If you’ve driven California’s Highway 1 towards the Monterey Peninsula, you’ve likely spotted the Monterey Beach Hotel. Its proximity to Monterey Bay is striking. 

Positioned close to the waves, it’s a property that would likely be impossible to build today, due to modern coastal development restrictions. Nowhere else in this beautiful Northern California region can you stay within near arm’s reach of the water. 

Few Monterey Peninsula hotels are as close to the water as Monterey Beach Hotel

Originally a Holiday Inn, and then a Best Western, the hotel has entered a new, posher era as part of Marriott’s Tribute portfolio—unique properties that evoke a sense of place. Renovations over the past several years include room upgrades, and a refreshed coastal vibe that marries the timeless beauty of the location with modern and sleek comfort. 

Custom furnishings and nautical touches evoke the serenity of the ocean with a calming color palette of soft blues and earth tones.  Vintage photographs evoke the city’s maritime heritage; rooms and suites are comfortably chic with plush bedding, thoughtful bath amenities by D.S. & DURGA, and rainfall showers. 

Guest rooms come with binoculars for sea lion and otter spotting

The Lobby Lounge is a favorite dining and imbibing spot for both hotel guests and locals 

The hotel’s new public spaces are equally inviting. The reimagined lobby is stylish and welcoming, with cozy nooks and a fireplace. It’s a lovely spot at which to sip coffee during sunrise, or a glass of wine during sunset. The Lobby Lounge is clearly the Monterey Peninsula’s newest cocktail hotspot, where both locals and guests can be found dining and imbibing crafted cocktails while enjoying live music and the distant twinkling lights of Monterey. 

The hotel’s signature restaurant, The Lantern Room, commands the hotel’s fourth floor, offering stunning bay views, and a warm fireplace during colder months. (Bring the pair of binoculars that hang on the wall of your room, and spot frolicking seals and maybe even a whale.) Serving breakfast and dinner, The Lantern Room’s classic, farm-to-table menu highlights locally sourced bounty of Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean. 

At breakfast, enjoy locally roasted Captain and Stoker coffee, and at dinner, a robust wine list curated by local winemaker Ian Brand highlights varietals from Santa Cruz County to the local Santa Lucia Highlands. 

The hotel's stylish lobby features custom furnishings

The Lantern Room restaurant commands the hotel's fourth floor for optimal bay views

While there is much to do and see within the Monterey region—think the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, a charming downtown, and miles of scenic walking and biking trails (the hotel is home to a fleet of Zybra pedal assist bikes that are perfect for easy exploration)—it’s not unusual to find Monterey Beach Hotel guests staying put. With its soundtrack of crashing waves, large, heated swimming pool, walkable beach, and culinary options, the hotel is a tranquil and peaceful retreat, removed from the hustle and bustle of more tourist-heavy areas. For those seeking a coastal escape that combines history, luxury, and natural beauty, the Monterey Beach Hotel is a great option. 

Photos courtesy of Monterey Beach Hotel