Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa

As you roll to a stop in front of the brilliant blue waters of Monterey Bay, the fresh tang of the salty ocean wind hits your nostrils and your lungs fill with the freshness of the Pacific. The sound of waves breaking against the rocks below beckons you to waters edge where otters slip and slide in a messy tangle of squeaks and grunts, creating a contrast to the peace and harmony of the ocean stretching out into the horizon.

Behind you are the pleasures of Cannery Row and the wonders of the Monterey Bay Acquarium, three blocks from the hotel. Welcome to the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, sitting on a ledge overlooking the Bay.

Once inside, the stately European architecture, the dated decor and the sheer spaciousness of the resort, dripping with luxury, make it obvious why the Monterey Plaza is regarded as one of the premier holiday destination hotels in the Golden State. One might think that with such an unmatchable location and tourist attractions nearby, the hotel would just focus on the rooms, and let the guests enjoy Cannery Row and the Bay and nearby beach towns.

But the Monterey Plaza seems to harbor no such charitable intentions, and aims to keep guests in-house as much as possible with a bevy of superlative services and amenities, including a fell featured Spa on the top floor with a sundeck and a birds-eye view of the Bay, a couple of award winning restaurants - 'The Duck Club Grill' & 'Scooter's Bistro on the Bay' - which dish out superlative cuisine, and other special events organized to keep the guests happy and busy.

The 290 guest rooms and suites, with a view of either the Bay or Cannery Row throough large draped windows, aren't so bad either. As with the structure of the building, the rooms and furnishings are awash in a distinctly 19th-century Biedermeier style, with ceiling fans and large marble baths. In-room amenities include a writing desk, coffee maker, iron & ironing board, a wet bar & stocked mini-bar & a refrigerator, and television with on command video systems. Additional itens, such as cribs and rollaway beds are available upon request. Room rates start at $240. $20 extra for a rollaway bed. Cribs are free. Children 17 and under are allowed to stay free if sharing a room with adults.

The hotel also offers specials 'Family Getaway Package' for $515 per night, which covers everything required for a full family Monterey vacation, including deluxe accommodations for two adults and two children in a suite with connecting rooms, passes for the full family to the Monterey Bay Aquarium good for two consecutive days, Breakfast in the Duck Club Grill and lunch or dinner in Schooner's Bistro, complimentary in room family movie, and waiver of the nightly $25 resort fee charged to other guests, which includes 24-hour valet parking, wireless internet access, and use of the spa facilities for guests 18 and older. Simply put, you pay for the hotel, and everything else gets taken care of. It doesn't get better than this, if you're looking for a family hotel in Monterey.

Info: 400 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940; (831) 646-1700 or (800) 334-3999