While the Monterey Plaza Hotel is centrally located on the end of Monterey’s main tourist drag, Cannery Road, each of its 290 rooms are a comfortable, quiet retreat from the world. Featuring plush beds, robes, and in-room Nespresso machines, guests can expect a relaxing space to both wind down or ramp up for the day.
Location
However, it’s the location that stands out most about this property: It’s one of the few hotels in the area that sits perched directly on the water. If you can, book a room with an oceanfront view and balcony—perfect for enjoying views and sounds of the ocean just below. If you’re lucky, you may catch sight of a whale (binoculars are placed in each room for just the occasion), though more a more common sight are the kayakers who pass below.
Dining
On site, guests and visitors alike have the option to dine at one of the hotel’s two restaurants. With a large open-air deck and colorful indoor dining room, the more casual Schooners is an ideal spot to enjoy a breakfast of eggs Benedict or an afternoon drink while enjoying the views.
For a real treat, though, book a dinner at Coastal Kitchen. Opened in 2021, its tasting-menu only offering changes with the seasons. Expect dishes like wood roasted black cod and white asparagus with sea beans (a crispy plant that grows in coastal marshes), all while enjoying ocean views from the dining room’s floor-to-ceiling windows. Don’t skip the wine pairing—sommelier Conrad Reddick has curated an impeccable selection of wines from around the world.
Spa and amentities
While there, you won’t want to miss the chance to enjoy a sundowner in one of the rooftop hot tubs, which offer unobstructed views of the ocean, or a massage at the adjacent Blue Vista Spa.
