City Snapshot

1. User Conference

Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa

Chain: Hyatt Hotels
Brand: Hyatt Regency
Total meeting space: 27,000 + sq ft total event space
Guest rooms: 560
Nearest airport: Monterey Regional Airport, MRY (About a 5 minute drive)

Why we love it:

Located across Pebble Beach, the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa is perfect for your next User Conference! It’s a 22-acre retreat, with 2 outdoor pools, a 24-hour health club, and 6 tennis courts.

Guests will love the live music and signature cocktails at the Fireplace Lounge, not to mention the hotel’s authentic cuisine! Stop by TusCA for fresh local ingredients and a delicious Tuscan experience.

We recommend checking out their Regency Ballroom for General Sessions, the largest ballroom on the Monterey Peninsula, fitting up to 1000 attendees Banquet style. With 16’ ceilings and six retractable skylights, this beautiful venue can be broken down into seven different sections.

For meals, their Garden Court Terrace is stunning. We also recommend checking out the Regency Tower for a post-event cocktail reception.

2. Sales Kickoff

Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay

Chain: Independent
Brand: Independent
Total meeting space: 60,000 + sq ft total event space
Guest rooms: 370
Nearest airport: Monterey Regional Airport, MRY (About a 5-10 minute drive)

Why we love it:

Our next venue recommendation is located just a short 3 miles from the Regional Airport and steps away from Fisherman’s Wharf, in the heart of Downtown Monterey. This central location makes the Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay absolutely perfect for your next sales kickoff – as well as long walks on the beach, shopping, wine tasting, gallery visits, and much, more.

We recommend checking out their over 10,000 ft. sq. De Anza Ballroom for your General Session. It’s beautifully decorated with blue, gold, and burgundy nautical carpeting, chandeliers, wall sconces, and large wood framed mirrors.

In our opinion, Jack’s Terrace is ideal for a welcome reception. The terrace is complete with living walls, charming bistro lighting, fire pits, and additional seating. We love the unique space with its cool breeze and warm sunshine – we think you will too!

Finally, if you come in groups, enjoy their interactive team-building activities within 200 steps of the hotel, like whale watching tours, sailing excursions, kayaking adventures, fishing expeditions, bike rentals, beaches, and visiting Fisherman’s Wharf.

3. Executive Summit

Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa

Chain: Woodside Hotels
Brand: Woodside Hotels
Total meeting space: 17,000 + sq ft total event space
Guest rooms: 290
Nearest airport: Monterey Regional Airport, MRY (About a 10 minute drive)

Why we love it:

With award-winning dining and a European style penthouse spa, the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa is one of the best spots in Monterey & Carmel for Executive Summits! Similar to the previous venue mentioned, this stunning hotel happens to be centrally located, just a block away from the historic Cannery Row, with its endless attractions and activities.

When it comes to events or gatherings, the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa has more than 17,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space that can accommodate groups of up to 350. With the addition of ocean view meeting rooms, you can see why we truly enjoy this spot for sophisticated Executive Summits.

For meals and networking, we recommend their Outdoor Terrace. Situated over the waters of Monterey Bay, this space has panoramic 180-degree views of the Bay and its surrounding coastlines. It’s also adjacent to the hotel’s Ballrooms, which makes things easy.

For something more flexible, their Cypress Ballroom is an adaptable contemporary and elegant venue. The adjacent pre and post-function Promenade, which has a grand staircase leading down from the Plaza, has some of Monterey’s most spectacular scenery – giving attendees that ‘wow’ factor.

Sitting directly over Monterey Bay, the Dolphins ballroom is another great option. It has 180-degree views of their protected ocean sanctuary. And lastly, their Big Sur 1, 2 & 3 spaces are perfect for smaller meetings or larger group breakouts. The common foyer makes an excellent gathering point for morning and afternoon breaks!

4. Road Show

InterContinental The Clement Monterey

Chain: IHG
Brand: InterContinental Hotels
Total meeting space: 15,000 + sq ft total event space
Guest rooms: 208
Nearest airport: Monterey Regional Airport, MRY (About a 15 minute drive)

Why we love it:

Overlooking beautiful Monterey Bay, in the heart of Cannery Row, the InterContinental The Clement Monterey hotel is one of our favorites when it comes to hosting Road Shows!

Your attendees will enjoy the stunning panoramic coastal views, luxurious interior décor, and the sights and sounds of the surf and sea. Nearly every room has ocean views, so relaxing with an after-dinner drink and watching the sea otters play in the kelp forest is almost a given.

We recommend the Pacific Ballroom for General Sessions. It looks out onto the pristine waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and can be divided into 3 sections.

We also love that there are 8 meeting rooms available, all of which are surrounded by a boardwalk, making it easy for attendees to enjoy the ocean air and views during breaks.

For meals, the Pacific View Courtyard is a great protected outdoor space surrounded by the Pacific ballroom and pre-function area on one side and the hotel’s infamous C restaurant on the other. We think the stunning views of Monterey Bay make it the perfect spot for attendees to enjoy any meal.

5. Incentive

Carmel Valley Ranch

Chain: Hyatt Hotels
Brand: Joie de Vivre Hôtels
Total meeting space: 45,000 sq ft total event space
Guest rooms: 181
Nearest airport: Monterey Regional Airport, MRY (About a 15-20 minute drive)

Why we love it:

Located on the sunniest side of the Monterey Peninsula on 500 acres, surrounded by the rolling foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains, Carmel Valley Ranch is an ideal destination for group meetings, retreats, and team-building activities.

Their Valley Kitchen serves meals with locally grown produce from their Organic Garden, offering an authentic culinary experience. When it comes to their venues, they house several elegant ballrooms, all with natural light and private attached terraces.

If you’re in a group, play championship golf on the resort’s restored, par 70 Pete Dye course, enjoy a glass of wine in their vineyard, visit their spa, hike trails, go on an organic garden tour, horseback ride, and so much more. With all of its amenities and activities, this hotel is the perfect spot for any incentive winner!

If you love California just as much as we do, check out our other #CitySnapshots: Downtown Los Angeles, Anaheim, Orange County, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles’ West Side.

Which city would you like us to cover next? Send us a message to let us know!