Going with the Flow at the Hyatt Regency Monterey

Edible Skinny has a love affair with the Ocean.  We grew up next to an Ocean (the Atlantic), we live by another Ocean (the Pacific), and most of our favorite vacations involve in Ocean location (too many to count).   So when we found ourselves at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa in Monterey about a month ago, a mere few miles from the famed Monterey peninsula, we embraced a lifestyle of all things Ocean.   

One of the best lessons to be learned from the Ocean is the concept of going with the flow, of being all things to all people, of embracing the world of fluidity.  And fluidity is something the Hyatt Regency Monterey proudly displays like an Pacific Ocean badge of honor to its guests.

A larger hotel than the Carmel Highlands we had stayed at the night before, 550 guestrooms and suites, the Hyatt Regency Monterey is all about catering to whatever you desire.  

Looking for the perfect place to get away with family?  Done deal!  With a campus environment, two outdoor pools, ping pong tables, and fire pits for cooking S’mores it’s the ideal spot for families.   (And BTW it was absolutely fabulous sipping some Monterey County wines under the stars and having what started off as perfect strangers but quickly became friends offer us marshmallows and graham crackers for roasting!)  A great place for large scale corporate retreats?  Absolutely!  With 40,000 square feet of meeting and event space on the famed Del Monte Golf Course and a twenty minute walk to downtown Monterey, it’s a fantastic place to setup that annual pow wow.  And with an onsite spa and some fantastic vistas, it’s also a great place to get married (Heck, there were seven weddings scheduled the weekend we were staying at the hotel…).   

The Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa in Monterey is the third busiest Hyatt Regency in the world after New York and Key West, and there’s a reason for that.  This is a hotel that can be all things to all people without forgetting to focus on the details.   Details like cold post workout eucalyptus towels available in the 24 hour fitness center.  Or how when I spilled my morning Starbucks Latte back at the room after waiting in line twenty minutes, my barista proceeded to make a new one for me on the spot, free of charge.  

One of Edible Skinny’s favorite experiences while staying at the Hyatt Regency Monterey was the morning Dave Lambert, Director of Marketing, took us on a personally guided hike of one of the most beautiful vistas south of Carmel Highlands.  The sunrise view was a breathtaking way to greet the day.  And mind you this was on Dave's day off! 

The Hyatt Regency Monterey’s restaurant offerings, also cater to the fluidity of its guests.   TusCa Ristorante offers a taste of both Tuscany and California with a casual spin that caters to business travelers and families alike (more on this restaurant to come!).  The Fireplace Lounge, located in the lobby, of the Hyatt offers free live jazz by some of the premiere jazz musicians of the famed Monterey Jazz Festival.  And their sports bar, Knuckles, was the perfect place to grab a post whale watching drink.  Voted the top sports bar in the area 12 years and counting, a pint glass Margarita with a side of complimentary popcorn was the perfect spot to help us return to normal body temperature after three hours on the Pacific.  

The Monterey coast has been described as the “greatest meeting of land and sea."  The Hyatt Regency Monterey is a perfect reflection of this concept; a place where the Ocean meets our soul, reminding us to embrace the fluidity of it all.

Here’s to life being delicious and ALWAYS going with the flow!