Seven Gables 555 ocean view, Pacific grove which is just down the street from the Aquarium. Not cheap but great beer, nice room, breakfast, wine, cookies.
We rented an airbnb in Carmel by the sea. Carmel is a nice small town with great restaurants.
Monterey is not ghetto! Depending on what you want to spend, there are plenty of hotels off Munras and elsewhere.
Definitely Carmel.. Monterey is relatively ghetto
Anywhere in Pacific Grove (cheaper) or Carmel.
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