We just spent a perfect weekend at the Plaza. This is probably the 10th time we have stayed here and have never been disappointed. The valet now will wash your windshield upon delivery of your car and send you off with water bottles. I think all parking valet services should do that. Nice touch. The valet and bell staff are always very responsive and courteous. Never have had any problems with the dining...but usually do room service. It is hard to beat the view from the rooms...watching sea otters play and people kayaking.

We wanted to base ourselves so that we could visit Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur. We booked two rooms, one for my wife and I, and one for our 3 teenagers.

This is a superb hotel: very well run, prompt, attentive service, and the restaurants are top notch also. The rooms are spacious, impeccably clean, and offer all the amenities expected of a top tier hotel. We visited the spa, and it looked very nice, but we didn't get around to using it.

The location is awesome. Our room overlooked a kelp bed of the Monterey Bay. We could watch sea otters, seals and birds from our balcony. The Monterey Aquarium is a 5 minute walk one way, and the touristy Fisherman's Wharf is a 5 minute walk the other direction. The adjacent recreation trail lets you walk, jog or bike to these places and beyond, up the coast to Lover's Point. Bike and kayak rentals are immediately at hand. There are two winery tasting rooms just across the street from the hotel.

My wife and I have stayed previously at the Spindrift years ago (too long ago to write a relevant review), and we've stayed a couple of times recently at the Carmel Highlands Inn. The Highlands is a great hotel also, with awesome gardens and hot tubs, probably a little more romantic, but for a really, really nice all-round luxury hotel, the Monterey Plaza is hard to beat.

Avoid the Monterey Plaza Hotel. No air-conditioning. Hot and noisy rooms even when cool outside. Management rude and refused to listen to complaints or do anything. Very bad attitude. One said "We don't need air-conditioning because we are on the beach" another said "Air conditioning is our top priority and we plan to have it installed next year!" Staff untrained and uninspired. I suppose we were luckier than some after reading other reviews.

this is our second trip to monterey in three years. we travel extensively with our two boys and usually stay in 4 and 5 star hotels. the plaza is a very nice hotel, much akin to a westin, but not quite in the ritz/four season's category. the hotel is spacious with gracious public areas. the restaraunts are reasonably priced with excellent food(breakfast for 4 for about $60/ room service for the kids $25etc. no $20 omelets here). the rooms themselves are large and well appointed, clean, etc.
the gym is large and on the top floor, decent equipment.
the hotel was very quiet when we were here. the staff was courteous and very,very helpful.
there are very few choices in monterey in this category for hotels and this is probably the best of the lot.
if you get a chance, drive down the coast to big sur, hike andrew molera and grab a bite at nepenthe. the view is spectacular and the food is very good. people complain about the prices, but you're paying for the view....beyond sublime!!