Carmel-Big Sur-Monterey

Moderately priced and Carmel/Big Sur/Monterey don't align! You'd need at least 2 hotel rooms or an airbnb of some sort.

We usually stay at Marina, CA--5 miles or so north of Monterey. They have a Hampton Inn and Springhill Suites that can suit your needs. Things are also more reasonably priced a short distance away--like in Salinas.

Is there anything at Pacific Grove right next door? It used to be the lower rent area.

A friend of mine grew up there. It was an early religious settlement and stayed low key as Carmel got bigger. Don't know about nowadays.

MaureenW,
Prices will not be moderate in Carmel or Big Sur. You could find something in Monterey possibly. Do a search at Booking.com to get an idea. I doubt you will find a room for 6. You will need two rooms unless you get a VRBO or AirBnB. When are you going?

Hi, I'm from Carmel/Monterey. usually rates will be lower in November as long as they aren't on Veterans' Day weekend or during a big golf tournament. Legal airbnbs are very limited in the area. for example, they are not legal in Carmel at all. If I was from out of state and only in this beautiful area for a few days I definitely wouldn't stay in Marina or Salinas because they aren't close enough. of course mid week is going to be less expensive than on the weekend since the area is a wonderful weekend escape from the Bay Area. I would encourage you to look at the small lodges in downtown Carmel. some of them have pretty basic rooms but the ability to walk from your room through the "village" for a meal or some window shopping and down Ocean Avenue to the gorgeous white sand Carmel Beach is so worth it! (walk south along Scenic Drive to Carmel River Beach a state park, it's a breath taking flat walk or you can drive it if you aren't up for a walk) Another part of the Monterey Peninsula to look for modest hotels in a very scenic setting is pacific grove by asilomar state beach. there are some older lodges there that are perfectly fine and super close to the beautiful beach and coastline, tide pooling etc. In fact, see if the Asilomar Conference Center has rooms available. The rate includes breakfast in the dining room. It's a beautiful spacious property within walking distance of the Asilomar beach and coastline. during the week it's generally filled with State employee conference (it's owned by the state of California) but you can often find rooms on the weekend or during a non conference day. there are deer walking throughout the property. the lodges I mentioned are close by. another decent area to stay is in Monterey along Munras Avenue. There's a whole line of nicer motels (it used to be the highway before the main one was built) and they are centrally located. easy to pop down to the historic Monterey adobes, the waterfront, aquarium, and a short distance over the hill and down into Carmel. You don't have to be concerned about safety on the Monterey Peninsula as long as you practice good common traveling sense. I would avoid the motels on Fremont st in Monterey. Not because they are unsafe but because the area isn't as conducive to walking. Drive down to Nepenthe in Big Sur for lunch one day! Go tide pooling along the coastline from the aquarium out to asilomar beach. take a national park service tour of the historic adobes in monterey and learn about california's first capitol. have a great trip!

I stayed at Arbor Inn on Munras Avenue two years ago. Central Monterey with very good rates. You would need two rooms. It is older, but updated. Has some fireplace rooms. I would stay there again.

In November, monarch butterflies migrate to Pacific Grove. I was there in November, 3 years ago. We stopped by as the sun was low in the sky and the butterflies were active. Unique magical experience. Butterfly behavior depends on daily temperatures, so your experience may vary, but it is nearby and easy to visit.
wehttps://www.cityofpacificgrove.org/our_city/departments/public_works/city_owned_infrastructure/buildings___grounds/monarch_sanctuary.php

I thought this post was about Mac operating systems.

Well, this is the place they were named for.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_Monterey

The operating system is named after Monterey Bay, continuing the trend
of releases named after California locations since 2013's 10.9
Mavericks.

It was 5 years ago so I'm not sure if it's changed much, but we stayed at the Carmel Mission Inn. It's along the highway on the edge of town near a large shopping complex and you need a car to get anywhere in town. It was a good price though and very clean. You may need two rooms.

Years ago we got the last room at the Borg Motel in Pacific grove on President's day weekend. It is clean and safe. And very basic. But the location right across from the ocean and near lovers point was very nice. It has family rooms.

Have you looked at Asilomar? Lovely grounds. Quite literally, a state park right on the ocean between Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove.

Rooms are a little spare, but it’s a lovely place and moderately priced. If you’re golfing at Pebble Beach, you’re probably not in the need of a super low budget place to stay.

Asilomar is wonderful, and beautifully situated. Do it!

We spent our (frugal) honeymoon at Asilomar in January (30-odd years ago). Beautiful, rustic, right across from the beach, and we could see whales from our balcony.

Every November Asilomar hosts a large Scottish dance festival on a weekend – classes, a big formal dance, live music including bagpipes. Someday I'll be good enough to go :-)