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Home » Reviews » Hotel Reviews » Review: Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa
Hotel ReviewsHyatt

Review: Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa

Matthew Klint Posted onMarch 25, 2021November 14, 2023 9 Comments

a sign on a rock

The Hyatt Regency Monterey is a comfortable hotel on a golf course, ideally located just minutes from downtown Monterey.

In This Post:

Toggle
  • Hyatt Regency Monterey Review
    • Check-In
    • Guest Room
    • Breakfast
    • COVID-19 Precautions
    • Airport Shuttle
    • Resort Fee
    • Pet Policy
    • Parking
    • Lounge
  • CONCLUSION

Hyatt Regency Monterey Review

Check-In

We arrived in the late evening and found no wait at the front desk to check in. The agent greeted me, swiped my card, and handed me a room key: the whole process took less than two minutes. No suite upgrades were available, though I was upgraded to a room facing the golf course rather than the parking lot.

a building with a brick roof and a stone walkway

a building with brick pillars and a brick walkway

a room with a fireplace and tables

a room with a table and chairs

a room with a brick column and tables and chairs

a room with chairs and a table

Guest Room

Rather than one large building, this hotel is spread over 22 acres (most of it being the Del Monte golf course) and includes many smaller buildings, some connected by covered bridges. All buildings are three stories. Our room was located on the top floor of building nine.

a child running in a hallway

a sign with numbers and a horse on it

Our room was small, though not tiny. I had reserved a room with two queen beds, but discovered only a single king bed when I opened the door. I had also called ahead to have a crib delivered to the room and it was not there. Perhaps I was assigned the wrong room?

But it was late and rather than make the switch (because I had already lugged our bags up to the top floor), I just called down to again request a crib and my wife and I let my son Augustine sleep between us.

The guest rooms have been recently remodeled and as is becoming common, our bathroom did not include a bathtub (which is a shame because both my kids like taking baths).

a room with a bed and a desk and a fan

a bed with white sheets and a chair in a room

a bed with white sheets and two lamps

a tv on a table and a chair in a room

a tv on a stand

a black alarm clock on a white surface
Updated alarm clock / charging station just in time for Apple to update the next iPhone to USB-C.
a white outlet with usb ports on a wood wall
Plugs beside each bed.

It took about 10 minutes to deliver the crib, which was simply left outside my door due to COVID-19 precautions.

We had picked up a snack at Trader Joe’s in Monterey and enjoyed that before going to sleep. Thankfully, the baby slept thought the night (which isn’t a given now that she is teething!).

Breakfast

In the morning, I rose early to blog and headed down to Central Coast Provisions, the hotel’s coffee shop. During the pandemic, it has been the only food and drink available at the hotel (besides room service). The hotel uses Starbucks coffee, but it wasn’t too bad and I had a cappuccino while writing my articles for the day.

a store with shelves and shelves of food

a group of people behind a machine

a laptop on a table with a coffee cup and trees in the background
The staff refused to serve coffee in “real” cups

Later on in the morning, Augustine and I returned downstairs for breakfast. My wife just stuck to coffee in the room. In addition to coffee and pastries, there were a few hot items including breakfast burritos, waffles, and omelet. All were pre-made and simply warmed up by the staff.

Augustine and I shared three main courses. The breakfast burrito and waffles were tasty while the plain omelet was not great. Still, the Highlands Inn, our usual hotel in the area, was not serving food at all, so this was better than nothing. We sat outside.

a patio with plants and a brick wall

a bird cage from the ceiling

a banana and yogurt on a table

a food in a styrofoam container

a burrito in a styrofoam container

a box of waffles

a vehicle parked under a canopy
“Roam” Service

Prior to the pandemic, we enjoyed a nice buffet breakfast at this hotel that included tasty omelets, chilaquiles, and fresh berries.

a group of people sitting at tables in a restaurant

a man standing behind a counter in a restaurant

a room with a table and a large container of food

a toaster and bread in a glass case

a trays of pastries and pastries on a counter

baskets of pastries on a counter

a food on the counter

a table with different types of food on it

bowls of food on ice

a group of bowls of fruit in a bowl

a group of white cups with ice cream in them

a group of glass jars with different types of food on a table

a bowl of scrambled eggs

a bowl of potatoes on a stove

a bowl of bacon on a stove

a metal container with food in it

a bowl of bread in a silver bowl

a bowl of food on a stove

a plate of food on a table

a plate of berries on a table

COVID-19 Precautions

COVID-19 precautions included obligatory masks in common areas. The hotel lobby included many signs advising that eating and drinking were not permitted indoors, though Monterey County has since moved into a tier which allows indoor dining.

a sign in a room

Due to the pandemic, the fitness center, hot tubs, and the Marilyn Monroe spa were closed. Fire pits, the pool, ping pong tables, and tennis courts were open.

a patio with a couch and a table

chairs and tables outside a building

a patio with a table and chairs

a walkway with plants and trees in front of a building

a child standing in a garden with a sign

a fire pit with a fire in it

a child standing on a sand trap
I had to explain to my son that this wasn’t a sandbox…

a child playing in a sand trap

The spa, when open, includes a sauna and steam room.

Airport Shuttle

A complimentary airport shuttle from Monterey Airport is available. Call the hotel in advance to arrange.

Resort Fee

While the hotel usually charges a resort fee, it has been suspended until May 1, 2021. However, a $20/night parking fee is charged (during our visit, that was waived too).

Pet Policy

The hotel is pet friendly. Dogs under 50 pounds are permitted in guest rooms and common areas (but not restaurants) and cost $100 for a stay of up to six days. Up to two dogs are permitted, but combined should not weigh more than 75 pounds.

Parking

Free parking was available directly outside the building, though since we arrived late I had to drive around a bit before finding a parking spot.

If you have an electric car, free chargers are available.

flags on poles with trees and a sign

Lounge

This hotel does not offer a lounge or Regency Club.

CONCLUSION

Despite the poor service concerning bed choice and crib, we had a nice stay at this hotel. The location is ideal, service was generally friendly, and the room comfortable. Breakfast, especially when Sea Root restaurant re-opens, is a treat.

This is a category four hotel in the World of Hyatt program, meaning a room is 15,000 points per night. We paid $126 for our rate, which I found a better deal. You can use a free anniversary night from the Chase Hyatt card at this property, though I expect this hotel will go up in category next year due to the extensive remodel.

Have you stayed at this hotel? What is your impression of it?

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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9 Comments

  1. Mike Saint Reply
    March 25, 2021 at 5:15 pm

    Wow, sounds like they really goofed with not getting the right beds. I ALWAYS confirm at check-in the bed situation as I hate to come back down to the lobby as I also have kids.

    I stayed at this property last year and upgraded to a Suite which was really nice and spacious.

  2. Heather Reply
    March 25, 2021 at 7:03 pm

    We often ran into the same bed situation with Marriott when our son was younger. We would get upgrades to nice suites with a king bed. Like you, we didn’t mind having him with us for a night or two.

    That breakfast comparison is……sad.

    I hope Augustine raked the sand trap:)

  3. Zara Reply
    March 25, 2021 at 7:36 pm

    Stayed here two years with my bulldog, very pet friendly, loved having dinner on the patio with the pup, hated the $100 pet charge! Sadly due to the pet fee, I’ve moved my loyalty to Hilton (I know it’s not the same) but they waive my pet fee almost 100% of time vs Hyatt.

  4. Stuart Reply
    March 26, 2021 at 12:10 am

    For a Regency it looks very nice. Updated furnishings are a plus. I would def give this a try. I’ve stayed at Highlands and it was nice, but for just a night or two this looks perfectly fine.

    On another note, I just can’t understand the protocols anymore and what to expect. An example is that at many properties lately it’s completely the opposite, the restaurants and bars are fully open yet room service is suspended with, of course, the response, “Due to Covid.” I just fail to understand how room service is somehow less safe than packing people into indoor dining spaces with no ventilation. I guess I know why, but try to keep myself sane in not obsessing on the absurdity. At least this property had it.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      March 26, 2021 at 12:12 am

      They have it, but front desk told me Globalist perk was only for in-person pick-up, not room service. The delivery fee was only $5…I asked if I could just pay that and they said no. Honestly, poor service. But I ended up spending about $50 on breakfast when my credit was only $30 and they took it all off (without asking)…

  5. Stuart Reply
    March 26, 2021 at 2:02 am

    @ Matthew (as I can’t trust reply button these days here!) Very odd. Never encountered that. Although it takes me 30 minutes after checking in these days to figure out what I can and can’t get these days as there is no uniform system, even within one jurisdiction.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      March 26, 2021 at 9:15 am

      We are working on fixing the reply feature. It broke with the latest WordPress update.

      Agreed that the lack of room service at some hotels when the restaurant is open is totally nonsensical.

  6. Bojo Reply
    March 26, 2021 at 2:54 am

    Sounds like a pretty depressing / boring hotel for globalists.
    What was the room rate?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      March 26, 2021 at 9:15 am

      My price noted above ($126). Rates run from anywhere between $100 and $200.

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