Where to Eat in Monterey

"“Beachfront” is often hype, but the front-row view of the ocean, just a few feet away from the lobby through floor-to-ceiling windows, is a drop-dead stunner at the Monterey Beach Hotel. So is its restaurant, The Lantern Room, and the ocean view from many guest rooms, where the roar of crashing waves seeps inside your soul. The location in Monterey city isn’t a short walk to the historic downtown or Cannery Row, but the lure of sofas and fire pits on 600 feet of sandy beach at the county’s only beachfront hotel is tempting indeed. Taste Monterey wines in two, four, or eight-ounce pours dispensed from a self-serve station in the lobby lounge, abuzz with guests (and happy dogs) of the low-slung hotel, which just emerged from a stylish refresh." - Sharon McDonnell