Dawn Bonner

Images Courtesy

Hyatt Regency

If it’s good enough for Paul Newman to consider his home away from home, we figured it would be a great place to stay.  Dad found this hotel and thought it would be a great place to stay.

Well, Paul and dad didn’t steer us wrong.  Hyatt Regency Monterey is my personal favorite for a family destination romp. Recently, my parents, my 14-year-old son, and I had a lovely stay at this beautiful, minimalistic styled property.

Our adjoining rooms overlooked the impeccably groomed golf course, which in the morning was absolutely picturesque–bathed in fog and dewy mist rolling over the grounds. It was a perfect photo-op morning.

The hotel has undergone an extensive renovation and the updating is like stepping into a large version of Soho Grand in New York City. Believe me, this is a good thing.

We enjoyed the amenities our rooms offered: In room coffee-makers with cream, sugar, and thermal cups we could take out of the room.  Caffeine and non-caffeinated coffee packets. Terrycloth bathrobes with slippers hanging in the closet.  First-class makeup area with a makeup mirror, Q-tips, cotton pads for removing makeup or mascara all enclosed in matching canisters. An in-room safety deposit box.  Fabulous lighting all around the room.  My son had his reading lamp on and it didn’t bother me a bit.  Alarm clock-radio where you can dock your iPod.  A 32 inch Flatscreen television with remote control and cable movie channels. Wireless high-speed Internet access for a fee.  Data-ports at the desk, which make it easy to hook up your laptop and charge your cell phone.  Large, glass encased shower with a rain shower head. Yum.  Beautiful fixtures.  Toothpaste included with the facial soap, body soap, sewing kit, shampoo and conditioner.  Iron and ironing board in the room.  Extra pillows and blankets, too.

Add to that the specialty Hyatt Grand bed and fluffy pillows, it made for luxuriously good sleeping.

We got the Explorer Package, which includes two tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Upon check-in we were given our tickets. Concierge made sure we knew how to get to the aquarium,  the time the aquarium opened, and pointers about where to eat, what kind of foods were available, how long the restaurants in the hotel stay open. The package also includes late check-out, at 3 p.m. and breakfast for two.

Each person we dealt with at Hyatt Regency Monterey was very friendly and accommodating.  It was even better than home away from home, from the way they treated us.

The sunsets in Monterey, Calif. are beautiful.  Image by photographer Dawn Bonner

The location of the hotel is in the heart of the Monterey Peninsula with absolutely gorgeous surroundings. And, the golf course our room overlooked is Pebble Beach Company’s championship 18-hole holiday golf course.

The property the hotel sits on is absolutely scrumptious and totally walk worthy; believe me.  The property has two heated outdoor free-form pools, two outdoor whirlpools, a 2000 square foot fitness center available 24 hours with men’s and women’s shower rooms.

And, you don’t have to depend on the fitness center to keep up your good health habits.  The hotel has jogging paths, bicycle trails, and bicycle rentals. Now, be forewarned, you never know–when you’re jogging you may get to jog alonside Clint Eastwood.  This is Eastwood’s favorite place to run in Monterey.  So, if you’re a regular at the hotel, you are guaranteed to run into him some time.

They also have a racquet club with six tennis courts, plus you can set-up tennis lessons, too.

Each Friday night, the Hyatt Regency features music at the piano bar in the lobby at the Fireplace Lounge.  Don’t be surprised if you see Eastwood mingling in this crowd, either, as he enjoys the jazz groups Hyatt Regency Monterey books.

There is a lovely wine cellar filled with thousands of wines from around the world. If you are a wine connoisseur this is a must do–peruse the wine selection and try some new and exciting vintages.

TusCA Ristorante has Tuscan cuisine, in which, the chefs use as many fresh California fresh ingredients as possible in the preparation of the food. It’s a beautiful restaurant with stunning golf course views.

And lastly, Knuckles Historical Sports Bar with pool tables, jukebox, sandwiches, and a huge barrel of peanuts. You can relax and enjoy a few cocktails, a light dinner or lunch.

Lone Cypress on 17-mile drive is over 100 years old.  Image by photographer Dawn Bonner

Aside from visiting Monterey Bay Aquarium, the third top family destination in the United States, you can visit Award-winning art galleries, famous Cannery Row, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Big Sur coastline, Mazda Raceway, take tours of the Monterey wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms, and the gorgeous 17-mile drive.

The 17-mile drive follows the jutting peninsula coastline and Pebble Beach Golf Course with sweeping views of the mansions with deer milling about the neighborhood.  The Lone Cypress Tree, which is over 100 years old is out on a huge rock in the sea makes for a wonderful place to stop and walk.

This is a beautiful drive anytime of the day or go early evening to watch the sunset.  The waves are wild and crazy all times of the year because of the peninsula, the waters are coming in at all different angles.  It’s not unusual to see 20 foot waves coming in.  And, for lovers, there is a beautiful rock that looks like it has a heart carved in the middle of it.

This is a great place to bring a picnic; grab some food from the deli and plan on spending an afternoon to sunset for a romantic 17-mile drive experience. There’s plenty of places to stop and enjoy the beach and the views.

Noteworthy

Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort and Spa is a fabulous place to celebrate anniversaries, weddings, and company functions.

The newly updated property boasts a total of 40,000 square of meeting space and 32 meeting room’s. Each with high-speed Internet access, telephones, lighting effects, and special plug-ins for electronic equipment.

This is a beautiful space for your wedding.  You can have your wedding inside or outside beside the pool or one of the lovely garden areas.

If you’re celebrating an anniversary and would like to get together with your family, this is a great place to be.  For instance, they have The Presidents House.  You’ll see some of it in the slide show below.  The Presidential Suite is a stand-alone house with four bedrooms, five bathrooms an elegant, spacious living room and dining room, a full kitchen, private patio, and it’s own heated swimming pool.  Both the living room and dining room have their own fireplaces.  You’ll find this is the perfect setting for quaint, intimate get-togethers.

So, what better place can you think of to celebrate your mother and your father then Hyatt Regency Monterey?  Where everyone from one to 111 will find something to their fascination.