2600 Sand Dunes Dr, Monterey, California, United States | (618) 248-8274
Spectacular beachfront location with unobstructed sunsets
Stylish and contemporary rooms, many with sweeping ocean views
In-room amenities include mini-fridges, robes, safes, and coffeemakers
Bathrooms have attractive vanities and Jonathan Adler products
Ocean-view restaurant and bar with Spanish-influenced coastal cuisine
Year-round heated outdoor pool and whirlpool
Bicycles can be rented from the hotel
Dry cleaning and laundry services are available
Pets are welcome for a surcharge
Located far from downtown Monterey
Some rooms are dark and cramped
Daily resort fee for Wi-Fi and parking
Small, minimally equipped gym
The three-and-a-half-pearl Monterey Tides, a Joie de Vivre hotel, is a great choice for beachgoers, as there's a clean public beach at the property's door, but it's far from downtown. Its restaurant, bar, and lawn have unobstructed ocean views, as do many of its 196 guest rooms. All of the contemporary rooms are equipped with flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and coffeemakers with free Starbucks coffee, but some are small and a bit dark. Bathrooms have either shower/tub combos or showers and a generous supply of Jonathan Adler toiletries. The restaurant serves Spanish-Californian cuisine, and the outdoor heated pool and whirlpool are open year-round, though note that there's a hefty daily resort fee. Travelers who want to stay downtown can consider Hotel Abrego.
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Scene
A quiet and relaxed oceanfront hotel with spectacular sunsets
This lovely hotel, formerly Unscripted Monterey Bay, was completely renovated in 2016. From the expansive outdoor courtyard to the restaurant and bar, the property takes advantage of its unobstructed ocean views. It’s a quiet and relatively isolated place that attracts tourists on getaways and corporate groups on retreats. The fresh lobby has a rustic seaside ambience that’s relaxed and casual, with wood laminate floors, nautical accents, and wood-slab tables. A gas fireplace is the centerpiece of a cozy seating area, and there's a striking bar just off the lobby. Sunsets are a festive event here, as guests gather in the courtyard, or by any of the windows facing the ocean.
Location
On the ocean at Highway 1, about 11 minutes north of downtown Monterey
The hotel enjoys a spectacular oceanfront location, set on a clean and uncrowded public beach. The property is located about an 11-minute drive north of downtown Monterey on the legendary Highway 1 that runs along California's coast. Some restaurants are within walking distance, but it requires crossing the highway -- having a car is a necessity here. - Five-minute drive to Monterey Regional Airport
Rooms
Stylish and many with ocean views, but some are cramped and dark
Guest rooms at Monterey Tides have attractive, midcentury modern decor and quality amenities. However, some are small and a bit dark, and despite the designer-like details, there’s no denying that they're housed in an older building that was once a mid-range chain property. Still, they're stylish, done in steely blue and gray, and there are padded leather headboards finished with grommets, tables and chairs with Danish lines, and throws with an energetic geometric pattern on beds. All rooms come with 42-inch flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, robes, safes, and coffeemakers with free Starbucks coffee. Wi-Fi is included in the resort fee. Bathrooms have lovely white vanities with basin sinks located outside of the cramped spaces housing shower/tub combos or walk-in showers and toilets. All come with hairdryers and a generous supply of high-end Jonathan Adler products. Like the hotel’s public spaces, ocean-facing rooms on floors two through four have spectacular views (first-floor views are obstructed). Other rooms overlook the pool or garden area, but the views are still pleasant. Kings and two Queens are the bed options.
Features
Direct beach access, outdoor pool, and Spanish restaurant, but hefty daily resort fee
The beautiful public beach is a top amenity at this hotel, which offers bonfire and s’mores kits to enhance the oceanfront experience. Guests who don’t want to build their own fire on the beach can gather around the gas fire pit on the lovely oceanfront lawn. Another highlight is the year-round heated outdoor pool and whirlpool, surrounded by loungers on wooden decking. For on-site dining, Vizcaino Waterfront Food + Drink features Spanish-Californian cuisine with a focus on seafood, and it's open for all three meals. Bar Sebastian also has a Spanish tapas menu. Other amenities include a fitness center with minimal cardio and weight-training equipment, a business center with two computers, and 9,000 square feet of meeting space. Guests can rents bicycles on-site, and dry cleaning and laundry services are offered. The hotel’s rather hefty daily resort fee covers Wi-Fi and on-site parking. Pets are welcome for a surcharge.
