The Hilton Garden Inn Monterey occupies a large U-shaped building made of cream-colored cement and stacked stone. Gently sloped lawns with well-kept trees and flower patches surround the building, which encircles a central swimming pool. Guests check into a contemporary lobby with low ceilings and a circular atrium near the front desk. Cream-colored couches and plush slate-gray chairs provide seating on a gray-patterned carpet near a fireplace, while a brown couch and blue Victorian-style chairs sit next to a large, red-framed window. There are several dispensers with free coffee, and potted flowers throughout the room. The lobby lounge bar has a blue, gray, and cream color scheme. The restaurant’s decor differs in that it has low lighting, dark wooden tables with chairs that have maroon or cream cushions, and a brown-and-cream-patterned carpet. Guests are overwhelmingly families and couples who are typically seen relaxing at the pool and eating at the breakfast buffet. 

The hotel is located right off of Highway One and is a 15-minute walk from the beach and the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail. Across the street is Monterey Peninsula College. Del Monte Golf Course is a two-minute drive or about a 15-minute walk away. Guests can also reach El Estero Lake and Park Complex and colorful Dennis the Menace Park in about 15 minutes on foot. There aren’t a lot of dining or shopping options on surrounding streets. However, Fisherman’s Wharf, a pier with shops and restaurants, is under a 10-minute drive, while Downtown Monterey takes five minutes to reach by car. Cannery Row, an area with local shops, nightlife, restaurants, beach activities, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium is 10 minutes away by car. Monterey Regional Airport is a seven-minute drive from the hotel. 

Rooms are fairly generous in size and have contemporary, yet simplistic, decor that’s a bit tired in comparison to other Hilton Garden hotels. Brown-patterned carpet, honey-colored wooden furniture, white linens, and lime-green armchairs provide a pleasant, if generic, backdrop. Each Suite includes a small gray loveseat. Each room includes a flat-screen TV, Keurig coffeemaker, microwave, and mini-fridge. Some rooms have patios with chairs or lounge chairs and small tables, with the option of pool views. Note that top-floor rooms have odd-shaped patios due to the building’s structure and don’t offer great views. Guests have complained of noises from hallways and other rooms, as well as traffic noise, particularly when balcony doors are left open. Bathrooms have large black-and-gold granite countertops, Neutrogena toiletries, and shower/tub combos. 

The best feature of this hotel is the outdoor pool area, which includes a heated pool, hot tub, fire pit surrounded by plush chairs, and row of cabanas sheltering tables and chairs. The Pacific Grille serves a breakfast buffet (for a fee) with hot and cold items and Starbucks coffee, plus American and seafood dishes for dinner, and evening room service. There’s a lobby lounge bar serving alcoholic drinks, and guests can stock up on snacks at the 24-hour Pavilion Pantry. There’s a large, comprehensive fitness center with multiple cardio machines and a diverse set of weight machines and free weights. Business travelers can make use of 6,500 square feet of fully equipped meeting spaces and a 24-hour business center with a trio of computers, a printer, fax machine, and copier. Weddings are also held on-site, including under the outdoor gazebo, though its location next to the parking lot may not be ideal for some. There's a coin-operated laundry room. Wi-Fi is free. Guests must pay a self-parking fee, which has drawn complaints.