This was our third time at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and we will continue to return whenever we're in town. The rooms are spacious and clean. Everything you need is there. After two visits to rooms that faced the walking path (on the opposite side of the property) we opted for a partial ocean-view room and then updated that to a full ocean view room with balcony upon our arrival. Aside from having our first room next to crying children, we were able to move to another (better view) room away from that noise. The night staff was very helpful in making that happen. The ocean view rooms are a bit pricey, but being able to sleep with the waves crashing below was worth the extra cost. The staff is friendly and the property is clean....a top-notch resort. Parking is valet-only ($32 a night) and there is a room tax that doesn't show up in the base online price....but....this is the best place to stay in Monterey and within walking distance to a number of sites. All the Pebble Beach golf courses are within a 30-minute drive.

The reviews that say you “pay for the view” are spot on. The view from an oceanfront room is terrific. The waves hitting the shoreline under the hotel are an added bonus. However, looking around Cannery Row and the bay shoreline, it would seem there are other hotels that have similar views that likely afford a more customer-focused experience. I personally don’t put much stock in reviews that complain about the staff. I typically check-in and check-out and those are my interactions. However at over $900 per night, I think the staff should have a fundamental grasp of the basics of the property. And even if they don’t know the answer (which is fine), they should demonstrate some degree of customer service and get the answer. As for the on-site dining, the Schooner’s unremarkable food was a let-down. There are plenty of better choices around. Places that feel they still need to earn your business rather than phone it in. The Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa projects a pretty high bar and prices the place accordingly. If that is where you want to play, you better deliver all the goods. They don’t.