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Where does one stay when visiting one of the most picturesque destinations in California? Would you stay in a stylish seaside hotel with ocean views? Would you search out a cozy inn or bed and breakfast? Do you try to find a balance of both worlds? So. Many. Questions! It’s not hard to find a great place to rest your head at night in Monterey (or in any of the nearby towns for that matter).
We really had our hearts set on visiting two of our favorite beer establishments when we visited last (Alvarado Street Brewery and Fieldwork Brewing), so we chose a hotel that was within our price range (under $200/night) and within walking distance to our beer destinations. That perfect spot turned out to be Casa Munras Garden Hotel, right in Downtown Monterey! If beer is not your thing, Casa Munras is still a great place to make your home base for your trip.
Casa Munras Location
By far, my favorite benefit of staying at Casa Munras was its location. As mentioned above, we wanted a place central to some of the beer places we planned on visiting. It’s also just a few minutes walk to get to the nearby Trader Joe’s (so you can stock up on snacks and beverages), and the lovely downtown area where you’ll find ample restaurants, breweries/tap rooms, and shops.
To get to Fisherman’s Wharf from Casa Munras, it’s about a 15-minute walk. But, if you are already headed to the downtown area for a meal, you’re already halfway there!
To get to Cannery Row, it’s a bit father of a walk (probably around 30 minutes) from the hotel. However, it’s a lovely coastal walk if you take the route down to Fisherman’s Wharf, and then over to Cannery Row. You’ll likely see seals basking on the rocks along the way, and have some lovely harbor and ocean views on your journey there.
And, if you don’t feel up for the walk back all the way back to the hotel after your visit to Cannery Row, you can easily catch an Uber or Lyft. We totally did this because I got tired and my feet hurt (and it was starting to get really cold and drizzly out). I actually preferred staying away from Cannery Row on this trip because it tends to get extremely crowded and busy in that area, and we prefer a little more laid back environment. But, it was nice to still have it within a reasonable proximity.
Checking In
I always love a pleasant experience when checking in as it kind of sets the mood for the whole trip, and gives you a good feel for what kind of service you can expect to receive at your hotel. We sat down at the front desk (yep, they want to sweep you off your feet), and went through the easy check-in process. Well, actually, Micah checked us in while I walked around taking pictures of the lobby, restaurant signs, and the flowers out front (#BloggerLife).
This is also a great time to ask a local about their favorite restaurant recommendations for the area (either to see if they align with what you have on your list, or if you really haven’t done much research and truly need to find a good place to eat).
Our Room at Casa Munras
If I had to describe our room at Casa Munras with one word it would be spacious! We reserved the Deluxe King With Fireplace, and it was unexpectedly roomy, with a fireplace, king-sized bed, and very large bathroom. The hotel offers different levels of rooms, from double and queen beds, to large king suites with fireplaces. Thankfully, they had king rooms available when we booked our trip!
I really enjoyed our lovely king-sized bed for our long weekend. When you’re married to a tall guy, you definitely want to get all the bed space you can!
Our room also had a fireplace, which made the ambiance nice and cozy on a chilly winter night.
Bathroom
The bathroom toiletries were from Lather and are vegan-friendly!
The bathroom itself was very large but simple. It could definitely benefit from a little updating, but overall, nothing to complain about.
The shower was also very big, and the shower head was at an appropriate height for a tall person.
Notable Onsite Features
Casa Munras has an onsite restaurant called Esteban and while they gave us coupons to use during our stay, we didn’t get the chance to eat here (we had our hearts set on too many other Monterey eateries!).
They do have a lovely outdoor seating area, complete with gas heaters for the colder months and a fire pit. This definitely looks like an ideal spot to cozy up for happy hour before heading out on the town, or after a long day of sightseeing.
The pool is centrally located and heated! We visited in February and didn’t think about swimming, though if we would have realized it was heated, perhaps we would have? Our room was actually right by the pool, but we didn’t find it to be noisy.
Nearby Activities
I recommend getting out to explore the area’s natural beauty, because there really is so much nearby!
- Take a scenic drive down through Big Sur (stop at McWay Falls)
- 17-Mile Drive
- Point Lobos Nature Preserve
Other activities to check out if you aren’t into the outdoorsy things:
- Shops and Restaurants at Cannery Row
- Shops and Restaurants at Fisherman’s Wharf
- Monterey Bay Aquarium (everyone loves the otters!)
Pertinent Hotel Info
- Self-Parking: There is plenty of parking on the property; however, they do charge at $15.00/day parking fee.
- Check-in: 4:00 p.m.
- Check out: 12:00 p.m.
- WiFi: Free!
- Pets: There are pet-friendly accommodations available for an additional fee
- Spa: There is a full-service spa available at the hotel, which you can read more about here: https://www.hotelcasamunras.com/spa.aspx
- Bike Rentals: Bike rentals are available as well for a small fee, and this is the perfect town to go exploring via bicycle!
Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa
700 Munras Avenue, Monterey, California 93940
Direct Phone: 831-375-2411
Toll Free Number: 1-800-222-2446
The Spa at Casa Munras: 831-372-182
https://www.hotelcasamunras.com/
And that’s that! I’m looking for a new place to stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea next if anyone has any suggestions!
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