Monterey?

Carmel?

Carmel Valley?

Carmel Highlands?

Pacific Grove?

Pebble Beach?

Seaside?

However, Mr. Toy has some suggestions to help you narrow your search. First, ask yourself what type of lodgings you prefer and what can you afford. Basic motel? Bed & Breakfast? Full service hotel? Next, read the sections below and decide which part of the peninsula best suits your interests. Once you've done that you can tackle the guidebooks and web listings much more quickly. Then, if you have a question about a specific place, you can ask Mr. Toy about it. He might actually know something.

With money being tight for everyone these days Mr. Toy wants to make sure you are aware of some discounts that are available. Follow these links to learn more. Don't worry, they open in a new window so you won't lose your place in the Toy Box.

• Promo Code: ESCAPE50 for BedandBreakfast.com Savings (Expires 1/31/09)
• AAA members save up to 20% off lowest rates at Best Western
• Best Western Government & Military
• AARP® Members Save Minimum of 10% at Best Western
• NASCAR® Race Fans save at least 10% at Best Western

One caution: Make your reservations as early as possible. During holidays things get pretty full. Even during off-season times everything can fill up if there is a big event in the area, such as the AT&T Pro-Am Golf Tournament, the Monterey Jazz Festival, or a race at Laguna Seca.

More cautions: Be careful not to confuse properties with similar names. There's a Mission Inn and Mission Ranch which have absolutely nothing in common. Likewise there's a Monterey Bay Lodge and a Monterey Bay Inn. One is a motel (the Lodge), the other is a small hotel. Only one is actually along the bay (the inn), while the other is a couple of blocks inland. Which brings us to another caution. Some advertising can be deceptive. Mr. Toy doesn't want to give any names here to protect himself from the guilty, but a small number of lodgings have names or descriptions which imply proximity to the ocean or other attractions, but they aren't really very close.

Monterey:

Monterey is the center of everything. It is a small and busy city with a rich history.

Downtown:
Some of the biggest hotels on the peninsula are in downtown Monterey. There are also a few smaller ones. Select a place downtown if you want to be in an urban environment. Most downtown accommodations are within walking distance of the waterfront, the wharf, and countless historic sites. There is also considerable nightlife in downtown Monterey. This could be an asset if you like to stay out late at restaurants or nightclubs, but a drawback if you prefer tranquility after dark.

Cannery Row:
There are two large, full service hotels here, and a couple of smaller ones, all of which are right on the water and have spectacular bay views. Go one block inland and you'll find a few above average motels. Like downtown, there is a lot of night life so the streets can be a bit noisy at night. The southern end of the Row, farthest from the aquarium, is fairly calm, however. The recreation trail runs past most of these places giving you foot/bicycle access to downtown Monterey and Pacific Grove. The aquarium is just a short walk down the street. Cannery Row is a great area if you want to be close to the bay.

Motel Row:
This area is along Munras Avenue between Highway 1 and downtown Monterey. There are gobs of clean basic motels here. The advantage is that they are right in the middle of everything. The disadvantage is they are close to nothing, at least not close enough to walk. However, downtown Monterey and the waterfront are just a short drive down the hill, and Carmel is just a short drive over the hill. If all you want is a room that is relatively cheap, pick a place on Motel Row. Any one will do. Most of the places are AAA approved, and many are affiliated with Best Western or Comfort Inns. You can get reservations easily through any of those three agencies, which you can find in your own local phone book.

North Fremont Boulevard:
Like Motel Row, there are several clean and basic motels here, including a Motel 6. Some of them date back to the earliest days of motel construction, which is sort of quaint. Quality is not as consistent as on Motel Row, the neighborhood is less refined, and things are a little farther away. North Fremont is within walking distance of the Monterey Fairgrounds, home of many special events such as the Monterey Jazz Festival, Blues Festival, and a bunch of other things. If you are attending one of these events staying on North Fremont lets you avoid the hassles of parking. 

By the Freeway:
There are a few "resort" style hotels sprinkled alongside the freeway. There's the Monterey Beach Hotel which is technically in Monterey, but really is more like Seaside. It is one of the very few local properties outside of Cannery Row that are directly on the beach. Near Aguajito Road there's a Hyatt (which is within walking distance of the fairgrounds), a Hilton, and a few motels. None of these places are exceptionally luxurious, but they're not bad, either. Sometimes prices at these properties are pretty good, but bear in mind that some of their rooms overlook and overhear the freeway.

Carmel:

For peace and tranquility stay in Carmel. It's a small town full of interesting shops, art galleries, and excellent restaurants, all in a fairy-tale forested setting. The business district can be pretty bustling during the day, but most everything, except the restaurants, closes up around 6:00pm. If you stay here, carry a flashlight if you go out walking at night because there are very few streetlights.

Downtown:
The downtown area is roughly bounded by 4th street on the north, Junipero on the east, 8th on the south and Monte Verde on the west. Nearly all of the downtown lodgings are within a block and a half of this boundary. There are several top-of-the-line motels, some rustic cottages, and a few small hotels in this area. Many have fireplaces. The motels along Junipero are the largest. The small hotels are in older, historic buildings. Choose downtown Carmel if you want to be near lots of restaurants and shopping. The beach is an easy walk down the hill, but a huff-puff walk back up.

Residential Neighborhoods:
In the residential areas there are several small motels and inns scattered throughout. There is one large hotel (La Playa), and a rustic resort (Mission Ranch). A couple of the smaller places are located along Carpenter Street at the northeast corner of town with easy access to the highway. Others are located between the beach and downtown which are good choices if you want to be able to walk to most things.

Carmel Valley:

Carmel Valley epitomizes California rural life, with an upscale twist. The valley covers a substantially larger area than the peninsula itself. There are several luxurious (and expensive) resort properties plus a handful of more humble lodgings. If you want sunshine and don't mind being a bit isolated from the main attractions, this is the place for you.

There are also a couple of properties near the mouth of Carmel Valley along Highway 1. The most prominent is the Carmel Mission Inn. They lack the charm of Carmel or the rural style of Carmel Valley, but they have the advantage of having easy access to shopping, Carmel, Big Sur and the highway.

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Carmel Highlands:

Located a few miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, the Highlands has sort of a fairy-tale forest ambiance. The community feels isolated, but is just a quick drive to the rest of The Peninsula.

There are two places here. The Highlands Inn is a top-quality luxurious resort (with many of its rooms converted to time-share units). Next door is the Tickle Pink Inn, one of the most luxurious motels anywhere. Both are perched on the side of a steep hill above Highway 1 with spectacular panoramic views of the ocean. Some folks have complained about the highway noise, but Mr. Toy finds it well within acceptable limits. It is much louder in Monterey. Besides, with a view like this who cares?

Pacific Grove:

This community has a quaint Small Town America feel and is ideal if you want something not too urban, but not too rustic either. This town is very un-touristy, and they hope to keep it that way. The sidewalks roll up early, so things are pretty quiet at night.

Motels:
There are fewer of these in Pacific Grove than elsewhere. Many are within walking distance of the shoreline. They vary from ordinary motels to small cabins with fireplaces. Most are on the west side of town on Lighthouse Avenue or Asilomar Drive. There's a couple by the water near Lovers Point, which may have the least expensive bay views on the peninsula. Overall you may find prices in Pacific Grove are a bit lower than in Carmel.

Bed & Breakfast:
Most of the best B&Bs on The Peninsula seem to be in Pacific Grove. Probably because all of the great old Victorian houses are there. There are a few along the Ocean View Boulevard between the aquarium and Lovers Point, and a few in the downtown area. Mr. Toy has heard great things about most of them. Find your Ideal Pacific Grove Bed and Breakfast Inn on BedandBreakfast.com

Pebble Beach:

There are two very expensive resort hotels in Pebble Beach. The Lodge at Pebble Beach is closer to Carmel, and the Inn at Spanish Bay is closer to Pacific Grove. The latter has access to Asilomar State Beach. If you like golf or ocean views these are the places to go. But unless you are fairly wealthy you probably can't afford to stay there.

Seaside:

Seaside is at the opposite end of the economic spectrum from Pebble Beach. There is one big ten-story hotel in Seaside (the Embassy Suites), a smaller Holiday Inn Express next door, and a few motels. The Embassy is a beautiful place (on the inside, anyway), but not very close to anything a tourist would want to be near. It does have easy highway access, and downtown Monterey is five minutes down the street. You'll enjoy great views from the upper floors.

Some of Seaside's motels are in commercial neighborhoods of questionable safety. Don't bother with them unless you are either dirt poor or if everything else is full and you must be here on a specific date. The closer you are to the Monterey border the better off you'll be.