Dave and I usually stay with our friends Traci and Doug when we visit Monterey and Pacific Grove, but this weekend we were up for their wedding reception and decided rather than burden them with guests we'd stay at a bed and breakfast. I did my usual online search and came up the Jabberwock Inn as the best option.

The website itself is highly detailed and, after the fact, very accurate, in its descriptions of the rooms and grounds. The house is a nice example of arts-and-crafts architecture but is decorated in a more Victorian style (too bad), but not overwhelmingly so.

I can't remember which room we originally booked -- one of the less expensive rooms -- but something was wrong with its plumbing, and the innkeeper upgraded us to the Borogrove Suite. It was a wonderful, sunlit room with terrific views on three sides and a really neat jacuzzi/bath combination (that took awhile to figure out -- I do wish they'd had some instructions posted on how to operate the thing!). The bed was comfortable, with nice linens. The large bureau was adequate for the clothing we brought for the weekend.

Breakfasts were tasty and filling, including warm croissants, berry and cheese blintzes, and quiche. Coffee was available prior to breakfast. Sherry was available in the rooms. Fresh-baked cookies were available in the evening.

We purchased tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium from the innkeeper -- a good decision, because those tickets allowed us access via the members entrance, so we were able to bypass the long line to get in.

The inn itself is walking distance to Cannery Row and the Aquarium (but be warned the walk back is uphill, very steep for the last block).

Free parking is available in their lot.

The Jabberwock has seven rooms, ranging from US$115-235 per night. My husband and I stayed in The Toves, the downstairs bedroom, which has a regular rate of $215. The Toves has a king-sized bed, a two-person jacuzzi tub, and a small private garden off the dressing area. Its dominant colors/textures are brown woods with green and cream accents to the furnishings and linens. It is a visually restful room with antique furniture and a luxuriously contemporary tub and shower.

The bed is not only king-sized, it also has separate comfort setting for each side. My husband and I were each able personalize the mattress for firmness. This was an unexpected and unadvertised bonus; I do not know whether it is available in other Jabberwock rooms. The linens were deliciously soft, and there is a reading light with independent controls on each side of the bed. It was a wonderful environment in which to read and unwind--no back strain, no eye strain. The world was rosy.

The jacuzzi tub with fine British fixtures is a real jacuzzi, which means a high degree of options for the power and activity of the jets. My husband, who is six feet tall, was particulary appreciative of the tall shower fixture which allowed him to have water cascade directly onto his head, instead of water pointing at an angle towards his chin or chest. (I am only 5''3" so I wouldn''t have recognized this as an unusual luxury all by myself, but since he mentioned it, I can see the attraction.)

The dressing area is two steps down from the bedroom and bathing area and has a very nice bureau and the door out to the aforementioned garden area. To the right of the dressing area and one more step down is the sink, a short closet with ample width and an automatic light, and the toilet area. The "bathroom" is an extended affair in the Toves room, but we felt that it contributed to the romantic appeal of the room. The tub is near the bed and the dressing area--since clothes are important only for going out into common areas--was a bit removed from sight and mind.

The private garden is small in a way that feels intimate as opposed to cramped. There is plenty of room to eat lunch while sitting in the wrought iron chairs and admire the small stone fountain. It is also an excellent vantage point from which to speculate on the evolution of the architecture of the house, which used to be a nunnery.

The Toves room sports complimentary brandy if one should want a nightcap. The Jabberwock also offers milk and cookies in a common area at bedtime (with dessert plates, so you may steal back to your room) and appetizers and sherry at 5 p.m.