The Only Beachfront Hotel In Monterey Highlights The Area's Beauty And Bounty
One of America's most stunning and storied road trips is California's Highway 1. A popular stop on this legendary route is Monterey, located along the Central Coast. This historic and charming city has one of the best aquariums in the U.S., and its location right along the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary means you can see all kinds of marine wildlife from its breathtaking beaches or out on a boat. Anyone who comes here is almost certainly going to fall in love with the area's natural beauty and want to stay awhile, and there are few better places to stay in the city than the Monterey Beach Hotel.
The aptly named hotel is the only one in Monterey that has direct beach access. The hotel was first built in 1967, and in 2024, it underwent a rebrand and complete renovation that focused on creating a comfortable, luxurious space that highlighted the local area across all amenities, from design to dining.
The four-story hotel has 192 rooms, including several ocean view rooms. In some of the rooms, you could even hear the waves crashing, helping to lull you to sleep at night. These also include binoculars for guests to use during their stay; there is a lot of wildlife out in Monterey Bay that you can spot from the room, including gray whales, dolphins, sea lions, harbor seals, and more. The garden side rooms don't get the ocean views (or the sound of the waves), but they are about $100 cheaper. All the rooms come equipped with bath products by the luxury brand D.S. & Durga, featuring the "Big Sur After Rain" scent.
Monterey Beach Hotel serves locally sourced food and wine at its restaurants
When you check in to the Monterey Beach Hotel, you get a daily credit to use at the wine wall in the lobby lounge. It's stocked with a rotating selection of wines from the area, like from Carmel Valley, a nearby underrated California wine destination. Guests also get a free s'mores kit to make and enjoy at the evening beach bonfires.
Even if you're not staying at the hotel, you can (and should) dine at one of its three restaurants, which are open to guests and non-guests alike. The Lobby Lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the beach, a fireplace, and a drinks menu featuring local wines, craft cocktails, and food like tacos and burgers. Tidewater is a seasonal outdoor restaurant where you can dine while overlooking the water and feel warm on those late nights beside a cozy fire pit.
The fourth floor on the ocean side of the hotel is home to The Lantern Room. It's the hotel's flagship restaurant and a fantastic place to watch the sunset while enjoying some of the area's finest flavors. The menu features dishes made from locally sourced ingredients, like black cod from Monterey Bay, Fogline Farm chicken, and bread from Ad Astra Bread Co. And, of course, the restaurant offers some great local wines. It's open for breakfast and dinner, and it pays tribute to Monterey's rich maritime history with its nautical design.
Additional amenities at Monterey Beach Hotel and what to do in the area
Although Monterey Beach Hotel is right on the beach, the water is on the colder side, with the highest average temperature hovering at just below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, so it might not be ideal for swimming. But if you want to get in the water while on vacation, you're in luck; the hotel has a heated outdoor pool and hot tub. It's also got plans for saunas and cold plunges, so you can do a Nordic bath-style circuit. For those wanting a workout, the fitness room has weights and cardio machines, including Peloton bikes.
Artworks by local artists decorate the walls of the hotel, from the murals outside to the decor in the guest rooms. You can also buy some local artwork and products at the lobby gift shop. If you want to check out more of Monterey, the hotel offers free e-bike rentals for its guests. The Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, an 18-mile paved trail for pedestrians and cyclists, runs near the hotel, and in less than 20 minutes on a bike, you can be in the heart of Cannery Row.
To explore a bit further afield while you're here, Carmel-by-the-Sea, full of beaches, boutiques, and historic sites, is about a 10-minute drive; keep heading south on Highway 1 for another hour, and you'll get to the underrated Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in Big Sur. As for getting to the Monterey Beach Hotel, for those flying in, it's located less than 10 minutes from the Monterey Regional Airport. For more flight options into the area, the San José Mineta International Airport, one of the least crowded big airports in the U.S., is about a 70-minute drive away (if the traffic is good).