We had a fantastic stay on a Sunday in the Lilac Room. Stunning views, our own balcony, clean and comfortable room. Bed was great, shower had great water pressure and the continental breakfast was top notch and delivered to your room at your requested time. When we checked in the woman was taking care of caterpillars in the office to help breed the monarch population. She showed us what they're doing to help. It was a really cool thing to see! She even put a butterfly on my finger. She took us to the room while explaining the history of the place as well. Very cool spot. Highly recommend! read more

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Nice friendly staff and great location, but the facilities are severely lacking. The bathroom floor was covered in tiny ants, the shower did not work (cold with no water pressure), the cottage bedroom had one power outlet hidden behind the bed so very hard to charge your phone. The owner is selling the property and walks the grounds, but it's clear he's trying to avoid putting money into anything. read more

It's a Bed & Breakfast with its own character. I think it was built in 1887. Based on the information book in the room, Al Capone has stayed here before! It's a historical building so there is no AC but fans are provided. The Inn has a trail to the ocean with has nice views. It is dog friendly which is the main reason we stay here. The property manger is super friendly and helpful. I think she is the reason the Inn has great reviews. read more

Monarch Cove Inn - Hotels Near Me - Capitola, California

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Enjoyed our stay in the Rose Garden Room. The grounds and the view of the water are great. There are lots of seating areas on, but all of the Adirondack chairs were taken by other people, so unfortunately there is a bit of competition for the spaces and resources. The only other issue is that, especially due to being an older building, the rooms are not completely quiet... and this is especially true if you are in a room under one of the upstairs rooms. The footsteps, children running around, etc. can definitely be heard. But overall, we enjoyed our stay and would consider returning. read more

Monarch Cove Inn - Breakfast of fruit, pastries, and juice - Hotels Near Me - Capitola, California

Cute, quaint B&B lover looking New Brighton Beach and the Pacific Ocean. Beautiful well maintained grounds. Very nice workers. Our room, the butterfly, had all the necessities but could use some updating. The TV, linens and some furniture were a bit dated. The TV, while small, has Spectrum cable with Showtime. The internet was blazing fast. The breakfast is served to your room. I felt sorry for the lady that brought it because the tray was HEAVY. It had a carafe of coffee, 2 OJs, 2 large fruit cups, and a tray of pasties. Real cutlery, plate and cups, no plastic. The fruit cups had fresh watermelon, bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe and more. Very reasonable price. Despite its quirks, would definitely stay here again. read more

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Visited with my partner during Memorial Day weekend to celebrate our anniversary, and we truly had the best time and wish we extended our stay! Romantic, quaint, quiet, inspiring and calming. We immediately were impressed by the property - towering eucalyptus trees wrapped in ivy, monarch butterflies everywhere, large deck with adirondack chairs overlooking the ocean (just bring a bottle of wine & enjoy!!), blooming flowers surround the most quintessential Victorian cottages, bald eagles circling above and clear ocean views. Katrina and her long haired dachshund gave us an incredibly lovely tour of the property (equip with the history of the space + ownership) before showing us to our room. The room was comfortable, adorable and clean and had an ocean view (to our surprise!!). Every morning, the hotel staff brought a platter of breakfast to our room, featuring local pastries, a carafe of coffee, fresh cut fruit and orange juice. Overall, I we felt this place was so magical and are already planning our next trip back!! We also are looking at their wedding offerings read more

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Perfect location for family vacation. Beach view, awesome quarters, great service . Dont let the weather scare you , accommodations are perfect for both sun and foggy days. read more

This Inn is clearly run on a very weak "shoestring"...the cottage is mostly charming (read: old and run down)....not a comfortable place to sit ANYWHERE. Beds are years old. Shower is a wet joke. The grounds "could be spectacular" with a little regular love and care. Instead, throw some shredded moss over the weeds, and call it a day. Its all run a little loosey goosey. You are paying dearly to be near the ocean...not sure there is a value here otherwise. read more

We loved our stay here! The space is so beautiful, peaceful, and charming. Super close to downtown capitola area, walking distance. We stayed in the rose garden suite, and I could stare out at that view forever. You can hear the movement upstairs pretty easily but it wasn't too bad. Bed was super comfy, breakfast pastries and coffee delivered to your door the following morning! We will be back for sure. read more

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Amazing location right on the ocean! Super cuuute old-time house with so much charm on beautiful grounds. A nice walk through the neighborhood and alongside the ocean to capitola village. read more

Monarch Cove Inn - Ocean views - Hotels Near Me - Capitola, California

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What a cute B&B! We stayed here for my husband's bday and we enjoyed it so much! We loved it! The grounds are beautiful, plants, fountains, the beach, free breakfast, and scenic views. We stayed in the Rose Garden Suite and it was lovely. There was a kitchen with a microwave, a fridge, and they had kitchen supplies and cookware. No phone in the room but it was no big deal. The TV was a flat screen and it was perfectly situated in the bedroom. They bring breakfast at 09:00am (they have to enter your room so make sure you don't put the "do not disturb" sign on otherwise you'd miss your breakfast!) Customer service was great and the place was clean! read more

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What an incredible spot!! A beautiful, quiet, and calming location that is not too far from downtown Capitola, this is a must stay for anyone who wants a weekend (or longer!) getaway. The rooms were very cute and spacious and the breakfast in the morning was the cherry on top of a perfect vacation!!! read more

Super nice and friendly staff! Our host was amazing! The Inn was very close to the Village. The Monarch Cove Inn was dated but added to the nostalgia! Nestled on a cliff at the end of El Salto Dr with an amazing view of the ocean and a nearby beach. Each room has a unique theme with different views of the facility. Please give this amazing place a stay! read more

I laugh to myself because I am surprised how well I held it together on our two night stay at Monarch Cove in Capitola for over $800. I have stayed at a lot of hotels and motels. From super seedy NYC and Toronto hostel style situations to rather high end Fairmont types of places the monarch cove has a lot of room for super easy improvement. Staff were wonderful so absolutely no complaints there. The room is dated which is ok but also worn out and a bit on the shabby side. The breakfast is a disgrace so please just stop with the cheap pastries, sugary orange juice and sad coffee. Wouldn't a quick overhaul with new window coverings that actually cover the windows and a lovely nespresso machine be amazing? And some patio furniture that was clean and inviting ? Our light switches in the living area are labeled something about a hot tub light but I don't see a hot tub. Our patio has a cute string of lights that never came on and we saw no way of turning them on. Many layers of grime cover the surfaces top, sides and bottom; I kept some sort of foot protection on at all times. Strange sounds coming from the bathroom area when using the bathroom. Not sure if it's the fan or something else. Toiletries are ridiculous. The soap was not soaping and I never felt clean after a shower. Really felt like I was at some sort of antiquated summer camp from the 1950's. Lovely views, terrible parking, awesome that we could bring our dog, relatively comfortable bed with lots of extra pillows (love), weird extension cord wrapped around our beds headboard. Idk just seems like it would be easy to make this place super wonderful, charge a little more and get a hipper clientele. Good luck monarch cove, we won't be back. Looks like the property is for sale so I guess it makes sense why it is rather run down. $14 million. read more

The view is just so spectacular! While the rooms are certainly dated, the charm is still very present.

A Glorious Inn on Monterey Bay. Charming, Immaculate, Stunning Views, Walk to Capitola, Perfect Service! Monarch Cove Inn: Comfortable, and quiet, spacious but cozy. A B&B -but you breakfast privately at your dining table or on balcony at your requested time. A generous Continental breakfast offers a pitcher of hot, strong French roast, very fresh fruit cocktail, juice, pastries from the famous local bakery hangout, Gayles, plus! the best bagel (with cream cheese if you like) I've never had in California. The Inn is located in a beachy residential neighborhood cul de sac cliffside above the misty blue Monterey Bay. There are extensive pathways through gardens, past fountains, eucalyptus grove, and monarch butterfly habitant. A room layout map can be found among the photos on the Inn's website, where you can spot rooms with balconies and unobstructed bay/ocean views. Decor is romantic but unfutzy Victorian, designed with an eye for color, detail and comfort. There are loads of photos on the Inn website, which capture its ambiance. As do the ones here on Trip Advisor. Eg., creative small touches include breakfast tray napkins match individual room decor. Service in all respects, including especially office/reception and housekeeping is perfect. Attentive, thoughtful and individualized but never intrusive. The pleasant staff seem happy to be there and to help you. The property and rooms are immaculate, including older bathrooms. I stayed for the first time in March and am going again mid-April for my third visit. A mini-vacation. Lilac was my first room. It's on a corner with full-on ocean views through tall front and corner windows. Spacious. There is a private balcony facing the ocean with a white wrought iron table and chairs. The older bathroom is well-stocked with towels. There are extra blankets and pillows. No one was in the next room, so utter quiet except for ocean whispers and bird song. I stayed for the first time in March and am going again mid-April for my third visit. A mini-vacation. Lilac: It's on a corner with full-on ocean views through tall front and corner windows. Spacious. There is a private balcony facing the ocean with a white wrought iron table and chairs. The older bathroom is well-stocked with towels. There are extra blankets and pillows. No one was in the next room, so utter quiet except for ocean whispers and bird song. Victorian Room: two weeks later:a bank of windows faces the bay. It's well-appointed with new upholstery and what felt like real silk bedcovers, pillows, tablecloth topped by glass, window treatments, and a newly painted bathroom. There is an iron, board, and hairdryer. If you compare photos on this and other travel sites to the Inn's website photos, you will see Victorian Room was recently freshened. The cold, heavily pouring rain night I arrived, flashlight and sodden map in hand, my spacious room was already nicely warmed by two small modern and efficient space heaters. I'm coming again mid-April to Monarch Grove Room. Its theme is fluffy valentine. But its reviews are great. Will report back! Bottom line: Highly recommended. Five stars! Six! read more

My husband surprised me with a birthday weekend getaway here. We stayed in the Holiday House because we brought our pup. We had SUCH a good time! Our dog did too the enclosed backyard was fabulous for a pet friendly room. It was a quiet weekend and the service was excellent. I am already looking at dates for next year. read more

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Horrible customer service. We had to cancel our reservation due to a death in the family. We kindly notified 5 days before our stay and they refuse to give a credit for a future stay, much less a refund. I had additionally called multiple times in the week prior and got only voicemail. Furthermore, there were many other rooms that were still available when we cancelled, so it's not as if we were taking away from potential bookings. Take your business elsewhere. These people are strictly about their bottom line, not the customer experience! read more

The Monarch Cove is set on a cliff in Capitola with an ocean view of the Pacific Ocean. We stayed in the Monarch Grove, a romantic getaway within 3 miles from the Shadowbrook, so you can take advantage of their free taxi service and get picked up in an old school Shadowbrook cab. I highly recommend this for a weekend getaway! read more

What a hidden little gem!! The grounds are beautiful, so many spots to sit and look down at the ocean, plus a little nestled monarch sanctuary! About a 10 minute easy walk to downtown Capitola, breakfast delivered to your room in the morning, and dog friendly! We will definitely be going back to explore some of the other rooms. We stayed in the Monarch room which was a great size, comfortable, nice firm bed, great soaking tub,...but keep in mind the rooms can get chilly but they provide little heaters. So glad we found this place! read more

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We've visited before but never had a chance to stay until we were evacuated from fires in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Monarch Cove was on a list of hotels offering discounts to local evacuees. We were lucky enough to stay in the Ocean Mist Suite, which has two-bedrooms and a fabulous ocean view. The grounds are just beautiful and it's a short walk to the beach, which was perfect for our two kids. Breakfast delivered to the room was luxurious. Staying there gave us a sense of peace and tranquility we sorely needed. Thank you Monarch Cove read more

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TLDR; overpriced for the quality and cleanliness with nice views. 2 stars for location and walkability. I see why people enjoy the Monarch Cove Inn. The neighborhood is cute, it's a 15 min walk to downtown Capitola and the outside is charming. We chose to stay here because of the location and the age of the property. However, the owners are now just capitalizing on those things to charge a high nightly rate without doing basic upkeep. There are normal "old house" things like the pipes are loud, it's creaky, you can hear your neighbors etc (all to be expected) and then there's just clear neglect... We arrived on Sat ~30 min after check in. There was a big event on the property right outside the room we had booked (the Lilac Room). We parked in the only open spot adjacent to the office, and with no greeting or welcome at all, were immediately told to not park there... then when informed we were guests, it was fine. If there is a 100+ guest event taking place on the same night, essentially in front of our room, it would have been nice to have been informed before we arrived and still greeted like we belonged there. We checked in and the party was poppin, which was fine. Went to our room, attempted to close the blinds for privacy only to find that they were super dirty and missing pieces so you can still see through them. We left to go downtown for dinner and figured they'd be gone by the time we went back, which they were. The photos online of the rooms must be outdated. They are not as advertised. The carpet is disgusting and needs to be cleaned. What would normally be charming moulding and built-in cabinets were just sad. Super dusty, paint was chipping, strange brown stains and literal dirt on the wall by the bed. The bath tub needed to be re-sealed and the floor below it addressed... there was clearly mildew in the grout. The toilet is so close to the wall, as a slender person I had to sit sideways. If you were a bigger bodied person, you would not fit. The continental breakfast... it's just some cheap carbs. It really freaked me out they entered unannounced to drop it off while I was in the shower too but that was likely just bad timing. What really prompted me to post this review was the lack of accountability or an apology from the person working the desk when we checked out. I brought this all to their attention, hoping they'd try to make it right but they really just gaslit me that it's "old" and "not for everyone" and then proceeded to blame the party when I reiterated multiple times - it was not the event thrower's fault for our experience and basic housekeeping things need to happen. I eventually walked out after telling them I wasn't feeling heard. It seems time for new owners and customer service training for the staff, or likely just new management. Caring comes from the top down and overall, it's visibly clear this place lacks someone who cares. read more

Clean, quaint, and quiet. We were comfortable and felt safe there, however the place could use some updating (for example, install USB ports). The view of ocean is spectacular and the grounds have much potential, it's just in need of a good tidying. It was great to be able to walk to downtown Capitola. The Staff was very nice. read more

This small b&b was a find. So quaint. Beautiful views of the ocean. Small continental breakfast included. The rooms are comfy and well kept. Pride taken read more

What a beautiful hidden gem! A must if you LOVE the OCEAN. We celebrated our best friends' wedding here this weekend and the wedding party got to stay for two nights, otherwise most of us have never even heard of this place. Ambience: I admit that when I looked online, I thought it was just an old and outdated Victorian style hotel that happened to be in a great location. The pictures DO NOT do it justice. It is the most sweet property that's been here since the late 1800s and has kept all the charm. Super private, safe and romantic. Not creepy like The Winchester Mystery House (). The gardens and views are so breathtakingly beautiful. You really feel like you've been transported back in time to this very special and unique place. It's a great setting to really be present and relaxed and truly enjoy yourself. The fountain, the walking paths, the tree formed archways, the grassy knoll, the butterflies, the native foliage framing the ocean.. JUST. WOW. Rooms: Included continental breakfast gets delivered every morning to each room. Our room, the lilac room, had the best deck at the corner of the property w unobstructed views of the ocean and was great for coffee and gatherings. Our party took up half of the inn and all of the rooms were great, but try getting the ocean view rooms. The suites upstairs with two bedrooms were the most amazing, however stairs are a bit narrow and steep. The Ocean mist Suite was spacious with two rooms, a sitting room, big bathroom w claw foot tub and AMAZING OCEAN VIEWS. It was perfect for the bride and bridesmaids to slumber and get glammed up on the day of. Staff: The staff here are very gracious. They might be experienced in delivering breakfast to a bunch of hungover zombies the day after an event. Summer is the friendly manager and was always available and very helpful. Special events: I don't think there's a better local venue if you want Ocean and privacy, whether you're a party of 2 or 100 people. Set and setting are so impactful when it comes to a celebration. This is probably a $20 million property on an expansive private bluff overlooking the ocean. You can get room blocks at a discount. Last minute deals are beyond reasonable. Outside Caterers ok. Outside liquor ok. Band ok, but no amplified music. Party/ loud noises must end by 6pm due to residential neighborhood. Only overnight guests allowed after 6pm. We just continued on into downtown Capitola and Santa Cruz. Overall: The Monarch Inn's magical time capsule ambiance and location allowed all attendees to feel like we were on an exclusive private island together during simpler times. You walk away feeling like your life has improved just by being there. So perfect read more

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Customer service was AWFUL! I arrived, saw the room, had hair all in the bathtub and the room was overall just dirty/dusty... I went and asked for refund as I did not feel comfortable staying there, and what I got from them was completely unprofessional yelling and scary behavior telling me to "get out" and slamming the office door on me. For a room I spent $311 on, and getting no refund of any kind after find the room DIRTY and their management treating me like garbage. Of course I will never recommend this to anyone, no one should ever have to deal with a situation like this, and be made to feel like you're nuts for saying I'm sorry it's not clean I cannot stay here. read more

What a freaking cute inn!! It's hidden on a dead end street right in front of the ocean. Beautiful scenery everywhere. The grounds and kept very nicely. The rooms look antique but also modern. All the rooms are very cute. I stayed in the monarch room. It had lots of windows to open so you can see and hear the ocean. The staff is very nice. Oh and they bring you breakfast in the morning!! I would defiantly recommend this place for to anyone. Oh and the nice lady in the office mentioned the jacuzzi is no longer there anymore, but the bath tub was just as good. read more

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Stayed in the Monarch Grove Room which was beautiful and comfortable. It has a big tub with plenty of room to relax in. Pretty much had everything we needed: good-size fridge, space heater, tv, glassware... robes would have been a nice touch but it was ok without them. Also an interesting choice not to have screens on any of the windows. As a last note I'd say it's probably not worth it to get the "Exclusive" Lover's package because it's $25 more than the "Basic" Lover's package but the champagne is an $8 bottle of Korbel. But the basic components of the Lover's package I do recommend - made the experience feel very romantic and special. Would stay again! read more

Monarch Cove Inn - Breakfast & Lover's Package - Hotels Near Me - Capitola, California

We stayed here for a friends birthday celebration and couldn't have been happier. Mary, who manages the office, is the nicest person ever. When I got a little lost following Waze, she talked me through turning around and waited out front for us to arrive... and one little maintenance issue (the pilot light on the heater needed to be lit) was handled very quickly. Check in, check out and parking was also easy and convenient. Speaking of driving directions. Don't follow Waze (as of this writing) and double check other GPS routes if you're using them. Waze is confused and will take you down a dead end to a private road which isn't associated with the hotel and there is very little room to turn around. We stayed in the Holiday House, which comes with a small kitchen and a lovely patio. I like to cook a little and/or keep cheese, proscuitto, fruit and so on around when we travel and the kitchen is equipped with a small fridge (not full size), coffee pot, microwave, bottle/can openers and a few pots and pans, plus dishes, glassware and cutlery so you can do just that. Additionally there is a full continental breakfast delivered to your room each morning if you so desire. If you need ice though, plan ahead.. the little freezer up top of the mini-fridge takes about a good 24 hours to freeze anything. The shower in the Holiday House takes a little getting used to. The knobs are very touchy and the water seems to be using an on-demand type of heating system so too little hot water and it disappears completely... too much and the pressure is so high it kind of beats you up. LOL... I take quick showers so it wasn't that big of a deal to me but YMMV. These couple of little quirks are nothing compared to the upside of staying at Monarch Cove. The view and grounds of this historical landmark are lovely.. You can walk the mile and a half or so down to Capitola Village if you're so inclined and there are a couple grocery stores and such within a short drive, should you need them. The surrounding neighborhood is nice for an evening stroll as well and the neighbors are very friendly. Bring wine and take a walk down the property to overlook the ocean and have yourself a nice sunset happy hour. Bring a book and relax on the patio. You won't regret staying here. read more

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This is a nice B&B with nice staff in a nice location in a nice neighborhood with nice rooms with nice beds and pillows etc. and nice breakfast, but with certain less-than-nice room features. There are no electrical outlets with easy access next to the bed, the shower stall is very small, the sink is very low, and the toilet is a very tight fit even for thin people and especially for tall people. read more

RENTERS BEWARE- Read the cancellation policy carefully and understand they charge your credit card the ENTIRE amount including taxes seven days prior to your arrival and they will not give you any refund or credit. ( I've never had that happen at a per room facility.) My wife and I got COVID one day before the expected arrival. They stated their policy is to have the room stay empty even if not used. I thought I was helping them out by allowing them to try and rent the rooms and I cancelled the visit. On their website we noticed the last 2 of 3 days the Lilac Room we rented was changed from available to sold. The following week I called back asking for some compensation since I allowed them to try and double-book the room. The women who answered stated they just moved tenants around and we are entitled to nothing. ( You can decide the accuracy of her statement) Not even the taxes that were collected but not paid to the city. There are plenty of places that are customer-oriented so they are off my list and they won't be able to burn me twice! read more

A rambling, romantic, teensy-bit-dilapidated Victorian hugging the bluff above New Brighton beach on the edge of Capitola. Tons of character: doilies and painted wood paneled walls, gauzy four-poster beds and velour chairs, with views through the butterfly-encrusted (in a good year) Eucalyptus to the patinated waters of Monterey Bay. Each room seems to have pretty good privacy and a nice sense of self, but the walls/floor framing are thin enough that you do get a subtle sense of your neighbors and their choice in TV programming Very friendly staff. Terrific local get away. read more

So the wife and me decided to stay here for our 12th anniversary. Good: view, service, location, continental breakfast, fee parking and internet Not Good: Room conditions, needs new carpet, paint peeling in the bathroom, need to clean build up on shower fixtures. This place is good for one stay but we would not stay again based on this and the price. read more

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We stayed here on a Monday night in the Lilac Room. I was at first charmed by the location. The room was small but cozy and close to the ocean. However when we got back from dinner and turned on the light we were greeted by a giant roach on the baseboard. We finally killed it after several attempts (it was big) but there was no one to call after hours. I did not sleep a wink that night and I definitely would not recommend it unless you like bugs as souvenirs. Waiting to hear back from Management. read more

My husband and I decided to stay as part of our Anniversary getaway. My only regret is that we had just one night on the property! It is a quiet and beautiful place for a romantic stay or just to relax. We will be back! read more

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Monarch Cove Inn is a bed and breakfast located in walking distance to Capitola Village. The estate was built in the late 1800s, so yes, this place is old. My significant other and I stayed at the Monarch this past weekend in the Ocean View Room. I left this place unsure if I will be coming back or not. Pros: -Beautiful and convenient location, right next to cute little town of Capitola -Has a very elegant Victorian feel -The staff were incredibly friendly (but only available from the EXACT hours of 9am-6pm) -Decent prices for such great views -Breakfast delivered right to your door! Wish I had this everyday... Cons: -The place seemed run down, I understand the need to preserve its original state but I saw wall paint peeling, carpet shredding (needs maintenance) -Maintenance is understaffed, so our room never got cleaned while we were out -SUPER THIN WALLS. You hear every single thing in the room above or next to you -Room above our Ocean View Room decided to throw a party on a Sunday night and we had no other option but to suffer through it, they didn't stop until late 1AM -The greatest con of all, which is probably why I won't be returning, is that Monarch has no procedure for disturbances that occur past 6pm (there is no staff available past 6pm) -Their "emergency" number took us to a voicemail...who never got back to us So with that being said, I'm unsure if I'd return. 3 stars for its location and cute decor. read more

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I live in San Francisco and have tried many times to get the 25% discount for a same-day reservation. Well I finally got the 25% discount. I asked the reservation clerk to get me the best Oceanview room. So I got the Oceanview room... Sounds good right? This room was way in the back and had no Oceanview unless you walked out onto the deck. What I think is going on here is a bait and switch... You get the 25% off the least desirable room. The good rooms you don't get the 25% In fact one of the empty rooms that I wanted ....I was informed that the patrons had paid... Full price. Also the picture I saw in the Chronicle... It appeared as though the bed-and-breakfast was much closer to the Bay than what it is. I had misgivings as soon as I pulled up to this place with my girlfriend. I knew things would not go well and they didn't I think this place is a scam. M read more

Simply Fabulous, you will not want to leave and definitely want to return. From the minute you step into the grounds, it is just a magical, peaceful and beautiful place, the sound of the ocean and fantastic views are breathtaking, secluded enough to be private and quiet but easy walk to town makes it the perfect place. The staff was very friendly and attentive, breakfast was perfect, we wish we would have booked a longer stay, most definitely visit again. Thank you Monarch Cove!! :) read more

Amazing location right on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The grounds and gardens are beautiful! The building is charming and old. I live in a 100 year old home so quirky old buildings don't bother me unlike some of the other yelp reviews here. In fact, I wish the rooms were even more retro! It would have been cool if our room had a antique clawfoot tub in the bathroom. Also I wish the grounds had a hot tub somewhere. That would have been amazing. The tray of delivered breakfast goods in the morning was super nice. There's nothing like having your morning coffe facing the sea. We are happy with our stay and would 100% visit again. read more

I wanted to love this place. I booked one night's stay for myself as a gift at the end of the holidays and need a little retreat after a v rough end to 2018. Despite the scenic views and the incredible location, perched on the cliff in Capitola, the Monarch Cove Inn was a tremendous disappointment. The room itself ("Ocean View") was GROSS. Every part of it was vile: the bedding that looks like it's 50 years old, full of rips and holes and nasty stains; the pillows that were lumpy and stained; the torn-up carpet; the tacky fake flowers; and the furniture that looks like it was purchased at a 1960s garage sale and left to rot for years. The heater in the room hardly worked and the room had quite a draft. Most disturbing were the lack of good curtains/blinds, as the windows in the room expose you to whoever happens to be passing by! Also, the bathroom was straight gnarly. The toilet had a weird wrapping on it saying it had been cleaned, but very obviously had not. The bathmat was stained and decrepit. The paint was chipping away from the walls. The shower was moldy, the water barely turned on and sounded like a freight train was going to come through the wall when it was being used. Worst of all, the hand soap is from Raley's--like COME ON. If you're charging people $200+ per night, go buy a $6 soap dispenser from TJ Maxx and pretend like you're giving people a nice experience! I was so furious and disappointed in the lack of little touches that could have made this a more pleasant stay. The breakfast provided was ok but also lacking. The coffee was tepid, there were no options to customize it (I don't eat carbs and the bulk of it was a bagel and pastry), and it showed up half an hour after my scheduled time for delivery. Guess it could be worse: I realized that two of the guest houses have cars parked right in front of them. Can't imagine having the other guests parking two feet outside my door!! All of this is such a shame because this place has such incredible history, stellar views, and the possibility of being a truly amazing hotel. Also, Bonnie at the front desk was an absolute doll and so friendly. She did her best to sell me on the room and make sure I had everything I needed. Dear owners, please please--invest in your property, spruce up the rooms, buy some new bedding, retrain the housekeepers, put some seating on the grassy areas, figure out technology and SEO (so a yoga studio isn't the first result when you search for this property), and buy some better hand soap. read more