savannah villanueva
Google
Our check-in experience was smooth and the overall stay was pleasant, but a few issues arose that warrant mentioning. We arrived around 6 PM, after the scheduled 4 PM check-in, only to be informed of a planned power outage that evening from 9 PM to 10 PM and again early Tuesday morning from 5 AM to 6 AM. While a one-hour outage seemed manageable, it affected the entire block, not just the hotel. The hotel did offer complimentary wine as an apology for the late notice, which was a nice gesture. Thankfully, the power was restored precisely at 10 PM.
However, the in-room WiFi was unreliable, constantly cutting in and out, making it impossible to stream shows on the TV. The pool was enjoyable, especially for a late-night swim, but the noise level became a problem after 11 PM. A group of guests were loud, yelling and talking outside their room, disrupting the quiet.
Another point of contention was the $17 parking fee. Having stayed at numerous hotels in Monterey, I've never encountered a parking charge when already paying for a room. This felt unnecessary.
To add to the list of inconveniences, on Tuesday morning around 9 AM, I attempted to take a hot shower and discovered there was no hot water. I contacted the front desk, and maintenance was dispatched. They attributed the lack of hot water to the earlier power outage, advising me to wait 15 minutes for it to return. After waiting for 30 minutes, there was still no hot water.
The highlight of our stay was undoubtedly the 50-minute couples massage at the spa, which was part of a $530 package. However, I would advise couples to skip the $50 upgrade for the couples room at the spa. It offered no real added value, as there's no opportunity for interaction or shared relaxation after the massage.
In summary, while the check-in and spa experience were positive, the power outage notification, poor WiFi, noise issues, and parking fee detracted from the overall experience.