Monterey, California is a city in Central California that sits next to a gorgeous blue water bay. With a whole big world out there to see, I don’t think this city would have been on my travel radar if it hadn’t been for a work conference I had to attend. Now, after being there, I know I want to go back again due to the city’s beautiful blue water, the good food, and the tranquil vibe. Below you’ll find my experience in case you want to make this a destination for your next points and miles adventure.
Hotel Stay
I got to stay at the Portola Hotel and Spa Monterey Bay, which is in walking distance from Old Fisherman’s Wharf. Cash rates for this hotel are a little over $400 a night. It does not belong to a giant hotel chain, so if you wanted to book this hotel on points you would have to look for it in your bank’s travel portal. I looked for it in the Chase travel portal and it would cost around 35,000 points per night.
When I got to the hotel I was greeted outside of the hotel by a doorman who opened my door. The lobby was a beautiful sight, with trees and soft lighting everywhere. It makes for a cozy place to sit in. They even have a spot with books for kids to sit and read. I arrived to the hotel at about 9 am. I was prepared to sit in this gorgeous lobby and wait for check in, since check in time for the hotel was not until 4 pm. However, we asked if our party could check in early and we were allowed to, so no waiting in the lobby was necessary.
The room was a spacious queen bed room with a small balcony in which I could see the pool, as well a small section of the bay. I could have upgraded to an ocean view for $50 more per night. I chose not to because I would have had to wait, as the room was not yet cleaned. I was starving and did not want to wait, so I gave up the dreams of an ocean view room.
I was able to go into the Marriott Monterey because all of our work conferences were located inside of that hotel. The Marriott is located behind the Portola Hotel, but since the Marriott is much taller, I believe it has a nicer view of the bay and the city. You’ll be paying a lot extra for that view though. The Marriott’s cash rates are around $529 per night. If you’re booking with Marriott points you’ll be paying an average of 94,000 points per night. Keep in mind that you get a fifth night for free when you pay for 4 with points.
Monterey’s Food
The best restaurant I ate at on this trip was Rosine’s! Someone suggested we go there because it had been featured on the Food Network show Diner’s, Drive-In’s and Dives. As you walk in you pass by all of the desserts on display and they all looked delicious! I knew I wanted to try their minestrone soup because that was one of the items featured on the show. I ordered a cup with a side of garlic bread, as well as avocado toast because it was breakfast time. Both items were so delicious! I love to order avocado toast wherever I go, and Rosine’s had the best one of the trip. If you’re not an onion fan, you’ll want to make sure you ask for no onion or easy onion because they pile it on. I love onion, so to me the huge amount they gave was perfect. There was enough to have onion for every bite of my toast.
The soup is a must whenever you go. It definitely lives up to the Food Network’s mention. Since I only had a cup on the first day, I had to go back the next day to order the bowl and have that as my whole meal. If you’re wanting to try the other item featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, it was the lasagna. I wasn’t too hungry so I opted not to try it. Since I plan to go back one day with my kids, I will make it my mission to try it.
That second day I also decided to get some dessert. While everything looked delicious, the peanut butter pie was what I decided to try since it holds a special place in my heart. My mother in law used to make it and so I wanted some to see if it lived up to hers. I was not disappointed. The picture below does not convey the size of the slice correctly. They give a big portion, enough for 2 people to share. It was very rich and so good!
If you’re looking for a special place to eat with a romantic ambiance, the Sardine Factory is your spot. This place is a bit pricier. If you want to treat yourself while in Monterey, go there.
There’s different sections to the restaurant. Each room has a unique theme to it. Its very fun to walk around and see them. We had the privilege of sitting in the gorgeous glass room. That is not the official name of it, but as you can see above it has great views of the sky. Try to make it there at sunset and it’ll be a very romantic date spot. although they serve their World Famous Abalone Bisque soup, I opted to try the clam chowder. I was not disappointed. I decided to go with their steak. It was good but nothing too special.
For coffee and breakfast we went to Alta bakery. It had good ratings and there was a consistent line of people. You walk in and they have a great selection of pastries to go with your coffee. I went very basic with a mocha latte, blue berry muffin, and of course, avocado toast.
The avocado toast did not compare to Rosine’s. The only thing I liked very much on this avocado toast was the candied kumquats. They had a very good flavor and sweetness that went with the avocado.
The last honorable mention was Alejandro’s. It is a Mexican food restaurant. The restaurant is very pretty and there’s a section of the restaurant that allows you to see into the kitchen. You can watch them make corn tortillas and your meals.
I had to mention Alejandro’s for 2 things:
1) that corn on the cob you see on my plate was the second best thing I ate on this trip. It was a bit spicy, creamy, and had a lime taste to it. I cannot describe how good it was.
2) They bring a salsa sampler with your meal in order of sweet to spiciest. The spiciest habanero salsa was sooooo good. Everyone at the table said it was VERY spicy. I love spicy food so to me I could feel the spice, but it wasn’t overwhelming. Some salsas are just spicy but have no flavor. This one had both. If you love the heat, pour that one on your food.
To Do:
This was a working trip so I did not get to relax and enjoy the city. We did walk the Old Fisherman’s Wharf to see the water and the animals. You will definitely see seals and sea otters. They have a lot of restaurants there, which unfortunately I did not get to try. They also have boat rides you can go on. Monterey also has a world famous aquarium, but I did not have time to check that out.
Monterey is also home a lot of candy stores. I never found out why but you will find them everywhere. I took advantage and sampled some chocolate. Take you spouse. Have some dinner by the water. Grab some chocolates for dessert and sit by the bay. You’ll love the vibe of this relaxing city.
On our way to the San Jose airport we stopped by the Pebble Beach Golf Course to enjoy the view and eat some brunch. If you or your spouse is into golfing, you wont want to miss this opportunity.
Follow me on instagram @mamitravelswithpoints to see where points and miles takes me and my family of 6 and to learn how you too can use points and miles to see the world
