We were disappointed by the Glen Oaks Motel and checked out after one night (we had booked for two). To be fair, we didn't see the place at its best. They're in the midst of a refurb and the resultant crashing & banging went on all day. Combine this with two screaming kids in the room next door and paper thin walls... it certainly wasn't the peaceful hideaway we'd been hoping for!

Our room (11) had not yet been refurbished and was quite tired and worn. Perfectly clean though, with two queen sized beds and a decent enough shower in the bathroom. Windows looked out over the car park at the front and temporary (I assume) refurb related building sites to the back and side.

The Motel is right by the side of Highway 1 and in the heart of the Big Sur. For the price, it's a great location. There are some amazing and more secluded hotels & spas nearby but you have to rob a bank in order to afford them. The receptionist was very pleasant, and happily refunded us for the second night.

We drove up to Carmel (a 30 minute drive) for dinner. We had asked the Glen Oaks receptionist to recommend a good seafood restaurant and she told us to go to Flaherty's. The food was well worth the 40 minute wait for a table. For our mains my husband ordered a lobster, and I had the freshest of sea bass. Desserts are also dangerously good.

There's a petrol/gas station next to Glen Oaks which has a shop and a diner attached. We had a great breakfast at the latter.

The Andrew Molera State Park is a few miles up the coast and a good base for a walk. We parked at the ranger's station and went on a 15 mile circular coastal walk. The scenery was incredible.