Looking for love in California? You’ll find it at Hyatt Carmel Highlands. You’ll love the food, the views, your bed and, I assume, the person you’re traveling with. I fell in love with California and the Carmel Highlands area before I met my husband. We spent our first night as newlyweds in this area. If your travels to Carmel, California involve a trip up or down this stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway, you – and your car or motorcycle – are in for a treat. But enough about the Monterey Coast and Point Lobos, let’s talk about Carmel Highlands and why its a great play to stay and play.
Every hour is happy hour at Carmel Highlands. From the moment you pull up the long driveway and park in front of the property you are greeted with a smile and welcoming hospitality. Heck, they treat you like an old friend even if you are only staying for dinner, brunch or lunch. That’s because, like the locals, the staff knows you’ll be coming back at some point in time. This place is like a Lays potato chip, you can’t stay here just once! Mark my words, you’ll be back. What keeps guests coming back?
- Search for Great Tours HERE
- Buy Travel Insurance
- Get a Car Rental
The hotel is part resort, part timeshare. I know, the word timeshare is usually a turn off, but that’s not the case with the Hyatt Residence Club. With 48 non-smoking guest rooms, including 11 suites, 32 ocean view king rooms and five garden view rooms, you’ll have plenty of price options. Rooms range from $390 – $900 depending on the room type and time of year.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so I can say in all honesty that any time of year is a good time to visit Carmel Highlands – but summer is crazy busy on the Monterey Peninsula – you’ll need advance reservations.
Now about that food that I mentioned. My 90-year-old mother lives in Carmel and she loves coming to California Market for the food and the views. We ordered the Crab Benedict – delish – but the fish tacos are a must try for lunch on the patio and anything on the menu at Pacific’s Edge is good. Make a reservation at sunset and bring your camera! If you come for breakfast, brunch or lunch, California Market has binoculars on the tables – you’ll use them to watch the whales spouting below, yes, really! I know?
Now before I lose all credibility as a hotel reviewer because I appear to be gushing goodness on this review, I will tell you that I didn’t like hearing the foot stomping above my room at night. I don’t know what those folks were doing upstairs, but it seems, at one point, that they were rearranging furniture. But once I shut off the lights, I was in snooze land. If hiking around Point Lobos all day isn’t enough exercise for you, there is a fitness room and a ping pong table out front – very kid-friendly – the ping pong table, that is. The hotel also offers complimentary mountain bikes.
If you are the lounge-by-the-pool type of hotel guest, the swimming pool is nice. Don’t expect a swim up bar or infinity pool, but the kids will like it. For something a little more romantic, there are three outdoor garden spas. My husband loves a good soak in a hot tub.
Book your room online at the hotel website or try checking rates at Booking.com.
Hotel review and photos by San Francisco-based Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown. I was a guest of Hyatt Carmel Highlands while researching an article on horseback riding in Carmel Valley.
