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Accommodations in the Monterey area range from no-frills motels to luxurious hotels. Pacific Grove, amply endowed with ornate Victorian houses, is the region’s bed-and-breakfast capital; Carmel also has charming inns. Lavish resorts cluster in exclusive Pebble Beach and pastoral Carmel Valley.
High season runs from May through October. Rates in winter, especially at the larger hotels, may drop by 50% or more, and smaller inns often offer midweek specials. Whatever the month, some properties require a two-night stay on weekends. Many of the fancier accommodations aren’t suitable for children; if you’re traveling with kids, ask before you book.
A favorite with generations of visitors, the Pine Inn is four blocks from the beach and has Victorian-style furnishings, complete with a grandfather clock, padded fabric wall panels, antique tapestries, and marble tabletops. The property includes a brick courtyard of specialty shops and a modern Italian restaurant.
One of Monterey's largest hotels, and locally owned and operated for more than 40 years, the coastal-theme Portola anchors a prime city block between Custom House Plaza and the Monterey Conference Center. A lofty lobby atrium with live trees evokes the essence of Monterey Bay and welcomes you to its popular farm-to-table restaurant, Jacks Monterey, and adjacent Peter B's, a brewpub. The hotel's Spa on the Plaza is the largest day spa in Monterey County.
A sprawling collection of ranch-style buildings on 850 acres of meadows, fairways, and lakes, Quail Lodge offers luxury rooms and outdoor activities at surprisingly affordable rates. The resort is a casual, family-friendly enclave with swimming pools, a boccie court, a 9-hole putting green, 18-hole golf course, nature trails, and conference rooms for business presentations, movie nights, and special events. Rooms are decorated with natural fabrics, wooden furnishings, and Spanish accents. All rooms have decks or patios, smart TVs, and spacious bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and separate showers. All suites and some guest rooms have fireplaces. Dine at Edgar's at the golf clubhouse around the corner or in the Covey Grill.
Walk to the sand from spacious, luxurious bungalows furnished in contemporary, ocean-theme style at this 19-acre, wellness-centered resort next to Marina Dunes Preserve and a secluded stretch of Marina State Beach. Each room has a private patio or deck, a fireplace, binoculars for spotting whales and other wildlife, and at least a partial ocean view; some have living rooms with sleeper sofas and panoramic ocean views. It’s about 10 miles north of Monterey, but the on-site Salt Wood Kitchen and Oysterette restaurant, where meals center on fresh local fare, and the many activities—from nightly bonfires and wine-and-cheese tastings to weekend beach yoga sessions—make it easy to just hang out and enjoy the resort.
Location is the main appeal of this motel atop a waterfront bluff, where all rooms have an ocean view and the boardwalk is just down the street. Standard rooms have a fireplace and a refrigerator, and there are three luxury king spa rooms with balconies and two family cottages with private hot tubs. Studios and suites have kitchenettes, and three rooms have whirlpool tubs.
Families and business travelers like this 6-acre property near Seacliff State Beach that's more resort than hotel. Six two-story lodge buildings encircle a large pool and lush gardens with a koi pond and waterfall—ask for a room in a building away from the busy restaurant and bar, which can get noisy at night. The decent-size rooms have a fresh contemporary look.
It's easy to unwind at this full-fledged resort on a bluff overlooking Monterey Bay. The spacious suites sleep from two to eight people. Each has a kitchenette and a fireplace, and many have ocean-view patios with barbecue grills. Treat yourself to an in-room manicure, facial, or massage, or a bonfire with s'mores on the beach.
This boutique hotel on Cannery Row has beach access and a rooftop garden that overlooks the water. Designed in traditional American style, the spacious rooms (completely renovated in 2023) have sitting areas, hardwood floors, fireplaces, and down comforters. Oceanside rooms have window seats, and some rooms have balconies above Cannery Row. An afternoon wine-and-cheese hour takes place in the light-filled lobby, which has a soaring four-story ceiling.
This inn is nearly all suites, many of which have fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling glass walls that open onto ocean-view patios. The motif is reproduction old world, but all rooms have spa tubs and marble bathrooms. On weekends, evening aperitifs are served in the English garden courtyard, where a fire blazes on chilly nights.
Atop a towering cliff, this inn has views of the Big Sur coastline, which you can contemplate from your private balcony. After falling asleep to the sound of surf crashing below, you'll wake to a continental breakfast and the morning paper in bed. If you prefer the company of fellow travelers, breakfast is also served buffet-style in the lounge, as are complimentary wine and cheese in the afternoon. Many rooms have wood-burning fireplaces, and there are six luxurious spa suites and a private two-bedroom cottage.
