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Portola Hotel & Spa
Categories: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Beauty and Spas Day Spas Hotels, Day Spas [Edit]
Two Portola PlazaMonterey, CA 93940
(831) 649-4511
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Valet
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
204 reviews for Portola Hotel & Spa
Review Highlights
"Great location too, less than 2 miles from Cannery Row."
(in 44 reviews)
"...everything and walking distance from the Fisherman's Wharf."
(in 32 reviews)
"First and foremost, the location can't be beat."
(in 6 reviews)
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204 reviews in English
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Review from Chi N.
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
My bf and I were wavering between Portola Hotel and Hotel Abrego for a weekend getaway as both are pet-friendly. We decided on Portola since it was within walking distance to more things like the wharf and the Cannery.
Portola could use a nip/tuck, in regards to the bathroom, pool & spa, and exterior. The rooms are pretty nice and the bed is soft and plush. Every room has a 40 inch flat screen.
Parking is $17 a day or $20 for valet services. You might as well get valet. $3 for the convenience is a deal. The biggest problem with the hotel is the noise. Since it's located right next to a busy street, it can be hard to nap during the day. But there's virtually no cars at night, so getting a good night's sleep is easy.
The freshly baked chocolate chip cookies upon arrival is a nice touch. -
Review from Ms M.
Los Angeles, CA
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
First off- this is a hotel that seems to offer many online deals & is listed on sites such as trip advisor or Travelocity.
Over all- quite good. Rooms are fresh and recently re-furbished. Ask for the 5th floor & pack earplugs if you are easily disturbed by noise.
The main fault of this hotel is that it is flaked by a busy street and an outdoor mall, which can be disturbing if you need to sleep and are easily awakened by traffic and ambient noise.
If looking for a better deal-Call hotel directly to see if they will better other online offers such as providing an upgrade or give you breakfast.
Best thing is that you can walk to the marina and either run, ride or walk in the morning. You are near the beach as well, which really trumps having to get in your car and find over-priced parking in Monterey. -
Review from John J.
San Jose, CA
12/19/2011
My family and I stayed here two nights. I'm writing this review in the Lobby as you read! The seats in the lobby are really comfortable and I come here to use the Complimentary Wi-Fi to feed my Words with Friends addiction.
Some pluses are the free wifi, cleaning service, and when I called the front desk for extra towels, they brought them up to me in 5 minutes. The decorations in the lobby are great. There are live trees growing INDOORS!! But there are leaves falling everywhere, so I wonder if it's a hassle for them to clean up?
The rooms are nice. The beds are soft. The bathroom is spacious? Uh, that's all. There are 40-inch LG flatscreens in the rooms, so you won't get bored. I took off a star because the front desk messed up our surcharge for our daily rate. We stayed for only $30/day because my dad's company was covering the other $110. LOL That's right, be jelly xD -
Review from Kirk H.
San Rafael, CA
2/6/2012
Oh my - less thn 4 stars for The Portola is undeserving.
This is a classic hotel where the onsite staff take personal pride in making you feel comfortable and at home. The kind of service that Sheraton and Hilton have tried and failed to mass-produce. You will feel it when you check in and experience the sense of trust that you will be well-cared for during your stay.
In my case, I asked for a quiet room and received that and much more. The room was on the 5th floor with an excellent balcony view of the Bay. The room was well appointed and comfortable with a wide flat screen tv, two armchairs, and a king bed floating in pillows.
We ordered eggs bendict from room service and were pleased with the results, considering what a challenge it is to have poached eggs arrive intact and edible. But they were brilliently presented with small cups of lemony hollindaise sauce.
The rates are reasonable and a bargain considering the location.
We had a wonderful stay enhanced by the care and attention of the Portola staff and hope to return many times.
Kirk -
Review from Heather L.
San Jose, CA
2/8/2012
I booked last minute to get out of the Bay Area. I agree with the parking/valet about the price but you are going to find pricey parking anywhere. I did notice that other hotels/motels offer free parking in the area if people search. There is quite a bit of renovation going on in the hotel. I would have loved my experience because it is very close to Fisherman's Wharf it but I was ruined by being up all night with a party a few doors down. I did call to complain three times and the only offer was to move my room. It was almost 2:00AM and I was only there for one night so I didn't see the value in uprooting in the middle of the night. The Hotel is so enormous there is no reason I should have ever been placed next to the club/party to begin with. It did ruin my Whale Watching excursion because I had to be up early so I was very bummed that the room wasn't better for the price. This tends to be a more expensive hotel unless you get a deal through a site.
A cookie is nice but a quiet night is better. I have shared my experience and I do believe you are better off spending a bit more to stay on Cannery Row and not several miles away. The price of the hotel is going to give you a nicer room and you can walk rather than deal with the parking. Hopefully, it will be quieter. -
Review from Andrew C.
San Jose, CA
1/19/2012
Great location near the wharf and downtown, spacious rooms, fair price without a bunch of hidden fees. Will definitely be back.
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Review from d l.
Santa Cruz, CA
1/17/2012
Went to the Portola spa for a 3 hour splurge (a deal from TravelZoo). A VERY relaxing day. I especially enjoyed my massage with Steven. He was skillful and kind as he massaged out my extremely sore and tight back. I would go back just for another massage!
My vitamin C facial with Tara truly brightened and softened my skin. Spa staff kindly fixed my manicure when it smudged while I was getting dressed. Everything actually took longer than 3 hours. I was in no hurry, but you might want to consider this if you are planning something else the same day. Tip for a great meal that's even within walking distance: Rosine's Restaurant.
The bath enhancement was okay, but I would probably skip this next time. The relaxation room doesn't offer much privacy and is pretty small compared to other spas I have visited. My only suggestion is thicker robes--I managed to snag a fluffy one from a treatment room, but my friend had the standard, thin waffle weave robe. -
Review from Lily W.
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place was pretty awesome (even though I was only here for the day for a conference). This review is not based on their cleaniness of the rooms or the rooms itself but the overall atmosphere of the hotel was amazing. Very spacious, it had that homey sea-side vibe. Totally would come here if I'm on vacation in Monterey again!
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Review from Stacia S.
Sherman Oaks, CA
12/27/2011
Hubby and I stayed here for one night on the way to San Francisco. Overall - a great experience and a lovely hotel in a great location - just steps from the wharf.
We have traveled all over the world, so I am super picky when it comes to hotels.
Check in was super easy and the front desk crew was awesome! So friendly and welcoming. The warm cookies they give you at check in are a nice touch.
The room - really nice! Way beyond our expectations. It was nicely appointed, very clean, and super comfortable. Free wifi. Very comfy bed. Nice bathroom.
We got a special rate through travel zoo that included a buffet breakfast. The breakfast was just okay - not great. Enough to eat, but definitely a little light on the choices - maybe because it was almost christmas and the hotel was quiet.
Regardless, if we were to pass through Monterey again, we would definitely stay again at Portola!! Two thumbs up!! -
Review from Chelle A.
Cupertino, CA
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Stayed here for the monterey symposium. Had a great stay. First your welcomed by bell man opening the door for you entering a beautiful lobby with real trees with wonderful falling leaves. When you check in your given delicious complimentary chocolate chip cookies. Our suite had great classic decor also spacious and clean. I will definitely stay here again when I'm in Monterey.
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Review from Sharon H.
San Francisco, CA
10/10/2011 3 Check-ins Here
We stayed here this past weekend for our 1 year anniversary from Sat - Mon. I'm an avid user of Priceline so I won this on Priceline under 4-Stars for $115 / night. We called in on Fri night to request for a room with a king sized bed. They told us that it was a packed weekend and they may or may not be able to give it to us - we'll have to wait and see when we get there.
Check in time is 3p, we go there at 4. No more king beds, so we got a room with 2 double beds, in the secondary building, and the last unit (probably the furthest room away as possible...) It was quite a frustrating process actually. We wanted ~20 mins to even check in. Then we we walked all the way to the room, ours keys didn't work. My husband walked all the way back to the front desk to get new keys, walked all the way back - still didn't work. He used the help phone to call the engineer. A friendly guy named Tom came and he was pretty helpful. He let us into the room, and then went to go get new keys for us again (which still didn't work) then he got the engineer to come and actually fix our door. I passed out on the bed at some point during this whole ordeal.
That night my husband couldn't sleep at all. All we heard was street noise - I think our windows were messed up. Also at about 11p-midnight, the fire alarm went off. It was extremely loud and there was actually smoke so we left the building and waiting around outside with the other people. Turns out someone put out their cigarette in a plant which set up fire.. and set off the alarm. (which is really not the hotels' fault, just idiot people but still annoying to our overall experience)
The next day we switched rooms, to a king room and facing somewhere else. The room was muuuuuuch better. because it was a king bed room (So only 1 bed obviously) the room felt much more spacious. There was a patio, there was no outside noise, the room was dead silent, everything better. If we got this room to begin with, without all the headache of the door lock, I would've given the hotel 5 stars.
On a positive note, I echo everyone else's comment - the location is PERFECT. Soooo close to Fisherman's wharf, the downtown strip, and walkable to Cannery Row (although we were too lazy to do the walk but it looked walkable!) Only 10-15 mins to downtown Carmel as well.
We would like to stay here again if we ever came back to Monterey. -
Review from Anthony W.
Sacramento, CA
9/14/2011
A 4 star on Priceline but maybe more like a 3-3.5 star in reality. For the $105 bid that was accepted, I consider this place a bargain for Monterey. The location is fantastic with a short walk to Old Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row. The rooms are nicely decorated, with great bedding, but the bathrooms are a little bit slapped together and not as nice (bad grout/tile job).
The lobby is fantastically large and the staff friendly. The pool is small and not too deep and water tastes a bit too salty, but good enough for play time for the kids as long as they spit out the water quickly.
Walls are thin but it's fun to eavesdrop on your neighbors. There are seagulls squawking in the early morning so bring yer earplugs.
Overall we had a great stay! -
Review from Malyna T.
Arlington, VA
1/27/2012
Spent a weekend here. It has a great location, the room was nice and had its own patio, the bed was very soft and plush. Although, overly soft, especially if you have any back problems. The only major issue we had was the noise, probably due to the location. We could also hear people running and slamming their doors. So we didn't have a good night sleep the entire weekend we were there.
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Review from Christina S.
Sacramento, CA
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great customer service. The place is beautiful, spread out and has everything - a full service spa, restaurant, micro-brew pub, fitness center, and all within walking distance to everything else-downtown Monterey, the wharf and even cannery row. I will visit again. Love , Love, Love, the spa and pool!
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Review from C C.
Newport Coast, CA
12/30/2011
Well, this hotel is old but there are few excellent areas that I should mention..
The bathroom needs renovation to bring up to the 21 century. The cleanliness is there but the outdated looks has to be changed.
Their breakfast buffet is one of the best I have ever had. The quality of service and the fresh fruit and vegetables locally collected are great! Also their french toast-Yam! They use real berries such as blueberries, rasberries, blackberries, and etc over the crunchy yet mouth-melting soft french toast-wow!
This hotel seems to care for GREENNESS. They give you $5 voucher, if you skip the room cleaning service. I praise for that attitude. Also I noticed all of the plants and flowers (even Christmas tree at the lobby) were real. To me that means this hotel has some sort of dignity which I respect.
I would definitely come back to this hotel because I simply like hotels have certain dignity and values. I would become a big fan of this hotel, if it renovates the bathroom with a big spa-type tub with marble floor! -
Review from Jenny G.
Brooklyn, NY
11/14/2011
The hotel and spa are in a great location... close to the wharf, cannery row, the aquarium, downtown, etc. We were able to check in early, which was nice, and to experience the glory that is the bedding!! Soft, cozy, plush... it's like sleeping on perfect clouds!
The spa area is a building over from the hotel, and could use a few tweaks... We checked in early for our appointments (hair and massage), but were lost in the shuffle and were thought to be late by our stylist and massage therapist. While we waited for our appointments, we were seated in a very small room (in our robes), and the room was a mixture of men AND women in robes... it was very strange. We could also hear some of the staff laughing and fooling around - not so relaxing for a spa. They definitely need to work on that!
I had arranged for a 20-minute hot tub followed by massage and was left in my 20-minute tub for about 45 minutes! I thought I might pass out from heat stroke! Finally, my massage therapist came to fetch me... and told me that no one had informed her that i was soaking in the tub. The massage was really terrific! A little too much talking by the therapist in the beginning... and casual conversation, not questions about what I wanted, but overall, a very enjoyable massage.
My friend had a similar experience with her hair appointment... her stylist thought her late, but when he finally realized she'd been waiting for 30 minutes past her appointment, he was apologetic and got right to work. He did a FANTASTIC job with the cut and color. I'm pretty sure she'll be back for another visit.
Finally, if you're looking for a mani/pedi... this is not the place to have it done. There aren't regular stations like in a nail salon... so the person doing your nails stands over you while you hold your hands on a pillow. Awkward!! -
Review from keri k.
9/9/2011
Great location right near everything in Monterey! Walk to the wharf, the beach, restaurants downtown, etc. The rooms at Portola are so comfortable and visually appealing. The bed is posh! Not crazy about the fact to reach our room we have to walk back outside and then go back through the hotel to exit.
We stayed here because of a deal on Travelzoo that also included free breakfast. The breakfast is super bomb! Bottomless mimosa, omelette made to order, full buffet style and delicious.
In a nutshell the reasons to stay here:
1. rooms- very nice, modern, and clean
2. location
3. breakfast is good (especially if you can get it thrown in with the room)
Wish WIFI came with the room though (it's an additional $10/day). Oh and parking is $17... -
Review from Heather H.
Cripple Creek, CO
10/1/2011
The hotel is beautiful and the location is perfect for tourists. We got a deal with a breakfast package and a reduced rate, and now we know why these rooms were reduced. We were on the third floor with a balcony facing the "plaza" and it was loud all night. We were close to the pull-in for the hotel and a few roads that intersect, so besides the people walking through the plaza we also had vehicles traveling through. They also do not have air conditioning in the rooms, so make sure you have a window or door that opens. We had a balcony door, but we had to close it at night to have any chance to sleep. There is a ceiling fan which helped circulate the air.
The bed is comfortable and the breakfast was good, but we would not have paid the $17.95 for it, we only went there because it was part of the package. Also know that if you order the french toast they will put fruit on it, so let them know if you do not want it.
We usually only use hotels for the place to sleep and usually go cheaper, but this was a nice opportunity. Unfortunately sleeping was not easy here. -
Review from Yury M.
Walnut Creek, CA
9/14/2011
Want to warn you before you book the hotel: at check-in we were asked if we need 1 king or 2 queen beds room. What they call queen bed turned out to be a twin bed. Room size is pretty small so that I'm not sure if 2 double bed room can fit there. 2 twin beds were hardly fit there with only one night stand. I can assume there king bed might be queen actually, so be careful.
Other concern is noise. The hotel is not for you if you're used to go to bed early. We read this hotel reviews beforehand, and knew people often complain on noise. That's why we asked for quiet room on reception. Receptionist told us they had perfect quiet room for us, but it happened to be room on 5th floor with windows on busy road. The hotel is surrounded by noisy roads, probably we got less noisy room but it was still noisy until midnight. There was also a minor problem with tap water - it's really hard to make it flowing warm, it was changing temperature suddenly from hot to cold.
We do not lodge in 4 star hotels frequently, so it's hard for me to compare this hotel to same level hotels, however I have not found any significant difference with 2/3 stars Inns we use to stay in. What I liked in this hotel was its location, big screen Tv and pretty neat in-room interior/design, but all this things are quite minor for us and does not worth additional $150 a night. If you add to the price of a room extra charges for Internet access, parking ($17 per night), breakfast ($30 for 2 persons) you got around $150 difference with lower class hotels where all this things are for free and room cost much cheaper. -
Review from Tony L.
Foster City, CA
8/28/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Granted, I got the room at a discounted rate with a breakfast package, but, it left a lot to be desired.
The check-in was quick and efficient and they gave each guest a warm cookie. The rooms are spread over 3-4 buildings and the front desk gave no directions other than point to the elevators.
The room was at the end of the farthest building, below street level with a great view of a dirt embankment! The room was clean and decent sized. There was a a large flat screen TV, desk between the two double beds with two table lamps, a side chair with a standing lamp. The room also had a coffee machine and a mini fridge. There was a full set of toiletries in the bathroom.
The problems besides the view are:
1. There was insufficient lighting for the room.
2. There is no air-conditioning and the window does not open, leading to a very stuffy room with no fresh air.
3. There is a slight slope to the edges of the bed giving you the feeling you can roll off at any time.
4. You can hear other rooms' toilets flushing at all hours of the night.
They charge extra for parking, $17/day self parking or $20/day valet parking. Internet access is also extra. -
Review from brian k.
Santa Cruz, CA
10/30/2011
Almost awesome
We price lined this hotel and it turned out to be a pretty darn good deal. Its location is hard to beat and rooms were decent. Linens were soft and clean while the staff was surprisingly helpful and pleasant. Room service is very reasonably priced and was incredibly delicious.
Not the quietest of places especially with the raging indian bar right outside.
All in all comfortable but not breathtaking. I would not pay the full 300 dollars a night but anything under 150 is a great deal. -
Review from Trent C.
West Sacramento, CA
12/10/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I love this hotel. The proximity to Fisherman's Warf and downtown is a huge plus. The service was great and the rooms were really nice. Having a parking garage attached and not having to park on the street really sold this place for me.
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Review from Mel A.
San Francisco, CA
11/21/2011
Just returned from a 2 night stay & can't recommend this hotel highly enough!!!
It was one of the 2 sponsored hotels for the Big Sur Half Marathon so opted to stay here instead of the Marriott & I am sure glad I did. We called ahead to request a quiet room (based on reading other yelp reviews) which was noted in our reservation & they happily accommodated us at check-in. After a quick & easy check-in we were handed 2 huge warm chocolate chip cookies with our room keys & directed to our quite room on the 6th floor. Room was spacious, modern, clean and comfortable. Our 2 over-sized double beds were very inviting with fluffy down white comforters & pillows. Covering the floor to ceiling windows were large white plantation shutters with a mini balcony (not really for use) over looking an outdoor courtyard. Behind the shutters was a sliding glass door that allowed for fresh air. The LG flat screen tv was also a nice touch! Bathroom was spacious with ample counter space. Only minor complaint was weak water pressure in the shower.
But what really made this hotel experience so memorable was the extremely friendly staff! As out-of-towners we had lots of questions about restaurant recommendations, directions, etc and they were always thorough & helpful (esp. the Gianni's pizza tip--sooo yummy!). Our personal fave hotel staffer was Melizza at the front desk...she was terrific! I also highly recommend utilizing the valet vs self-parking. For a few $ more, the valet staff had our car ready for us within in minutes, which was impressive on such a busy race weekend. They were also very personable and friendly! -
Review from jerrisherri M.
Monterey, CA
11/10/2011
I had a facial and full body massage for my birthday gift. The staff were okay. They were sweet but not really trained to work at an expensive service industry. Since spas are pretty luxurious service, can't they hire little more professional people rather than just, pretty-to-look at early 20s women with smoky eye make-up? The quality of service was not impressive, again just okay. The masseuse almost seemed like a trainee and there was nothing special. I wish my husband picked Elysium instead.
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Review from Lucy Y.
Mountain View, CA
7/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great location, yummy cookies at check in. Rooms are small and the walls are thin like everyone said. The weirdest thing is there is no AC. We got a room close to the street so opening the window was not an option. But even though it was in the 60's outside, it felt stuffy with the windows closed. Can they call this a 4 star with no AC?
For kids: They forgot to bring a crib for us. So we move the mattress on the floor and slept on the floor. They gave our daughter a cute whale with the hotel name on it which she loved. -
Review from Erin P.
Chicago, IL
6/15/2011
My boyfriend and I stayed at the Portola after the Big Sur Marathon 2011 and I cannot imagine a better place to have spent our post-marathon hours. The hotel and room was beautiful, the bed was huge and oh so comfortable, there was a nice size tub (for a post marathon bath) and a small balcony. Additionally everyone who worked in the hotel was incredibly nice!
While at the hotel we also dined at Jack's for both dinner and brunch. Service again was fabulous for both.
At dinner the food was good, not great, but enjoyable. Our server and the manager were very accommodating and helpful. I also really liked that they had special prices on local glasses and bottles of wine.
The buffet area for brunch may have appeared small but it was great; omelet station, cheese and meats, fresh fruit, potatoes, eggs and bacon and more. The brunch also included your choice of Belgium waffles or french toast, which were brought to the table piping hot. (the best thing I ate at Jacks!). All for a total of $15 each, it was a steal.
We were lucky enough to have the Living Social deal which gave us the room, parking and dinner for under $200. It was an incredible deal.
I would not hesitate to stay here again for a special occasion. -
Review from Victor C.
Arcadia, CA
7/3/2011
Location great. Within walking distance to downtown, the wharf. And if you can't walk there is a trolly station right out front that will take you to places a bit further out. I would give this place 3 1/2 stars if 1/2 stars were permitted. Here's my rating system for hotels:
Cleanliness - The rooms were clean and well maintained. Each room has a flat screen, comfy beds. The grounds were clean, the pool was heated, they had a descent gym. 1 Star.
Friendly and Attentive Staff - Good staff. Always ready to offer their advice and help. 1 Star.
Decor/grounds - It felt like a Holiday in. Not bad, not great. No star given here.
Food/Drinks- Hmmm sorry, but i was a bit disappointed. We ate at the Jack's and Peter B's. Jacks buffet and Peter B's was decent, but the bar food was really not good. Plus service at Peter B's was really bad. I will give this category a 1/2 star.
Location - Perfect location. Easy access to anything we wanted. 1 Star. -
Review from Mitchelle M.
Aptos, CA
1/4/2012
When I am in the mood to get away and stay close the Portola is my go to spot. The rooms are spacious yet cozy. Please indulge in the room service, the food is amazing yes try the pancakes and oh yes please try the eggs Benedict! After you are done eating a million calories hit the awesome gym that has everything you need. Run on the treadmill and people watch or take a dip in the pool. If you want to explore and eat else were take a stroll and you will find tones of shops and restaurants.
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Review from Abby C.
San Jose, CA
5/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would give it 3.5 stars. The rooms are clean, updated and spacious. The only downfall was the noise. We were able to hear everything going on outside. That and the bathroom is so big the toilet paper is a good 4 feet from you when on the toilet, but hey at least it is well stocked.
The location is nice. Close to everything, like the wharf and Cannery Row, but not so close you get bumped into walking down the street.
I would stay there again. -
Review from Emily J.
5/22/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I recently stayed here while in town for a work conference.
The location is great -- in between the wharf and downtown. There is a farmers market just a block away on Tuesdays from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) There are lots of restaurants and shops within walking distance.
The staff were attentive, helpful and friendly from start to finish.
My room was spacious, clean and updated. As others have mentioned, noise does carry and I could hear my neighbors' toilets flushing and doors opening and closing.
I was disappointed that there isn't in-room wifi. You can purchase 24 hours of internet access for $10 but I much prefer not being limited to a short ethernet cable at a desk. I also found it strange that in order to walk to the 3rd floor rooms, you have to walk across two uncovered walkways -- not good when it is raining, like it was for us when we checked in on Monday.Listed in: Monterey
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Review from Mara M.
Washington, DC
9/1/2011
My husband and I stayed here with our 16 month-old daughter for two nights in July. The hotel was very kid friendly. We got a package that included the breakfast buffet and a spa treatment. Breakfast was great - anything you would want in a typical buffet. The wait staff was very courteous. The spa treatment was also good, the spa is right across the street and is lovely, quiet and clean. The location is perfect, right by the boardwalk area and a totally manageable walk (or shuttle ride) to the Monterey aquarium. We would definitely stay there again.
There's also a park pretty close by called the Dennis the Menace Park, which is a great place for kids. -
Review from Bella F.
San Jose, CA
6/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This hotel is smack in the middle of downtown monterey. There are plenty of bars, pubs, restaurants to go to. I enjoyed walking up and down looking at all the stores and grabbing some drinks here and there.
The Portola hotel and Spa is pretty awesome. We were greeted and checked in in a FLASH! They also gave us warm baked chocolate chip cookies! The lobby area is big, spacious and beautiful. As for parking, there is a joint garage (w/Chase Bank) and you can either self park for $17 or valet for $20. There are in and out priveleges. Once you check in, you can use your room key card to go in and out of the garage and once you check out they add it to your total amount/bill. This was amazing and convinient.
***We reserved a courtyard King size bed room and it was nice! The room has a nautical theme and it was clean and spacious. We also had an outside patio with chairs and a table. I wish the weather would have been warmer or else we would have drank our champagne outside. The bathroom was clean, came with your typical basics (mini shampoo, conditioner, etc) and a hair dryer! The tv was awesome, except the remote sucked! but thats neither here or there because we were out and about most of the time. We had a Krueger (i think i spelled correctly) coffee maker :) The bed was very very comfortable. I seriously wanted to melt in.
My boyfriend and I checked out the pool and jacuzzi and it was decent. The hotel provides you with bathrobes upon request (might i mention they are a tad bit small if you are over 6 feet tall). The pool was nicely heated (which is good especially since Monterey is always cold half the time I go).
There was a nice restaurant/bar downstairs named Jacks. We had some drinks and appetizers there. The service was friendly and good. I also saw an outside patio with a fire pit which I can only assume is nice when it is not so cold and rainy.
Overall, we will be coming back to this hotel. I enjoyed every minute being there. The staff was friendly, helpful and professional. The room was more than what we expected and is near Cannery Row, downtown and places to eat, drink, and shop. They made our 3 year anniversary weekend very memorable and special. Thank you! -
Review from Ally L.
Concord, CA
9/7/2011
Stayed here recently with my husband and 15 month old daughter. Price was reasonable, location was great (right on Fisherman's Wharf). We ended up walking everywhere, from the aquarium, to restaurants, Denis the Menace park and had a great time.
Room was great, service was awesome. We got a free movie since our TV wasn't plugged in and needed someone to come up stairs and we only got charged for 2 days of parking versus 3. Def. going back.
Spa was nice too, though too pricey for me to get treatments the next time we go. -
Review from Anna C.
7/3/2011 2 photos
Clean room, great service, and fantastic location.
It is right in the heart of downtown that offers a variety of dining options. Moreover, it is adjacent to the old pier.
Everyone is very friendly and they are very accomodating.
The room can be a bit noisy at night due to the thin walls. However, you mostly just hear water running- not other guest. I hate going to a hotel and you can hear what the other guest are doing in the next room. In this place, that is not the case.
I would come back here again because it is so close to everything. It is in a safe area and the surrounding is orderly and clean. -
Review from Laura S.
Lodi, CA
6/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Okay, I'll be as clear and to the point as possible:
Positives:
Beautiful Hotel
Extremely Friendly Serivce
Warm Cookies
Comfortable Beds
Perfect Location
Negatives:
Very thin walls - bring ear plugs
Our room was a little worn (priceline)
The good things far outweighed the negatives so I gave this facility 4 stars. -
Review from Sandy N.
5/9/2011
HOTEL, MOTEL, HOLIDAY INN!!
Yes, Holiday Inn Express is what it felt like!
This place is not a 4 STAR hotel!! I'd give it a 2.75 stars bcz of the noise level (the walls are so thin!!!) and it didn't feel 4 stars at all.
3.5 stars for the service!
The rooms were very spacious and clean but nothing 4 stars about it! For the price they ask for I woldn't recommend this place at all! The rep gave us a double bed! Hello!! There is just the 2 of us! And their COOKIES, ahh, it wasn't warm! It may have been baked the same day but it wasn't warm when I got mine! But that wasn't a deal breaker.
The BAD:
-walls are THIN (you can hear people talking and sea gulls in the middle of the night!!)
-beds are super soft that it sinks (could be a good thing if you like soft beds)
-you have to go downstairs to the lobby for free Wifi
-the pool and gym is across the main hotel building, so is the parking
-pricey garage fee (we got ours comped for the 2 days we were there)
The GOOD:
-service was great all the way around
-the location, situated off the wharf, walking distance to the Cannery
-their pillows!! We LOVED their pillows, it is much better than our tempur-pedic pillow!
-mini fridge
-dog friendly!!
We were at the Cannery Row and I noticed the Monterey Plaza Hotel was more of a 4 star place!
The good thing about Portola is that it is walking distance to many locations, but then again so is the Monterey Plaza Hotel (but better views!) -
Review from Christine H.
Houston, TX
10/12/2011
Stayed here for a friend's wedding in Monterey. We received warm cookies when we checked in: a nice gesture. The hotel is old but nice and clean. The bed is comfortable but the pillows sucked--my neck was cramped the entire next day. We had a little patio outside our third floor room. There was a living area next to the bed, and there were two TVs: one for the bed and one for the couch. A waste if you ask me. Who watches two TVs right next to each other? That's what PIP is for. We had a wedding rate of $179 per night but any more than that, and it's a rip.
-
Review from Jennifer Y.
Livermore, CA
10/2/2011
The only reason I'm giving two stars is that the hotel itself is very nice. The rooms are clean and spacious, nice customer service, great location in downtown Monterey, room service was tasty and convenient, and the service I received at the spa was excellent.
However, we had a big problem with the noise. We paid a premium price for a harbor view room. However, the harbor view rooms are located across from a very noisy bar/night club. We had the window shut and it still sounded like we were sitting inside the club instead of a nice hotel room. And the music went late, and I'm talking 2 am late. Fortunately we spoke with the manager that night and she was very understanding and gave us a discount for the inconvenience (which is what spared them from a 1-star review)
I would not recommend this hotel to anyone (unless I hate you and want to torture you with Michael Jackson's "Beat It" until 2 am). I vacation frequently in the Monterey/Carmel area and can name plenty of other hotels that will provide a better overall experience. -
Review from Karen J.
Cupertino, CA
3/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here for my birthday weekend with a friend and ended up having a good time.
The hotel is really nicely done, not over the top. We had a big corner room that overlooked the wharf. The only downside was NO BATHTUB in my room. I love soaking in a nice luxurious bath (especially on vacation) and that weekend would have been perfect since it was raining cats and dogs.
Jack's was good for a decent breakfast buffet. The french toast did not disappoint.
The spa here is what made it. It isn't huge, and the hot tub is outside. BUT, it has a very nice steam room, nice showers, and a good quiet room. (provided it actually is, quiet!)
The staff offers champagne and then I promptly went into the steam room.
I had Valerie as my masseuse. She was 5 star all the way. I think I will come back just to have Valerie work on my back...and I would seriously consider going monthly - she is that good. -
Review from Michael F.
San Anselmo, CA
6/2/2011
I read the other comments, appreciate their points of view, but have to stick my neck out and give this place 5 stars.
We visited recently, somewhat unplanned, and secured a top floor room with views of the bay - perfect. Check-in was extremely smooth, efficient, friendly, and helped along with substantial, warm chocolate chip cookies.
The lobby area is stylish and open. Corridors and rooms are all freshly decorated and kept spotlessly clean. Generous towels in the large bathroom came with plentiful, green-friendly soaps etc. A huge (king size) and very comfortable bed was setup opposite an equally huge flat-screen TV. A Keurig coffee maker gave us our daily kick-start to the day, with a window-seat under the room-wide bay view.
Zero noise from neighboring rooms, even though the place was clearly busy.
We tried Jack's restaurant on one night, and room service another night. Service in the restaurant was very welcoming and attentive without being intrusive. Menu options suited us very well (vegetarian) and the wine list kept us occupied for several minutes while we pinned down our selection.
Room service was prompt, with food at the right temperature, and everything delivered as ordered.
The hotel is located at the very front of the downtown area - there are no other hotels or large buildings before you put your toe in the water. If you sleep with a window open, be aware the sea lions wake up at 4:30am and are pretty noisy about it!
We very much enjoyed our stay, here, and have already scheduled our next visit.
