One of the Best Hotels In Monterey

Outstanding. Everything you could ask for. In a bay front inn. Including whales right out your room windows

Outstanding. Everything you could ask for. In a bay front inn. Including whales right out your room windows

My wife and I just returned from a “West Coast Swing” as we were celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary. We honeymooned in Carmel/Monterey back in 2010 (among other places) and were finally able to head back out to the place where her son was born and she used to live. Oh, and it’s rather nice as well. We were last out in the area in 2019 where we stayed at the Hyatt Carmel Highlands Inn. It was great, views were amazing and, truthfully, we were set to stay there again. But about six weeks shy of our departure, we received an email that said our reservation was canceled and that the property was closed. I talked to someone at Hyatt who “confirmed” this (but after being out there on our trip, it was quite busy) so it sent us looking for somewhere else to stay. Enter The Spindrift Inn. Set right in the heart of Cannery Row in Monterey, it’s essentially the opposite of what the Carmel Highlands Inn offered. You’re not “out there” out of town, rather you’re smack dab in it. I had some reservations about the location (noise, etc.) but after our stay – I’ll be back as soon as I can. The Location As mentioned, this is about as centrally located as it gets. It’s right in the heart of it all with restaurants, gift shops and the Monterey Bay Aquarium just a block or two down the road. The Room Given the celebratory nature of our trip, we opted for the Ocean view room (we got the top floor) and we’re glad we did. For one, the ocean view cuts out any and all noise from the street and, well, it’s quite a view. If you like sea lions/seals and otters swimming along as you wake up, this place is for you. The room had a nice HDTV, wooden floors as well as a spacious bath. I had no complaints. There was also an option to order breakfast to have delivered to your door the next morning which we happily opted for. The area We had a rental car (I’ll get to parking in a minute), but if you had no desire to venture outside Monterey/Carmel area – you could get by without one. But we went to Pebble Beach, Mission Ranch and did 17 Mile Drive, so a car was kind of a necessity. The hotel does offer parking for $40/day in which they’ll get your car for you, etc. We did this the first night, but I’d also been told that the parking meters were free of charge from 8PM to 9AM the next day. We used that option instead and “risked it” hoping that the City of Monterey wasn’t too diligent with their traffic tickets. We escaped without one. I’m not saying that this will happen every time, but for us we managed to park for free as opposed to paying the hotel another $120 for parking. Your call, obviously. Staff, etc. The staff was very nice. There was always at least one person at the front desk and they had a complimentary Happy Hour every day at 4:30 with some fruit, crackers, cheese and wine. The wine was behind the desk, most likely for security reasons, but they were generous with their pours – no complaints here. The only real issue of note was that the last day, the elevator was out of commission and with us being on the top floor, it was a bit of a hassle to walk up four flights of stairs. I was fine, but my wife suffers from asthma, and she was a bit miffed. The hotel did compensate us $50, so I guess it wasn’t that big of a deal. Overall, I had no issues with the place. Rooms were nice and spacious; the staff was pleasant and accommodating and the location is second to none. We’ll be back.

Excellent service. Beautiful scenery. Highly recommended

We stayed here at the beginning of February and found the hotel everything g a boutique hotel should be. Our room was on the 3rd floor with a bay window seat with direct ocean views and what views they were! The continental breakfast being delivered to your room at your chosen time was a nice touch and the valet parking made arrival stress free. Every staff member was friendly and helpful and it was truly a wonderful stay - we will most definitely back. PS: we are hospitality consultants usually brought in by owners to turn their property around from massive resorts to small BnBs so we might be less forgiving than other travelers

This was my favorite hotel I stayed at on this last trip! It was awesome! Great shower and water pressure. Windows and seating right above a small beach and the bay! It was the best. I could have sat in that window for days! Located right on cannery row, great service, staff was friendly, clean large rooms, fireplace. They even have binoculars in the room for you to look out at the bay. I had fun watching little otters swim around! Recommend this place 100% I will be coming back and it's my new favorite place to stay. Valet parking, great staff help with luggage, awesome location, perfect views. Delivering breakfast to your room right now due to COVID. Was fantastic.

Overall a good hotel if you are aware of all the nuances and downsides. The staff were nice and welcoming. The hotel is made in an old fashioned style, it’s an old hotel which hasn’t been redecorated from old times. Some of the things were worn out completely like bed linen and had wholes in it. It did not affect a one night stay but spoiled the impression a bit. They gave us a complementary bottle of wine and a couple of candies for the special occasion. The room has a gas fireplace inside. The rooms were pretty spacious and the bed was large. The breakfast was underwhelming. They put the cheapest yoghurt which did not taste well, the egg was overcooked and the egg yolk was almost green. There was no mean offering at all. The bathroom was typical Californian style, i.e no shower handle, had the curtain and was not exactly easy to use. Overall I think the hotel is overpriced - there was nothing too bad for a one night stay - maybe it makes sense to pay for a room with a sea view but probably not for a regular one unless you are into that old fashioned style. I’ll leaving a borderline 5 star review mainly for the large room and complementary wine/sweets but it could as well be 4 star review too for the reasons above

I have never had a better experience at a hotel. From the incredible staff, to the beautiful room, every detail makes you feel special. My wife and I stayed for our 25th anniversary. We will never stay anywhere else when we come to Monterey. Right on Cannery Row you can walk to most everything. The valet parking removes the stress of trying to find a space. Beds are comfy and the rooms are gorgeous. (We got an ocean view with a fireplace). Due to covid the continental breakfast was delivered, and wonderful. What more can I say, this trip was definitely the best we have ever taken to Monterey thanks to the Spindrift Inn.

We stayed here for a night and it was spectacular. The corner room has great views of the ocean and the beach underneath. The gas fireplace adds just the right amount of coziness to the room. Staff was pleasant and breakfast in the room was wonderful. Definitely coming back again

We stayed here for a night and it was spectacular. The corner room has great views of the ocean and the beach underneath. The gas fireplace adds just the right amount of coziness to the room. Staff was pleasant and breakfast in the room was wonderful. Definitely coming back again