Hotel Del Monte, former hotel; current site of the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
Hotel Del Monte is a former resort in Monterey, California, that opened in 1880 with extensive gardens, guest rooms, and recreational facilities spread across a large property near the coast. The main building, rebuilt in Spanish Colonial style after a fire in 1924, now serves as part of a naval installation.
Charles Crocker founded the resort in 1880 as a destination for wealthy travelers from across the country, and it quickly became a well-known stopping point on the West Coast. The U.S. Navy took over the property in 1947 and converted it into an officer training facility, which it remains today.
In 1907, the hotel opened one of the first galleries in California dedicated entirely to local artists, giving regional painters and sculptors a rare public platform. That role helped shape how art was presented and valued along the central coast.
Because the main building is part of a naval facility, public access is restricted, and visitors should check posted guidelines before approaching the grounds. The surrounding gardens and nearby coastal areas are easier to reach and worth visiting on the same trip.
The famous 17-Mile Drive began as a carriage route laid out specifically for hotel guests to tour the coastline. That same path, slightly adapted, is still open to visitors today and passes some of the most photographed spots on the Monterey Peninsula.
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