- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Hotel Pacific
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$$
Sponsored Result
You Might Also Consider
Monterey Hotel
- 20 reviews
- Location:
- Monterey, CA
"Love this place! It's a charming Victorian hotel, right in the middle of downtown and walking distance from the plaza and convention centre.…" read more »
47 reviews for Hotel Pacific
Here's the thing, this place has reasonable-for-Monterey prices, has an absolutely f'n fantastic staff, and the rooms are renovated....nice fireplace, dining alcove and balcony...spacious for the price. The only reason it isn't a five-star is, seemingly without irony, they kept a few of the 70's touches when they renovated. Odd choice, but still a really nice hotel and one of the larger nice ones in Monterey.
Expect Spanish tiles and colors. It's a good business hotel, but probably a better gettin' down to business hotel. You and yours can have fun here... Big soft feather bed and a huge bathroom with the shower tub on one side and just a shower on the other...along with a wide, wide, wide, wide azz sink area for you to spread your...product. Aveda is provided! Hey, if you dig the rosemary mint shampoo, you know what I'm talkin' about....however, I digress. Hotel Pacific is relaxed like that... Beyond that, I'm truly fascinated by the bathroom...I watched GMA on what appears to be an authentic 4 " Quasar Black and White TV...it might even be authentic 70's and not even Retro!
My wife and I stayed here as part of our honeymoon, and overall, I'd say our stay was merely adequate, considering the overall price of the hotel.
When we arrived, we learned that it would cost $19 per night if we wanted to park in the hotel's spacious parking lot. I thought this was ridiculous, especially considering both the price of the hotel and the fact that street parking is available -- though it's two-hour parking during the day, so be sure you are out and about or that you move your vehicle.
The one person at the front desk was nice enough. He checked us in and directed us to our room (with a map), not bothering to see if we wanted assistance with our luggage. I got the sense that he was the only hotel employee there.
We got to our room on the third floor. It was a large suite with vaulted ceilings, designed to look somewhat Spanish, I suppose. Though spacious, I wasn't overly impressed with the overall look of the place. It was fine, mind, but nothing to get excited about. The entire hotel had the appearance that it was past its prime, in fact, and in the early stages of decay.
There were two problems with our room: First, it was ridiculously hot. Seems someone had left the heat on. When we opened our windows, we discovered the second problem: We were right above the street, and there was too much noise from all the cars whizzing by. I called the front desk, and the guy graciously offered to "upgrade" us for free. He said he'd send someone right up with the new keys. The someone turned out to be the same fellow who'd checked us in.
The process of getting to the new room revealed another flaw of the hotel: Getting between certain areas, from the outside of the hotel to our room or our room to the lobby, required navigating a lot of stairs, twists, and turns -- made all the more difficult when you're schlepping your own bags. (He said he would have offered to help but had been in the hospital earlier that day with some appendix trouble, but was back on duty now because he needed the hours. Very touching - but didn't explain the absence of a bellhop.)
Our upgraded room, far as I can tell, wasn't much different from the original room, except it lacked the vaulted ceilings and wasn't street side, meaning it was sufficiently quiet. The room was quite large, more space than we needed, with a "private patio" that pretty much gave us a view of a wall.
The room was clean, the bed was comfy, and the room had a fireplace, as well as decently sized TV screen and cable. The bathroom was A-OK.
Another annoyance: Not only did we have to pay for Internet access -- but the wireless connection was slow and spotty. It kept disconnecting. For $12 a day, I'd have expected speed and reliability.
The hotel does offer a very nice continental breakfast, including muffins, fruit, cereal, bagels, juice, coffee, and hard-boiled eggs. The afternoon tea and coffee is just tea and coffee; no cookies, for examples, or snacks, save for a couple pieces of fruit. I wondered if they were there for aesthetic purposes.
Bottom line here: I get the sense that this is a hotel that is past its prime. Yes, the rooms were nice enough, but not enough to compensate for the lack of staff and the meager amenities. I suspect I could've found a smaller, equally comfortable room for less money at another hotel.
Beautiful place. I've stayed here multiple times going back to '83. It's gone through some changes, but remains a very romantic hotel with GREAT ambiance, with great tv sets (for the guys), and fireplaces (for the girls). Walking distance to all the touristy stuff in Monterey, and access to some great local restaurants.
You can't go wrong with Hotel Pacific...my only beef is they are ALWAYS booked full on weekends (which should tell you something in itself).
I first stayed here in about 1988. I stayed there again 2 times shortly thereafter but haven't again until now. It was always too expensive or I was just making a day trip to the area. I wanted to see if it was as wonderful as I remembered and it is. Beautiful decor that is relaxed and elegant at the same time. Comfortable suites accomodate 4 people better than the regular expensive hotel rooms right nearby. Shower and tub. Aveda products. Nice sitting room and outdoor courtyard seating if you want to read or catch some rays. Hot tub was nice after the run.
pluses:
beautiful decor if you like an upscale mexican/spanish style
fireplace in room
great, central location
price if you can find an online deal
minuses:
parking is $19/day
they made the continental b'fast an hour early for the Marathoners but forgot the coffee
hot tub is not hot enough; it's a warm tub and seems to have been an afterthought as it is in a cold, hidden corner of the grounds.
no pool so that's a possible negative for people with kids (& a possible positive for people w/o kids)
love this hotel, been going here for more than a decade
+s:
-recently scored a great mid-week rate of $115 on http://Hotels.com
-the room was off the street to boot, otherwise it's pretty noisy
-quiet, dark and zzzzz friendly with a four poster, down feather bed
-electric fireplace with actual heat
-plus good, long matches to take home
-hot tub and no one else in it
-s:
-charging $19 for parking, especially when you can just park on the street, 100 yards away, for free!
-we tried to extend our stay by another night and the hotel wouldn't give us the same rate
-the breakfast is blah, and the coffee tastes like Yuban
I was really excited to stay here with my fiancée for the evening. I had read the reviews and kind of had an idea of what I was going to expect.
The room blew me away, it was nicely furnished, large bed, fireplace, beautiful shower/bathroom area. It was really nice except for a few minutes. The rest of the hotel was also nice and lush.
Now onto the negatives that got me to a 3 star rating.
1. You have to pay for the internet. Come on, really you are still charging people to use the internet after they have paid a significant amount of money to stay at your hotel. They wanted $10 a day for internet which I could have received for free if I went to the Best Western down the street which probably cost $50-$100 less. It is kind of a common thing and you really don't need to nickel and dime people for it.
2. Parking. They charge something like $19 for parking in their "underground" parking area. Well I know that Monterey is an expensive area I'm not sure if $19 is justified for parking. I just parked on the street right outside of the hotel at 4PM where it had 2 hour free parking till 6PM and then no time limit after 6PM.
3. If you are on the bottom floor you hear a lot of noise: We were given a room on the bottom floor. You could hear every step above you and it literally sounded like people were falling down upstairs when they would get up or close a door. You can also hear everyone wheeling their luggage since it sounds like they are jumping down stairs.
I am not going to say that I did not enjoy my experience. Overall I had a great time and think that I made a good decision to stay at the Hotel Pacific. I just feel that the above improvements can be made to make the hotel even better for the population it serves.
Hotel Pacific tries to be a nice hotel but they're just not quite there.
The rooms are big. They make the king sized bed look tiny. My room was 330, on the top floor of this particular building with vaulted ceilings and a fireplace. Vaulted ceilings combined with a huge room. The TV is very far away from the tip of the bed, but big enough that you can still see it without squinting. The fireplace is located underneath and there is a coffee table/couch/chairs in between the bed and fireplace. The balcony faced Pacific St and had two chairs. In addition, there is a small dining table on the side.
The bed has a down mattress topper but they covered it in plastic so as not to have feathers sticking out. This can only mean that they bought the cheap kind. The comforter is down. The pillows are down. The sheets are more comfortable than at the Hyatt but not Eqyptian and not at the same quality as my freshman 500 thread count going-to-college-just-buy-whatever's-cheap-but-sti ll-feels-soft sheets. The comforter cover is very Spanish in theme, with the main color being red and a white design criss crossing all over.
The bathroom is beige in color and very nicely done. There is a big square shower stall with a glass door on one side and a tub/shower on the other. The toilet is next to the shower with a separate door. The sink/mirror are in the center.
Robes are provided in the closet next to the dining table. Aveda toiletries are given in a basket next to the sink, the shampoo. conditioner, lotion are rosemary mint. The handsoap is lavender and the body soap is someother scent.
There are two jacuzzi's, both seat 4 and are 2.5 feet deep. The temperature hovers around 80 degrees, even at 10 pm (when they close).
The tile floors are present on the first and second floors only, the upper floors are concrete. This hotel has an intricate design, it's not a boxed building with identical spacing. Some areas go up to four floors, some only go up to three. There are two interior courtyards with fountains at each.
Turn-down service does not have to be asked for (like it says), we were pleasantly surprised to find our comforter had been pulled back and a note left.
as i'd recently experienced the popular "portola hotel", "hotel pacific" was HEAVEN, FIVE stars, compared. if you're deciding between portola hotel and hotel pacific - TRUST ME - hotel pacific is your choice all the way. the service, the parking, - the rooms, the view, the balcony, the bathrooms, the in-room fireplace...serenity - you'll get it here.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/26/2009
I went to this hotel for a getaway from the everyday. I needed it: to relax, find peace again, and… Read more »
Beautiful hotel, walking distance to downtown Monterey, but driving distance to the aquarium and Cannery Row. In the summer months, they offer a free trolley service that will take you to Cannery Row.
The hotel offers probably one of the best continental breakfasts that I've ever seen: fresh fruit, yogurt, many pastries, and fresh juice. Yum!!! They also offer an afternoon reception with tea, coffee, and light snacks...this was just ok.
Based on prior reviews, I was concerned about the noise from passersby on the tile floor (we were on the second floor). Although it was slightly disctracting on the first day (I could hear guests rolling their suitcases across the tile) I didn't hear much after that.
The room is gorgeous. My fiance said it was one of the nicest hotel rooms he's ever stayed in. It wasn't too big, but it was cozy and the bathroom was beatifully decorated.
We would definitely stay again. We bought my folks 2 nights at the Monterey Bay Hotel in March, so I'm curious to see how it compares to the Hotel Pacific.
i loved this hotel and it will hold a special place in my heart since this is the locale i chose to have my mini-moon. since we didn't have funds left for a honeymoon, we chose to do a mini-moon in monterey for the time being, where we go every year for anniversary. anyway, we chose hotel pacific based on reviews and the price it was offered at. unfortunately, they had a power outage the moment we got there, but it came back on when we got to our room. our room was beautiful! huge room, high ceilings, fireplace, excellent sitting area, small balcony, huge bathroom.
i felt incredibly pampered just being in that room and can't wait to go again for future anniversaries.
I have to agree with Rav V.'s review from 1 year ago. Our first visit about 8 years ago was exceptional. Now, since the renovation, the atmosphere has changed. You can hear your neighbors, traffic and neighborhood dog real well. No bueno.
On my first trip to Monterey, I lusted over the thought of staying at the Inn at Spanish Bay - but even as a millionaire, I wouldn't do it. I guess I like money too much.
Hotel Pacific turned out to be a wonderful experience! We get there, check -in and they give us the wrong room... to which we were then upgraded into a suite! SCORE! This obviously doesn't happen often, but I will say the first room did look kinda old so I would suggest asking for a newer room if possible. I guess it doesn't hurt to ask.
Parking costs $16/day - which is lower that most Bay area hotels but considering it was so pricey already you would think they'd throw parking in for free. Additionally, the way it's set up is kinda funky. There are different wings so through the parking lot you'll immediately have to know where your room is. It's lame and I kid you not - we had to seriously try our key into a handful of rooms and just before we were about to go downstairs and ask for our room number - WE FOUND IT!
I'd highly suggest this place to someone based on the experience we had... but just remember it's hard not to get jealous of the hotels you see along 17 mile drive. This is perfect solution to those more budget friendly... and by budget friendly in Monterey - I mean: $300/night.
I got to sleep with Karen G. - woohoooooo
ok, well not quite, just at the same hotel as she did :p
(saw her review a few down when I was checking this out.)
This isn't a bad place. My room was on the end, and I think sized oddly just b/c thats how it came out. It had some very nice touches (nice bed, huge flat screen). I like stone/plaster walls - had a quasi adobe feel to it.
Staff was friendly, too.
Some of the other room furniture could use an overhaul, and I am surprised they don't have their own restaurant, but generally I liked the place, and the location was walking distance to the few bars etc they have.
As a frequent traveler, its always fun to stay somewhere that isn't a generic Marriot, Hilton etc etc. Hotel Pacific is a solid bet in my opinion.
My sister and I stayed at the Hotel Pacific while in Monterey for a convention. Unfortunately the travel agent botched up our reservations and did not request 2 queen size beds like I had asked her for. That is not the hotel's fault of course. Plus they were completely booked so we were unable to switch to a different room.
I had stayed here once before and the layout of the room was completely different. I had a chance to check out the rooms of some of my colleagues and they were all so different. Our room was very light and bright with a little patio area. We also had a fireplace which we used one evening just because we could. : )
The only complaint I had was the bathroom situation. You walk in the bathroom and there is a large counter, one sink and the smallest mirror ever! It was like the size of an 8 X 10" picture frame. Now when you have two girls sharing a room, one minuscule little mirror in the bathroom is just not feasible. There was one full length mirror located in the closet which was located by the table and chairs and coffee pot. Kind of a strange layout.
My poor sister volunteered to sleep on the air mattress that they provided. Unfortunately it had a leak so she did not have a very restful night's sleep. We requested another mattress which they did bring while we were out, but it too had a leak albeit smaller and slower than the first mattress.
The hotel featured a complimentary continental breakfast and afternoon tea with fruit and cheese. Complimentary food is a plus! The rooms had little trays with plates and silverware so you could go down, fill up your plate and bring it on back to your room. Very cozy!
The staff were very friendly and the concierge was very helpful. I was in charge of making dinner reservations nightly for my colleagues. He was a huge help in narrowing down our options. They had these ginormous books of menus from local restaurants which was very nice. All in all the Hotel Pacific is a quaint, rather rustic style hotel near the wharf and convention center. It is a nice place to stay while in Monterey.
I've stayed here a few times over the years and love it every time. The beds are amazing, the rooms large. It's absolutely beautiful.
I think every time I've walked in last minute and gotten a great deal.
I have a dog now though, so for now - I'll stay in Carmel when I'm down south.
But Hotel Pacific, I think of you every time I have a bad night sleep in a bad bed. I think about the magic your beds have over me that toss me into a deep, satisfying sleep.
Invite the dog in with me and I'll be back in a heartbeat.
We got a Hotwire deal of $140 for a "four-star" hotel in Monterey. Too bad the hotel was this one. Rather than re-write my issues with this hotel, I'll just paste in portions of the complaint letter I sent to Hotwire after my horrid experience here:
The rooms were not clean; to begin with, there was mold on the ceiling of the bathroom. The rugs were badly stained (and of a quality more suited to a grade school). Furthermore, the bathtub was covered in cleaning fluid, and when I drew a bath, the water was covered with a greasy sheen. There was a thick layer of dust next to the bedside tables, as well as on top of the thermostat and fan timer in the bathroom. The couch in the first room we were in smelled of urine.
On the comfort front, the Hotel Pacific was also an abject failure. No doors (either the main door or the door to the patio) had weatherstripping (I could easily see the outdoors in the cracks between door and jamb), which resulted in chilly drafts and, in our first room, a noise level so great that we requested a room change at 11PM, after we had already gone to bed (and once the local bar had cranked up their music). What's more, there were no spare blankets in the rooms if we got cold (which we certainly did). Someone had left the windows open in the room we moved to, letting the chilly 50-degree night air in and causing the room to be freezing when we entered.
There were literally no drawers in either room that could have accommodated clothing (a small wicker chest of drawers in one room measured less than a foot across, and the other room had no drawers at all). The coffeemaker was only semi-functional. The fruits in the continental breakfast were bruised and rotting inside. When we requested assistance at the front desk to find a good seafood restaurant, the clerk called one place that had no availability, then circled a pair of overpriced tourist traps on the map and recommended that we "try those."
Stay away. It's that simple.
aaaah. Spacious suites.
I had a room on the top floor with vaulted ceilings. Balcony, fireplace, sitting area, dining area, king size bed.
Nice touches: bathrobe, free wifi/internet access, self-parking (nice not to have to tip valets!), continental breakfast.
Across the street from Monterey Conference Center.
I booked directly on the hotel website a couple days before my arrival and got the best price, even after checking all the usual places.
I have stayed here twice..
And there is a diffrence.. definitely dont stay here if you get the "side street" room.. those rooms... are close to the road and it feels like you are sleeping on the sidewalk.
Get a room in the courtyard away and in the center of the hotel. This however wont guarantee total silence..
unfortunately this hotel is in the middle of downtown .. and its a small hotel surrounded by streets.. and not built to handle the noise.. i have been in downtown paris and experience less noise..
if it wasnt for the noise.. this place would be 5 star.s
This may well have been the most comfortable bed I've slept in, and I loooove our featherbed at home.
The rooms are lovely, and a nice change from standard hotel decor. The amenities are plentiful and nice. The fireplace and balcony were wonderful. The bath salts, cotton swabs and cotton balls were a nice touch. Here's a really thoughtful idea... normally you get a coffee pot in the room and two packets of coffee: regular and decaf. Here, we got two coffee pots, so we could have a pot of each at once if we so desired! The continental breakfast was not fancy but nice quality... beautiful fruit, tasty baked goods, hard boiled eggs and a good variety of boxed cereals. The tea and cheese reception was similarly simple but good quality.
My only complaint. I really hate when hotels call it a suite, when it's just a very large room with a waist high partition to separate the beds from a sitting area. To me, a suite should be separate rooms, with a wall and a door.
Use your AAA card for a nice discount!
BEAUTIFUL hotel. Reasonable prices. Great packages. Stayed here for the weekend of my 25th birthday *extravaganza*. Staff was friendly. ROOMS WERE GORGEOUS and huge. The bathroom was my favorite bit. The balcony was nice too. The breakfast was good. simple, but good. I liked the option of trays in the room's mini kitchen so you can eat breakfast in your room. Why minus one star if EVERYTHING seems to be great? ... the maids were SO NOISY! A 7am noisy wake up was not what I wanted ... but it did get me up in time for the breakfast.
Completely charming!!!
My husband and I just got back from our honeymoon in Monterey and we're completely pleased to have spent all three nights at this hotel.
This is a perfect romantic getaway spot. The four-poster bed, gas fireplace, and balcony created some great atmosphere, and the whole place has sort of an italian/spanish adobe feel that's rustic while still retaining it's luxury and cleanliness.
The complimentary continental breakfast and afternoon tea and cheese reception were also really nice touches. It was great to be able to keep our budget down without paying for any breakfast.
We also included an in-room massage in our package, which was excellent. The two women came to our room, set up quickly and gave great massages. And it was only $135 for the two of us in our own room, which I think is very reasonable.
We only had two (very minor) complaints during our entire stay, one of which was that the Food Network was blocked on our cable selection for some reason. Silly I know, but being without a TV at home, the Food Network is one of the few channels we look forward to having access to. We did pretty well with the Discovery Channel though.
The second minor complant was the hot water for tea had been put in a carafe that had at some recent time been filled with coffee. Also not that big of a deal, but my hubby is a bit of a tea afficionado, was pleased with the selection of gourmet teas, and then bummed to not be able to enjoy them because of that nasty water.
So, MINOR complaints aside, we LOVED this place! It's also right downtown, so other than our excursion to Carmel Valley for wine-tasting, we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go.
Highly recommended.
i liked this hotel... the rooms seem like little cozy hideaway condos. The water is wonderful and sooo soft, i never wanted to leave the shower and the bed is huge and soft, feels like you are in a cloud!!! I would stay there again but i seen that quite a few things need to be repaired i.e. the garage ceilings were leaking (pouring ) water, mold on the ceilings of the garage, staff not that friendly. Its an okay place to stay but rooms range from about $175- $300. I think the hotel should lower the price tho
My husband and I spent our 1 year wedding anniversary here (actually called "Hotel Pacific") and had a wonderful time. We were really impressed with the quality of the hotel for the price!! The rooms are beautiful and romantic. They have warm fireplaces and even provide extras like a candle and matches for extra ambiance. The private entrance and balcony was an added bonus!! (and the free breakfast and tea service were delicious)
It is located in historic Monterey at the base of Fisherman's Wharf across the street from the historic park. It is not over-priced like the hotels that line Cannery Row, but is still within walking distance to Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We have decided to make this hotel our normal stop when staying in Monterey.
LOVE LOVE LOVED our stay here!!!
So back during the summer of 07 i had 2 choices the way i saw ........it have a mental breakdown and spend a crap load of $$ on a head doctor or go to the ocean and just chill and get right in my wittle head.
So i packed up my 2 year old and my 14 year old sister who stays summers with me and we headed to Monterrey. I had stayed here like 5 years earlier with my family and remembered how cozy it was.
It was oh so cozy, our room had its own little patio that was gated so the kiddo could run off energy. The rooms are very nice and not your typical set up with a half wall down the middle separating the bed room from the living room. I love housekeeping here and my son looked forward to turn down every night because they left him 2 little plastic sea animals every night. I thought the little cards with inspirational quotes where a nice touch and i still keep one in my nightstand at home.
There is breakfast put out every morning with all sorts of tasty treats and every evening cheese and crackers. The location is great and we walked to the Farmers Market, The Wharf and even Cannery Row. But the free transportation trolley buses pick up right in front if you are not in a walking mood.
Every morning my little guy and i got up early and walked down to the left of the wharf while we let the teen sleep in peace. There we explored the tide pools, watched the harbor seals lounging & the sea otters playing. I really didn't want to go home, but reality awaited me.....
You'll be hard-pressed to find a better deal downtown. Hotel Pacific is located close to everything, within walking distance to downtown and Fisherman's Wharf (you'll probably want to drive to the Aquarium or Cannery Row).
The room's are currently decorated in an old Spanish style, with king size beds, a fireplace, an honor bar, a small tub, shower, and two coffee pots. Rooms surround a courtyard with a fountain and a small jacuzzi.
The staff is very knowledgeable of the area and very friendly.
Right now, the hotel is undergoing a major renovation, but we couldn't hear any of the noises.
The place loses a star because the walls are paper thin and you can hear people in the rooms next to you just talking on the phone.
When you request a room, get one in the back or you'll be listening to traffic in the morning when it starts. Or one over the courtyard.
Also, parking in their underground parking is $16/day. Something they didn't inform us about on check-in.
I will definitely stay here again though.
Extremely good value. Our room was nicely decorated and was cozy like a studio apartment--I would love to stay here for a week in the future. There was a sleeping area and a living room area and a little balcony from which we have breakfast and see the ocean. There were hardwood floors, down bedding, a fireplace, and marble in the bathroom with Aveda products. The room was super clean and didn't have any funky cleaning product odor.
Everything is walking distance from here; it was so convenient.
The only problem was that we were so close to the ocean, I was woken up by seagulls!
I am a local, and this inn is my favorite to recommend to people. I have actually stayed here for a business meeting...excellent service, beautiful and interesting layout. The rooms have a separated out sitting area. Spanish style rooms, very high style, but so comfortable. And...the stuff in the bathrooms is Aveda.
Everyone I have recommended Hotel Pacific too has loved it just as much as me! A place you must stay! And perfect location to walk to downtown Monterey and the wharf.
Wow, what a treat to stay here. I love how it is an almost rustic cabin type feel but at the same time very luxurious. The beds were oh so comfortable and the bathroom was spectacular with its 2 showers. It's the little touches, like the basket of Aveda products and the afternoon tea that makes this place 5 stars. The front desk staff was wonderful and I enjoyed the complimentary breakfast, mmmm fresh yummy fruit:) The only drawbacks were the lack of air conditioning, which I guess is not common in Monterey. Because of the lack of air conditioning or a ceiling fan, you have to leave the windows and doors open which can be pretty noisy. So definitely reserve a room that doesn't face the street. But overall, so lovely and relaxing. I couldn't recommend it more.
I found this on Yelp and really liked it. The bed was comfy and big, and the room was lovely. The front desk was friendly. Not crazy expensive, either.
If you want a nice view from your room, get one over the courtyard. We had a slightly cheaper room in the back that faced the "residential property" bordering the hotel. Which means we had a window facing a fence. I personally didn't care - who hangs out in the hotel room all day anyway?
Internet is not free, though - $10 a day. And it's wired, too, so bring your airport express. (They are nice enough to have an extra ethernet cable in the desk for you.)
I'd totally stay here again.
Don't do it!
We should have listened to the fellow yelpers who said this place was noisy. We thought..."how bad can it be?"
Well....it is bad. VERY VERY bad.
Our room was:
1. Facing the street
2. Next to the elevator
3. Next to a supply closet
4. On the second floor
All of these factors combined made for a very, very loud stay. We could hear everything - even the key going into the lock of the closet. Because the hallways are tile floors, it is like a giant echo chamber and everything was magnified. Not to mention the bed was against the outside wall - so our heads were basically right on top of the closet and elevator.
In addition, there is construction going on across the street, so we could hear all of that noise....and Pacific is a main street so there were constant sirens, trucks and loud traffic.
Granted, the rooms are large, but the TVs are on the other side of the room, so far away from the bed.
The only other thing to be aware of is that while lots of reviewers find the beds to be really comfy, they are all down - mattress topper, comforter and pillows, so if you have any allergies, you might want to rethink staying here.
I have stayed here many many times over the years and the past 2 stays have not met the standard that this once great hotel earned. I stayed there (room 421) just yesterday and my wife and I were both dissappointed. Once this hotel felt like a bed & breakfast. Special service, special rooms and special memories. The past two times, noisey, dogs barking, squeaky floors, door slaming and the afternoon snack is now water, ice tea, hot tea or bannana/orange or apple. Compared to years past of fine cheeses, beverages and variety of other special local favorites. Gor the price, there are much better choices in Monterey. Don't rely on your past experience of older reviews of the hotel. We are saddened that the bad economy may have put this legacy of a hotel in the ranks of 1 to 2 stars. PS...our last room looked more like a basement and the bed was so uncomfortable I would have rather slept on the couch (but that too was too small)
So the hotel, and room was nice. Although the "Renovated" room was smaller than the non-renovated, and the bathroom mirror was small and cheap. Nice room, not too far from cannery row, so thats a nice plus.
HOWEVER,
The floors/insulation are weak!!! We were awoken at 6AM by the woman upstairs stomping around in high heels for 30 minutes. Needless to say that got the day off to a bad start. I called the front desk, and more or less they told me I was stuck, and to ask for the manager when I check out. Long story short, we fell back asleep after the dismal continental breakfast (poor selection and the fruit was NOT ripe = green bananas)...
The house keeping staff opened our door TWICE while we were sleeping, the heaterS did not work, and the maids cart kep rattling on the tile walkway outside of our room. Not to mention them stomping around in the room upstairs while they were cleaning. If youve ever lived in an apartment with a noisy nighbor, this is like that X100.... mainly because the point of a getaway is to relax not be sleep deprived and annoyed.
Because of this, the rating is 1 star because it destroyed our day.
My boy toy and I stayed here for the first night of our Monterey/ Carmel getaway and it was a great way to start the trip. Hotel Pacific has a lot of old Monterey charm to it and is walking distance from the Wharf and Cannery Row. As for the room, it came equipped with a feather topped bed (which is nice for some, but not for us as our old creaky backs prefer super firm mattresses), a plasma screen tv over a tiled fireplace, and an AWESOME bathroom.
Whenever I stay in a hotel, the first thing I have to check out is the bathroom as it is ALL about the bathroom for me. This bathroom had TWO showers: one shower/ bathtub and one shower stall. The shower stall and the toilet were sectioned off from the other shower and the vanity area, so you can go to the bathroom in privacy while your lovah is splashing around in the bathtub! They supplied Aveda products and bath salts in the bathroom- I was one happy girl!
There is also a couch and a couple armchairs around the fireplace and plasma, which is great for relaxing and watching horrible reality shows as my boy toy and I did at the end of the evening. Too bad it was too warm to use the fireplace... but maybe that's just a perfect reason to return in the winter!
This is my "I NEED TO GET OUT OF TOWN.... NOW!!!!" safe haven. I love this place. Thinking back I have probably stayed here a total of six times over four years. I like to think that I have this place down to a science.
I've learned to reserve a room in the court or pay the extra price for a "premium location". This means that you are on the top floor with vaulted ceilings and not street side. The street side faces a large hotel that is host to weddings, proms, conventions ,etc. and can have a lot of street noise. You tend to hear a lot of it if you are trying to sleep.
The location is great. There is a small general store about 1/2 block away. We always stock up on cocktails, juice, crackers, etc. for our room. It's a much better value than indulging in the in-room treats that will cost you big time. Also within walking distance is "old" Monterey which has a variety of restaurants and pubs. It is also a very short walk to the pier. I love the choices that are available without having to drive anywhere especially when we go there just to unwind.
The last time I stayed at the Hotel Pacific, it was being renovated. After being emailed a customer satisfaction survey, the management mailed me a $150.00 gift certificate due to some inconveniences that were endured due to construction. I've seen photos on line of the upgrades, most notable the installation of a large flat screen TV and the bathrooms. It looks like the unique atmosphere of the room remains the same.
Bottom line.... spend the little extra money for a quieter room location. Enjoy the free breakfast that offers a variety of food such as fresh fruit, granola, danishes, bagels, hard boiled eggs, coffee, various juices, milk, etc. All are offered on a large table ready to serve. Not small prepackaged portions (except for the small Kellogg cereal boxes) that are common in a lot of continental breakfast. I have never encountered a problem during check in or with management in general. I now give them extra kudos for sending me the gift certificate.
I'm looking forward to re-visiting the Hotel Pacific on my next relaxation getaway. Can't wait!!!
When I like to go low key in Monterey I like to go here....especially since they have these great fire places....and it's all soooo close....walking distance close to the wharf. And you know how much I love that clam chowder. Not even the Monterey rain could keep me from getting a pint of the creamy stuff. And at the Grotto they also have this shrimp cocktail....between you and me I don't generally eat shrimp cocktail but this has changed my perspective and blessed me with an entirely new appreciation for it. The four post beds are just to die for.....no seriously, if I were to die I could not think of a more indulgently heavenly bed I would not pick another.....makes me sleepy just thinking of it. They also have this nice weather proof indoor downstairs parking garage.
This is my get away place, When I want to get away and go into hiding this is where i go. The beds are so relaxing and when you got that fireplace lit on a rainey night just the right getaway. Usually the first night i'll order food to be delivered in and catch a movie or listen to music. The staff is very friendly and will go out of there way to help you and your needs. they seem to remember you when you come back and give you that extra touch that the other hotels don't give you around the corner. Been there done that.
We really wanted an ocean view room, but instead stayed at Hotel Pacific since it was the big Grand Prix weekend in Monterey and the only other rooms to be had were Comfort Inn quality. I guess we were lucky there was a cancellation here at $300 for the night. We had a hard time finding the place and had to call, by that time we were getting testy, we were already not happy about the lack of ocean view and we were hungry. Once we found the hotel we were pleasantly surprised by the rustic comfortable lobby and the staff was very nice and attentive.
I had asked for a top floor room with a balcony, but we ended up with room 207. It's technically on the top floor of that section and has a courtyard, but the stairs to the next wing are right next to and above the courtyard so there's really no privacy at all and it was kind of noisy in the early evening and in the morning.
The room is actually a suite with a fireplace, couch and chairs kitchen area with table and a huge bathroom. The bed and couch are super comfortable. There was too much furniture crammed into the space so it felt crowded but I guess if you were there with a family it would come in handy. There is a ceiling fan in place of air conditioning and it wasn't too hot. The bathroom is very nice, with both a tub/shower and a standalone shower. The bathroom has a tv/radio also.
The way our room was configured, there were windows with shutters by the kitchen/living area but no windows near the bed so it was DARK - great for sleeping - and it was after 10am before we even realized it the next morning. Breakfast ends at 10 and checkout is at 11 so we had to boogie to get showered, dressed and out. There are Aveda products in the bathroom but our mending kit was actually just an empty box, which makes me wonder about the quality of housekeeping (although the room appeared to be very clean), and when I asked for one at the front desk they couldn't find one for me. Bummer.
Overall, this is a nice hotel if a bit quirky. I wouldn't recommend it for a romantic weekend. More of a family place or if you wanted to stay and check out Monterey for a few days and wanted the extra living space and kitchen area.
The rooms have a tuscany theme. Each is a large suite with a gas fireplace. This is definitely the perfect place for a romantic getaway with your manatee.
Definitely will be back for what will be many return visits to Monterey...And, at the moment, this could be our choice hotel to stay at for the forseeable future.
Pluses
King size bed was quite comfortable and terrific night of sleep...Spacious room (Although perhaps not the BEST use of space)...42 inch plasma....Gas fireplace...Excellent wash/bath room with 2 showers...Close to the wharf but no so close that you are on top of Tourism Hell.
Minuses
We had the courtyard side room and while we didn't get street noise, you can pick up on noise above you (Perhaps this is due to the hardwood floors)...Noise insulation does seem to be a problem but then again I am a heavy sleeper...There's a cheese snack time in the afternoon but the cheese weren't very impressive and no wine...I mean, come on...A LITTLE win perhaps otherwise Cheese & Cracker time??....Seems a bit substandard to me....Rooms come with a continental breakfast but nothing special there although better than your typical continental breakfast...DVD player not available in the room unless you ask for it (Seems a bit shaky that they're apparently passing around a few DVD players to 100 + rooms)...In room coffee (Ok, if you're a coffee snob like I am, it's going to be hard to please me anyway but how hard is it to get even decent coffee for the room?...It was terrible and if you're going to put a coffee maker in the room, how about providing something that is memorable, but in a GOOD way).
Overall, we really enjoyed the hotel and the stay in Monterey for the weekend...The hotel definitely added to it and I think that because it was low key but well appointed added to the serene experience...Bonus for the hotel not tacking on the additional $16/day charge for parking as apparently they used to.
My hubby and I stayed here for our honeymoon. It was so cute!! The bed is big and the rooms are cabin like. It has a big tub, and a separate shower. The bathroom is covered in a auburn tile, and is very very clean. It had a separate living room area with a fireplace. And you get your own mini patio. We had a very comfortable, and cozy stay here.
