Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa

Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa occupies a prized position at 400 Cannery Row in Monterey, California, extending over the edge of Monterey Bay on a pier-like foundation. The hotel sits steps from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and within the historic Cannery Row district—the street immortalized by John Steinbeck's 1945 novel. From the hotel's bay-facing terraces, guests can watch sea otters, harbor seals, and California sea lions without leaving the property. The hotel's 290 rooms and suites follow a coastal-contemporary design scheme incorporating water views, warm wood finishes, and color palettes drawn from the bay below. The majority of rooms face Monterey Bay directly; balcony rooms offer some of the finest wildlife-watching views available from any California hotel. Suite categories include spa suites with whirlpool tubs and top-floor penthouse suites with wrap-around bay panoramas. SCHOONERS Coastal Kitchen and Bar is the hotel's flagship restaurant, occupying a prime bayside position with floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor deck overlooking the water. The menu centers on locally caught seafood—Dungeness crab, Pacific halibut, Monterey Bay squid, and regional oysters—paired with Central Coast wines. Breakfast is particularly popular given the morning bay light and early marine wildlife activity. The Chart Room bar adjacent to the lobby serves as a more casual option. The Spa at Monterey Plaza is a full-service facility offering massage, body wraps, and skincare treatments, many incorporating kelp and coastal botanicals from the surrounding marine environment. The fitness center overlooks the bay. The 17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Big Sur are all within an hour's drive, making the hotel a natural base for exploring the Central California Coast.