I stayed here for a one night business trip. It is a beautiful hotel with great lookout views of the bay. It's also in a great location for walking either direction to easily get to the aquarium on cannery row or to the pier toward the town center. The rooms are clean and nice but like all hotels in Monterey they are very small. If I was traeling on my own budget versus business expense limits I would have paid extra for a water view room as rooms with no view have NO view.

I recently stayed at the Monterey Plaza Hotel for a girls weekend away. Not only is the Vista Blue Spa amazing, sitting on the rooftop of the hotel with an excellent view, but the our room had an ocean view, which was breathtaking. The entire staff at the hotel & spa were super friendly, I would recommend this hotel to anyone. We also ate at the new restaurant Schooners and had a great meal!

This is a very nice hotel and the staff were very courtesy and went out of their way to be helpful.
The room was clean.

We arrived at this beautiful hotel on my 40th birthday August 2011.
From arrival everything was perfect, valet, check in who wished me happy birthday, bellstaff.
As it was a special occassion we booked a room with a full sea view balcony, the room was well futnished with real comfortable bed, bathroom was well appointed with nice toiletries.
OK the room does not come cheap but we loved the view and sitting out in our robes first thing in the morning, the hotel brought chocolate covered strawberries as a birthday treat that was a pleasant surprise. Waking up in the morning listening to the waves crash in and sea life was fantastic.
On arrival the 1st day we had already dined in Santa Cruz so we decided to walk down Cannery Row and had a few drinks in Sly Mcflys bar a bit different than the hotel to say the least but it hit the spot.
Second evening we ate in the Duck Club, service, ambience and view was superb however would just say we expected a bit more from the food, it was just ok for the price. Following we went into Schooners for cocktails, barman was really friendy and put together a couple of great drinks.
Both mornings we used the coffee shop in the hotel that was great for a quick coffee and breakfast bagette if you don't fancy the full hit.
Overall fantastic stay, very relaxing, furnished, clean hotel in great location would go back tomorrow.