Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
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Hotel Details
Location
Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa · Carmel / Monterey, United States
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Expert Review: Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
The Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, a Michelin Key Selected property, stands out as a premier destination in Carmel/Monterey, celebrated for its dramatic oceanfront location and luxurious offerings.
1. Overall Rating & Sentiment
The general consensus for Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently describing their stays as exceptional and memorable. Review platforms show high satisfaction, with ratings often reaching 9.0 to 9.5 out of 10 for aspects like staff, comfort, cleanliness, and particularly location. The hotel consistently delivers a high-end experience, attracting discerning travelers who appreciate its blend of luxurious accommodations and natural beauty.
2. Key Highlights
Guests consistently rave about several key aspects of the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa. The most frequently praised highlight is the unparalleled oceanfront location, offering stunning views of Monterey Bay where guests can often spot sea lions, otters, and dolphins. The award-winning Vista Blue Spa, perched on the rooftop with panoramic views and whirlpool tubs, is another major draw, providing a serene escape. Exceptional service and a friendly, attentive staff are also consistently mentioned as significant positives. The hotel's proximity to Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and other local attractions further enhances the guest experience.
3. Room Quality
The hotel boasts 290 luxurious guest rooms and 10 suites, ranging from 400 to 2,100 square feet. Rooms are described as comfortable, cozy, spacious, and well-appointed, many featuring balconies directly overlooking the bay. The decor is elegant, with beautiful wall coverings, neutral-toned draperies, white linens on down feather beds, and dark wood furnishings. Amenities include HDTV flat-screen televisions, complimentary high-speed internet, and coffee makers (Keurig or Nespresso). Bathrooms are lavishly appointed with marble, plush white robes, and a range of aromatherapy toiletries. However, some guests have noted that certain bathrooms might feel dated or have lower water pressure. There have also been occasional comments about older or sagging beds and a lack of convenient bedside power outlets.
4. Dining Experience
The Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa offers diverse and highly-regarded dining options, many with spectacular ocean views. Coastal Kitchen, led by Executive Chef Michael Rotondo, provides an elevated culinary experience with thoughtfully curated tasting menus of seasonal California cuisine and elegant Sunday brunch, all served with panoramic bay views. Schooners Coastal Kitchen & Bar is an award-winning, lively spot featuring contemporary American cuisine and sustainable seafood, with options for indoor and outdoor dining over the crashing surf. For a more casual setting, Tidal Coffee offers coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and soups. The Lobby Lounge provides craft cocktails, artisanal small plates, and live music in the evenings, all accompanied by incredible views. Breakfast at Schooners is particularly praised, especially when enjoyed outdoors.
5. Service & Staff
The hotel staff consistently receives high praise for being friendly, attentive, professional, and responsive. From the valet service to the restaurant hostesses, waiters, bartenders, and housekeeping, guests frequently highlight the exceptional customer service that contributes significantly to a positive and welcoming atmosphere. Staff members are noted for going out of their way to ensure a pleasant stay, with many guests expressing a desire to return due to the excellent hospitality.
6. Location & Accessibility
The hotel boasts an exceptional location, perched dramatically on historic beachfront property directly above Monterey Bay. It is ideally situated just steps from the shops and attractions of Cannery Row and within a 10-minute walk of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Fisherman's Wharf is also within walking distance.
Accessibility is convenient, with Monterey Regional Airport just a 10-minute drive away, and San Jose International Airport approximately a 1.5-hour car ride. The hotel offers free bicycle rentals through Adventures by the Sea and a courtesy Land Rover shuttle for local transport, making it easy for guests to explore the area.
7. Value & Pricing
The Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa is generally considered a luxury property, and its pricing reflects that. The average room price has been around $515, though typical rates in the past month were closer to $409, significantly higher than the city's average. While some guests note that the price can be steep, especially for standard rooms, many find the overall experience, particularly the ocean views and exceptional service, to be well worth the cost. Opting for a full ocean view room is often recommended by guests, despite the higher price, for an unparalleled experience.
8. Common Complaints
While overwhelmingly positive, some recurring criticisms include occasional reports of less welcoming front desk staff during check-in, with some guests feeling that hotel amenities or special occasions were not adequately acknowledged. A few guests have mentioned that the toiletries' mixed fragrances can be overpowering. Some rooms, or specific elements like beds and bathrooms, have been described as slightly dated or needing upgrades, with some experiencing sagging mattresses. Strict closing times for amenities like the rooftop hot tubs (9:00 PM) and room service (9:00 PM for late-night options) have surprised some guests. Additionally, some patios have been noted as narrow, limiting seating arrangements.
Sources
Google Reviews
3,417 reviews
Recent Guest Reviews
rob evasco
We stayed at Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. The hotel acknowledged the occasion by gifting us a bottle of wine, which was a nice gesture, though the quality could have been better for a luxury property. We booked through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, and the upgrade was honored. The upgraded room was very spacious and comfortable—more than enough space for us ...
Abby Cook
My husband and I stayed here for 3 nights around the New Year holiday. We loved the location and how central it was to so many things we were doing (aquarium, walking trails, restaurants, coffee, etc). We ended up parking in the garage near the aquarium that was $27 per night. Not sure what the overnight valet was but we didn’t mind walking the couple blocks to it when we needed our car and wanted...
Luz A
The location is great, beautiful grounds, nice ambiance inside the hotel. Our thermostat didn't work, no fan in the bathroom, beds were too soft. TV was outdated and slow- not a good UI- hard to connect. No USBC outlets. Getting to the spa was a trek. The hotel has multiple buildings and sort of a maze of passages. The service was good however, especially housekeeping did a nice job. It didn't see...
Maggi Smith Hall
Absolutely gorgeous views, location perfect! Our room was in a build across the street and very quiet. View was the street and main hotel but but it was a pleasant view. Spacious room! 2 comfortable chairs, small terrace, huge beds so comfortable I did not want to get out. Very large bathroom with available snuggle robe. Dressing table outside bathroom door. Rather than a coffee maker there was a ...
Emily Fidler
It'll be the best hotel in Monterey for sure and the grounds and staff are great. The hotel is right in the middle of all the action. Schooners has some of the best clam chowder. The roof top fireplace, hot tub and sauna are great place to relax. The rooms come equipped with a kettle and a Nespresso machine, absolutely perfect! Highly recommend the partial ocean view. We left the window open all n...
Sandra Valencia
Pleasantly surprised by how excellently kept the property was even if it is a bit older of a hotel. Even some of the newer hotels would have something broken or not well maintained but we really enjoyed the cleanliness, room, dine in food, rooftop hot tubs, and location!
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