Monterey is located three quarters of the way from Los Angeles to San Francisco in California and on the Route 101, one of the most scenic highway drives in the world (and a definite on your bucket list, trust us!). Located about an hour’s drive north of Big Sur, Monterey is a charming, picturesque and friendly seaside town, which also boasts some amazing marine life, most of which you can view from your balcony at the Intercontinental The Clement Monterey. With its beautiful weatherboard exterior, complete with white wooden latticed windows and elegant balconies overlooking the famed Monterey Bay, the Intercontinental The Clement is a welcoming, warm and sophisticated hotel.

You can choose from an array of rooms, many of which come with fireplaces. To amp up your romance meter, we suggest booking a King Ocean Front with Fireplace, so that you may enjoy the vast views of the sea from the warmth of the fireside. And the sunsets to be experienced in Monterey are sublime – viewed from your balcony or from the hotel’s Pacific View Courtyard (also complete with ‘sunset fire’ pits to keep you cosy). We visited Monterey at the start of October and the nights were a bit chilly, so warming up by a roaring fire or booking yourself a table at one of the town’s famous seafood restaurants and enjoying a bowl of clam chowder is the best way to enjoy this quaint and inviting place.

Be sure to pop next door to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (the hotel can help you will ticket purchasing if you require) and experience local wildlife – from otters and penguins, to giant octopi and jellyfish. Being on the water’s edge also allows for you to interact with the ocean and go diving with marine biologists. The waters of Monterey Bay are also common places for seals, humpback whales and dolphins to enjoy, so make sure you get to experience seeing these beautiful creatures out in the wild.

The Intercontinental The Clement Monterey also has a fabulous restaurant that overlooks the water, with high ceilings and windows. by night the soft twinkling of the hanging fairy lights outside just make this place even more alluring, whilst in the the morning, the sun sparkling off the cobalt ocean is truly spectacular. Be sure to enjoy your breakfast by the windows here, and do it at a leisurely pace – there’s no rush when it comes to monterey. Laid back, romantic and sophisticated, Monterey – it’s coastline, people and atmosphere – is quintessentially Californian.

To book a room at the IC The Clement Monterey, head to: http://www.ictheclementmonterey.com