10 Best Hotels in The Monterey Bay Area, California

A short stroll from the boardwalk and wharf, this full-service luxury hotel is the only lodging in Santa Cruz directly on the beach, and its rooms all have private balconies or patios overlooking Monterey Bay. Accommodations have contemporary furnishings, muted retro-chic colors, and upscale linens, but the main draw here is having the ocean at your doorstep. In the Jack O'Neill Restaurant and Lounge, named for the famous wet suit inventor and longtime Santa Cruz resident, you can view vintage photos and memorabilia while sipping surf-theme cocktails.

Stained-glass windows, ornate interior details, and sophisticated modern amenities (the inn completed a top-to-bottom remodel in early 2023) compete with spectacular ocean views at this Queen Anne–style mansion. Rooms in a carriage house perched on a hill out back are larger and afford more privacy.

This luxe collection of seven buildings and flower-filled gardens on a bluff overlooking Monterey Bay includes the main mansion, built in 1886, a carriage house, guesthouse, and beach house. Every room has ocean and garden views, sumptuous yet comfortable furnishings, and a full bath. Some have stained-glass windows and gas or electric fireplaces.

Set on 407 pastoral acres, the former estate of the Crocker banking family has been converted to a luxurious inn. The oak-paneled main chateau holds eight elegantly furnished rooms and suites, and a dining room for guests (nonguests can also dine here by reservation). The property's "cottages" are equally opulent, each with its own luxurious identity. The Hermes House, for instance, has four fireplaces and a 27-foot-high living-room ceiling. Fresh flowers, afternoon tea, and evening champagne are offered daily.

On bluffs across from Cowell Beach, this three-story, Italianate property, built in 1877, exudes classic California beach style. Color schemes hint at sun, sea, and sky, and all the rooms have a comfortable king bed, a fireplace, and a fancy marble-tile bathroom; some also have a private patio with a spa tub. 

High on a hill overlooking the Pacific, this place has superb views and accommodations that include king rooms with fireplaces, suites with personal whirlpool tubs, and full town houses with many perks. The excellent meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) at the inn's California Market at Pacific's Edge restaurant are made from local ingredients; many dishes are vegan and gluten-free. Even if you don't dine here, order a cocktail and appetizers in the ocean-view Sunset Lounge.

Spectacular bay views, upscale amenities, assiduous service, and a superb location next to the aquarium propelled this luxury hotel to immediate stardom. Its spacious rooms, in several Craftsman-style buildings on both sides of Cannery Row, have marble, natural wood, and glass elements that create a feeling of warmth and serenity. All rooms have baths with soaking tubs and walk-in showers, and many have fireplaces and balconies. Unusual artworks abound in the public spaces.

A sprawling collection of ranch-style buildings on 850 acres of meadows, fairways, and lakes, Quail Lodge offers luxury rooms and outdoor activities at surprisingly affordable rates. The resort is a casual, family-friendly enclave with swimming pools, a boccie court, a 9-hole putting green, 18-hole golf course, nature trails, and conference rooms for business presentations, movie nights, and special events. Rooms are decorated with natural fabrics, wooden furnishings, and Spanish accents. All rooms have decks or patios, smart TVs, and spacious bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and separate showers. All suites and some guest rooms have fireplaces. Dine at Edgar's at the golf clubhouse around the corner or in the Covey Grill.

Walk to the sand from spacious, luxurious bungalows furnished in contemporary, ocean-theme style at this 19-acre, wellness-centered resort next to Marina Dunes Preserve and a secluded stretch of Marina State Beach. Each room has a private patio or deck, a fireplace, binoculars for spotting whales and other wildlife, and at least a partial ocean view; some have living rooms with sleeper sofas and panoramic ocean views. It’s about 10 miles north of Monterey, but the on-site Salt Wood Kitchen and Oysterette restaurant, where meals center on fresh local fare, and the many activities—from nightly bonfires and wine-and-cheese tastings to weekend beach yoga sessions—make it easy to just hang out and enjoy the resort.

It's easy to unwind at this full-fledged resort on a bluff overlooking Monterey Bay. The spacious suites sleep from two to eight people. Each has a kitchenette and a fireplace, and many have ocean-view patios with barbecue grills. Treat yourself to an in-room manicure, facial, or massage, or a bonfire with s'mores on the beach.