Glen Oaks Big Sur — Hotel in Monterey

Absolutely incredible—staying at the Bridge House was nothing short of a dream.

We rented the Bridge House for our wedding weekend, as we were getting married just down the road at the stunning Loma Vista. The house served as the perfect backdrop for a variety of special moments: wedding photos, getting ready with hair and makeup, and a cozy gathering spot for our closest friends and family after the celebrations.

Highlights: Architecture: As a student of Interior Architecture and Design, I was completely captivated by the design of this place. It truly took my breath away.

Staff: Ivy was a tremendous help for months leading up to our stay. Her straightforward and direct communication was invaluable amid the chaos of wedding planning. The front-of-house staff were equally delightful, especially when we arrived in a rush, with only a short window between check-in and our rehearsal dinner at RoadHouse. They were kind and accommodating, making us feel right at home.

Hospitality: The home was more than just a place to stay; it was an experience in itself. Every morning, we were greeted with hot coffee and donuts at the front desk. The house was impeccably clean and well-equipped, offering a level of comfort that made our stay truly memorable.

Wifi: The signal was strong wherever you were within range, which was a nice perk in a national park.

Amenities/Cleanliness: The Bridge House has it all—windows above the bathroom offering views of the redwood trees, heated floors, a sauna, and even access to a nearby stream. Everything was spotless and clearly well-maintained.

Cons: Cell Phone Service: As expected in Big Sur, cell phone service was spotty, making it a bit challenging to help our guests with directions to the Bridge House. But this added to the adventure, resulting in some hilarious stories later.

Directions to Bridge House: Finding the house was tricky on our first attempt. Some additional signage would have been helpful. However, the moment we arrived, the beauty of the place made the journey worthwhile.

Thank you, Ivy, and the entire Glen Oaks team—our stay was absolutely incredible. We would return a...

Arrived after driving all day with my baby to head to big sur for my birthday... we had to hustle as they said nobody would be there to check us in after 9pm. Got there and got the keys (front desk person was nice at least!), found the cabin and it was very, very cold inside. The fireplace was unfortunately decorative or broken because no heat came out, the heater in the place was kind of a joke... took hours to get it to a baseline temp where we could take one of our layers off but had to sleep in sweats and wool socks... This was a bummer since I had to get baby transferred to bed immediately and we could see our breathe inside :/ luckily the heated floors in the bathroom warmed up faster, I ended up hanging out in there with my husband and chatting since the rest of the place was too cold lol. Luckily we had some laughs and made the most of it! I had to kill a couple big spiders in the bed before putting baby to sleep. I was expecting it to be quite a bit bigger but it was definitely the small side. For a third of the price I would have been happy but we paid around 1300 to stay in a freezing little cabin with a fake fireplace for 12 hours. The tub in the back looked lovely though! Didn't get a chance to use it but it's probably the highlight of the cabin. I've stayed at a -lot- of hotels and airbnbs and was expecting quite a bit more for the price. If you're looking for a 5 star hotel experience this is not what you'll get but we did pay a 5 star price! Overall the place is cute but really not worth the money...but maybe you'd have better luck than us?

Quick add: Everywhere you go in big sur is magical. I've done a lot of camping and backpacking here, stayed at Ventana a couple times, rented airbnbs and stayed at esalen 4 times in their king rooms/yurts. I was a bit disappointed with my stay at glen oaks considering what you could get elsewhere but regardless... it's all magic everywhere you go so just...

My wife and I had a wonderful getaway here shortly after we got married. We spent three nights: two in the Adobe Motor Lodge, and then splurged the third night at the Sycamore Cabin.

We’ve stayed at a lot of places over the years in Big Sur from campgrounds to Ventana. Now let’s get one thing out of the way: Big Sur is expensive. It’s not fair to hold prices in Big Sur to the same standard as elsewhere. So I could see why a common complaint here is that this place is expensive if your only stay in Big Sur was at Glen Oaks.

Similarly, space is a commodity in Big Sur. It’s true that the rooms aren’t going to stack up to your average sized hotel room because that’s just how everything in Big Sur is. People often forget that Big Sur is pretty remote. Aside from a few small towns, there aren’t many buildings or people. Not to mention there is only one road in and out from the north or south.

Since we knew all of this going into our stay, we really enjoyed our time at Glen Oaks. Its location is fantastic, and we loved walking across Highway 1 (though they really need a crosswalk!) to grab a bite to eat and free donuts and coffee in the morning.

The room at the Adobe Motor Lodge was small but comfortable, and nice and upscale. The Sycamore Cabin was fantastic and more spacious since it had a living room and kitchenette. It also had a fenced-in back patio with a tub that can fit two people (pictured) that we thoroughly enjoyed. It did take a long time to fill up though (about 20 minutes) so be ready in advance.

All in all I would go back here. It isn’t cheap by any means, but if you’re looking for something that isn’t camping or motel-quality in Big Sur, this is a great place to stay. Also, they give you “free” s’mores which we loved as a nice touch. It was great meeting people at the...