Description: Even if you've performed only the most cursory search on the Hotel Monte Vista, there's one thing you're certain to know about it already: it's "haunted." Well, maybe not, but that certainly adds some glamour to what would otherwise be sort of just an old, somewhat run-down hotel.
Speaking of glamour, you may also know that some of the hotel's previous guests: Michael Stipe, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, and Freddy Mercury. Oh, and Freddy Krueger. As a matter of fact, my husband and I had the distinct pleasure of staying in the Freddy Krueger room at the "Monte V," as we heard the locals call it. (The actor who plays Freddy, Robert Englund, had once stayed in our room, and several of his pictures adorned the door and wall. He had even signed one of them with the phrase, "suite dreams," in typical punny Freddy K. fashion.)
Overall, the hotel was a fairly recommendable place to stay. I give it mixed reviews.
On the plus side, it's exciting to stay there because of the ghost stories and the celebrity guests, the Rendezvous coffee bar downstairs is lovely and convenient, there's also a cocktail lounge downstairs, the hotel is pretty centrally located, the Aveda personal care products in the bathroom are nice, everything seemed reasonably clean, and it's certainly more interesting than visiting a typical chain hotel. However, among the negative aspects of the hotel include the fact that parking is somewhat difficult to maneuver and a permit must be obtained from the desk clerk; the hotel is right next to a train station, producing considerable noise; our room--and I'm assuming most rooms in the $70 range--was quite small; the room decor was quite off-putting and the room was painted a disgusting orange color; and there are no conveniences, like a mini-fridge/bar or room service.
I probably wouldn't stay there again, but I certainly don't regret our first visit at the Monte V. And, in case you were wondering, Freddy Krueger's photo on the wall was the closest we came to seeing a ghost.
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