MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 17, 2024 - The Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa celebrated 200 years of hospitality on Saturday, September 21, 2024. Over 250 people attended this festive event, which paid homage to the rich history of Casa Munras and praised the vibrant tradition of hospitality that continues today. The entertainment included classical Spanish guitar, Spanish bolero music, flamenco dancers, and cooking demonstrations. Estéban Restaurant served culinary delights, and beverages flowed. Just as it has been since 1824, Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa and Estéban Restaurant was the gathering spot for visitors, community members, and local dignitaries.
The iconic Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa, a cornerstone of downtown Monterey, stands on a piece of land steeped in history. This is the site where Don Estéban Munras, a Spanish diplomat, artist, businessman, and consummate host, built the expansive hacienda-style adobe in 1824, a place that would later become the Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa.
In 1941, the last surviving member of the Munras family, Maria Antonia Field, sold Casa Munras to P.J. Dougherty, former Mayor and Postmaster General of Monterey. Dougherty transformed the house and property into the Casa Munras Garden Hotel.
After P.J. Dougherty's passing in 1948, his son Jack took the reins and continued to enhance the property. He added five cottages, five shops, a dining room, and a candlelit lounge. The property continued to evolve, with 16 additional rooms, a heated pool with a sun deck, and convention, meeting, and banquet facilities added by 1953. The property was renamed Casa Munras Hotel and Cottages, a testament to its continuous growth and evolution.
In 2012, Cannery Row Company acquired the property; it remains Monterey's largest contiguous parcel of land. Under the management of Inns of Monterey, it was renovated and renamed Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa.
Guests were greeted with live guitar music by Richard DeVinck and a historical display at the lobby. The Bolero Brothers duo played on the outdoor patio, and various vendors offered tastings, including oysters, Spanish-inspired hors d'oeuvres, Bernardus wines, and Maker's Mark bourbon. Non-alcoholic options and Fever Tree Grey Whale gin cocktails were also available. Additionally, guests observed the preparation of a four-foot paella by Estéban's chef.
The passionate flamenco performance by the renowned Spanish dancer Jessica Lucido of Azahar Flamenco in Pacific Grove delighted the audience. Tim McGregor, VP & General Manager of Inns of Monterey, and Ted Balestreri, Owner of Cannery Row Company and Inns of Monterey, delivered speeches praising Casa Munras' rich history woven into the fabric of Monterey. Mr. Balestreri presented a beautiful birthday cake, led the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday," and blew out the candles.
For future reservations, please contact reservations@innsofmonterey.com or call 800-222-2446.
SOURCE Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa
