the beach (1 block away). We always stay at the Sunset Inn which is a refurbished motor inn. It is about two blocks away from Asilomar conference center. There are firelplaces in the rooms and a continental breakfast in the morning (coffe, OJ, and pastries).

jem

You can walk to The Fishwife from Asilomar and that's a great place for a good lunch. You might want to consider Roy's at Pebble Beach for dinner one night. They have a fabulous view and a delicious menu. Plan to arrive just before sunset and have a drink outside on the patio while listening to a strolling bagpipe player. Also, the Old Bathouse restaurant in Pacific Grove is a romantic dinner choice.

Froggy

Thanks for all the help. Bookhall, I wasn't able to access your pictures. But I did have a couple of questions. Were the rooms comfortable at Asilomar? Was it an easy location to see the rest of the Monterey Pennisula?

Kikahead, thanks for your help. I couldn't find any prices for the Sunset Inn and their web site said that some of the rooms weren't remodeled yet. Did you have any problems with that? I can't decide between the both of them but the Asilomar does sound interesting. Reminds me of the place we stayed at Big Sur at the State Park.

Anymore input would be appreciate. Thanks Jem for the restaurant help too.

E

Some of my favorite restaurants, in no particular order: Monterey's Fish House; Sea Harvest; Rio Grill; Montrio; Gianni's Pizza. Roy's is splendid, too. Have a great visit!

gardnerson

Froggy,

This is an informative site for Pacific Grove lodging.

http://www.pacificgrove.org/Hotels_M...c_Grove_CA.htm

dg

froggy - there are SO MANY places to choose from! i had a terrible time making up my mind about where to stay when we went earlier this summer...
what we looked for was a place with a kitchen, so if that is what you are looking for, check out the Pine Acres Lodge (pineacreslodge.com). it is maybe four blocks from the ocean from the west, and five blocks from the ocean from the north. while walking to the ocean, you'll see deer just grazing in someone's yard. the property was really comfortable and convenient - we loved Pacific Grove, i'd move there in an instant!

SAB

Asilomar accomodations are comfortable, I have stayed there on numerous occaisions (as well as other places in Monterey and Carmel) I prefer their standard rooms to the historic and I usually ask for a room in the View Crescent (not always possible) but as the name implies they often have a view of the ocean. The furnishings are simple and clean, no TV's or phones as it is basically a retreat. The historic buildings have nice communal living rooms, usually with fireplaces and the rooms have more character but seem to be smaller. One of the things I like about Asilomar is easy access to the ocean and the relatively quiet and noncommercial feel to the place. It is an easy drive to Route 1 and Carmel and to the rest of Pacific Grove and Monterey. If Asilomar is available for your dates I would suggest that you make a reservation whilst you are making up your mind.

Some of my favorite restaurants: the above mentioned Fishwife, which is walking distance to Asilomar; Passionfish, Peppers and Fandango in Pacific Grove; La Boheme in Carmel.

SAB

Sorry for multiple posting but writing about Asilomar reminded me to check their website for a quick weekend trip in Sept. It is showing a special summer rate through August 31, of $110 for a standard room( Sun through Thurs) and there is quite a bit of availabilty for August.

bookhall

Froggy: SAB describes it well. Location is nice, rooms are quite comfortable and it does have a non-commercial feel.

You won't be able to park close to your room as you might be able to in a commercial motel--it's not laid-out that way. I'd forgotten the fact that there are no electronic appliances (phone, TV,) as those things have never been that important to us. We felt it was superb value for money. It's a neat place.

Just checked the picture link as an outsider. Worked for me--the Asilomar pix are the last two on the 2nd page of the Monterey album.

Froggy

Thank you all for your help and suggestions. Looks like we'll book a room at Asilomar. It sounds great and just what we are looking for. I can't wait to get there.

tomstace

Check the lighthouse inn...we got married in carmel, but had everyone stay here. it was nice!

Mommar

Interesting bit about Asilomar - it was designed by Julia Morgan (I think that is her name) the same architect (and a woman) who designed Hearst Castle. I toured Asilomar once, but never stayed there. It's very pretty. There was a writeup in Sunset Magazine recently too.