Where to Eat in Monterey

"I found the front-row ocean view—just a few feet from the lobby through floor-to-ceiling windows—to be a drop-dead stunner, and many guest rooms offer ocean views where the roar of crashing waves is immediacy; while the location isn't a short walk to historic downtown or Cannery Row, the hotel's sofas and fire pits on 600 feet of sandy beach (it's the county's only beachfront hotel) are tempting, its restaurant The Lantern Room is a highlight, and the refreshed lobby lounge even offers Taste Monterey wines in two-, four-, or eight-ounce pours from a self-serve station that keeps the space abuzz with guests (and happy dogs)." - Sharon McDonnell