Old Monterey District Blog

Casa Munras is pleased to introduce our newest guest room category: Junior Suites! With over 500 square feet they are ideal for your next family vacation. For more information or to book please visit our website.

For example, take our Junior Suite King Room with Sofa Bed: ideal for a couple, family, or friends, these rooms can accommodate up to 4 adults. These charming Spanish-inspired guestrooms are approximately 505 square feet and feature a king bed with alcove to a sitting area with a queen sofa sleeper, a full bathroom with walk in shower and separate tub, double vanity, wet bar, three sided gas burning fireplace, and two 49-inch flat screen TVs.

Montrio Bistro is proud to introduce our updated Summer Menu! Executive Chef Tony Baker has always felt fortunate to be cooking in Monterey. The amazing array of seafood, produce and meats means Tony and his team work closely with local farmers, ranchers, and fishermen so that we serve only the freshest, most sustainable ingredients.

Taking inspiration from around the world, including Tony’s British roots, Montrio dishes are created with ingredients so good they speak for themselves. At Montrio Bistro, we’re passionate about serving real food to real people and having real fun so you feel good about what you eat!

Venture Gallery's featured 3D artist for July and August is Charlie Kamrath. Charlie creates his art from the burl roots of manzanitas which grow along the coast of Central California. What are burls? Most of us only see the manzanita bush that grows above the soil, but below the soil is a bulbous nodular root called a burl. For his artwork, Charlie only use burls that have been uprooted and pushed out of the soil as a result of clearing for construction, erosion control, or from heavy equipment clearing fire breaks, etc. From these, Charlie creates sculptures and vessels.

We invite you to come by Venture Gallery, open 10am-6pm every day, to see Charlie Kamrath's newest creations. We are located next to Portola Hotel and Spa at 260 Alvarado Street.

Monterey Hotel is welcoming back an old favorite: the Montrio Dinner Package! A romantic dinner and an overnight stay make a great pairing - enjoy accommodations at the Monterey Hotel and a $40 dining credit at the award-winning Montrio Bistro, just across the street from the hotel. Accommodations range from $200 to $345 per night and include: a $40 credit towards dinner at Montrio Bistro, beautiful room accommodations, continental breakfast, and wireless internet. Available now through July 30, 2016.

Located in the heart of downtown Monterey at 406 Alvarado Street, Monterey Hotel is walking distance to many local attractions. Throughout the summer, there is a complimentary MST Trolley that travels from downtown Monterey to Cannery Row every 15 minutes so you may explore the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the beautiful Monterey Bay and save on additional parking costs.

Enjoy the beauty of the California coast with your four-legged best friend! Casa Munras Hotel & Spa welcomes your entire family with our special Monterey Pet Friendly Package that gives you the opportunity to include up to two pets per guest room.

The Monterey Pet Friendly Package includes: a deluxe guest room for two, plus your pet; a pet cleaning fee of $50 per stay; complimentary amenities available for your pet’s use including bowls, dog or cat beds, crates, scratching poles, clean up bags, leads, and leashes; recommendations for local pet camps, pet groomers, pet massages, and pet training; and a donation of 10% of this package's revenue to the Monterey County SPCA.

Please phone for more information and to make your reservation, 1-800-222-2446.

For a limited time, Portola Hotel is offering a Summer Escape Package which includes self-parking, complimentary wi-fi, and a scrumptious breakfast buffet at Jacks Restaurant & Lounge with bottomless mimosas. Start planning your summer travel now and escape to Monterey.

Jacks Restaurant's new Summer Menu is now available! Inspired by the season and bounty of the Monterey Bay, we invite you join us and savor the finest in regional cuisine and sample our award-winning wine list. Pictured here is our Dungeness Crab Cake & Green Onion starter.

Highlights of our new dinner menu include: Monterey Bay Calamari Tempura with white miso aioli served with a chili-lime vinaigrette; fresh tagliatelle pasta with fresh morel and roasted portobello mushrooms, English peas, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of mint; and Alaskan halibut with a piquillo pepper relish over creamed white corn, and fava bean and pea succotash.

Every Tuesday night, Esteban Restaurant is the place to be for our special three-course paella dinner. Begin your meal with two seasonal tapas dishes to share followed by your choice of one of Chef Tom Snyder’s tantalizing paella entrees and finish with two Spanish-inspired house-made desserts. Fee is $52 per couple.

Spanish paella offerings include Paella Del Mar (a rich assortment of chorizo, prawns, mussels, and clams), Paella De Tierra (with savory sausage, lamb and chicken), and Paella Negra (Monterey Bay Calamari and Serrano ham with squid ink). And Esteban is well stocked with a variety of Spanish and Monterey County wines and signature cocktails including the mojito and house made sangria. Reservations may be made online or by calling the restaurant directly at 831-324-6773.

Have you tried Yippie Calle Principal at Alvarado Street Brewery? It's their new IPA brewed with a unique yeast strain formerly classified as Brettanomyces. It produces bright, fruity esters and leaves the beer with a beautiful haze. It's dry hopped with Calypso to augment the tropical notes produced during fermentation. You're wondering about the name? It's a combination of a quote from "Die Hard" and the street behind us.