We have taken many roads up and down California’s famous Highway 1, but this was our first time staying in Carmel-by-the-Sea. This world renowned little beach town has been a popular vacation destination for many decades, and we finally got the opportunity to see why. Carmel is an exceptional destination on the Pacific Coastline because of its abundance of natural beauty and picturesque landscape. With both the shoreline and the inland surroundings, they strike a balance between untouched nature and a well loved and manicured town.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is famous for taking great efforts to preserve the “village by the sea” quaint vibes. Many of the houses and businesses look like real-life fairytale cottages. In order to support the local eateries, there are no chain restaurants allowed within the village borders. Another local quirk is that you will not find any postal numbers on houses or businesses. Instead buildings have been give charming little names. We saw a cottage named “Once Upon a Time,” how cute is that!

Our two night stay at the Hofsas House Hotel made our visit not only comfortable and convenient, but also colorful and full of sweet moments.

Our Top 10 Reasons We Loved Our Stay at Hofsas House Hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea

1. It’s like a pink fairytale cottage

The first thing you’ll notice when you arrive at Hofsas House is the tudor-style and fairytale inspired architecture, which is perfectly in-keeping with the rest of Carmel-by-the-Sea. We travel often and after visiting so many cookie-cutter hotels, it’s always fun to enjoy a splash of color and whimsy.

2. Location, location, location

Hofsas House is perfectly located a couple blocks away from the main downtown hub of Carmel-by-the-Sea. We really enjoyed being able to walk to the best selection of restaurants, coffee shops, and shopping.

The Hofsas House is also a short drive to the best sandy beach, perfect for a picnic. Carmel Beach is a short 10 minute drive or 20 minute walk from the hotel. Popular Carmel attractions such as Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and the Carmel Mission are 15 minutes away. The city center of Monterey is also a 15 minute drive from the hotel.

3. Easy and free parking

Although the hotel is very centrally located in Carmel-by-the-sea, there’s still plenty of convenient and free parking spots. Often when you choose a hotel that’s in the center of all the action, you end up having to sacrifice the ease of finding parking. But luckily you won’t have that issue at Hofsas.

4. Complimentary breakfast

Wake up and rise to a sweet and fresh continental breakfast in the Hofsas House Lobby. We enjoyed muffins, fresh fruit, pastries, yogurt, milk, orange juice and hot beverages such as coffee and tea. The perfect way to get your day started.

5. Ocean views

Our hotel room was located on the top floor and we enjoyed panoramic ocean views from our hotel room. In the morning you experience the colorful sunrise and in the evening watch the sunset over the horizon.

6. Kitchenette

We travel as a little unit with our toddler daughter Scout. It’s necessary for us to have a refrigerator for her milk and baby food. We made good use of the kitchen in our room by prepping her meals, washing her bottles, we kept snacks for ourselves and chiledl our wine and cheese.

7. Vintage furniture

The decor piece that I especially loved in our hotel room was the antique vanity. As the sun went down the light would hit the crystal knobs dispersing little rainbows all over our room. Each hotel room has one-of-a-kind furniture and decor touches, making each visit a unique experience.

8. Pool play

While the beaches are beautiful in Carmel, the ocean water is definitely on the chilly side and requires a wetsuit for swimming. But luckily the Hofsas House has a heated pool were you can jump in for a leisurely swim. Scout really loved her playtime in the pool, we had a hard time getting her out! For the adults, there’s a dry sauna to help you warm up when you exit the pool.

9. Friendly staff

The Hofsas House is a family-owned establishment and the staff will immediately make you feel like one of the gang. They are very knowledgeable about things to do, where to eat, and the history of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Feel free to enjoy a chat with them while you sip your morning coffee in the lounge.

10. Pet friendly rooms

Carmel-by-the-Sea is known for being a very dog-friendly vacation destination, and you can also bring your pup to stay at the Hofsas House with you.

Eats within Walking Distance of Hofsas House

I mentioned above that you can walk to many eateries from the Hofsas Hotel. These were some of our favorites:

Alvarado Street / Yeast of Eden

A modern brewery and pub located in the Carmel Plaza. The weather was beautiful so we sat outside on the spacious patio. There were several families with small children and doggies sitting outside with us. My husband ordered the California Classic Burger and I enjoyed the Fish & Chips.

Stationæry

Artesian coffee house serving small plates with ingredients sourced locally. The food and coffee is almost too pretty to eat and drink! Just a 4 minute walk from Hofsas House.

5th Avenue Deli

This deli is just a quick 3 minute walk from Hofsas House and they have made-to-order sandwiches and yummy tamales. We picked up a picnic lunch and took it with us to Carmel Beach (scroll below to see photos).

Our Recommended Spots to Explore in Carmel by the Sea

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

There’s no better place to witness the natural beauty of the Carmel region than the Point Lobos Reserve. The coastline is home to many species of sea life, most notably seals and otters. Be prepared to pay a $10 fee at the entrance, they do accept most credit cards. Before you head out for the day, make sure to ask the Hofsas House front desk to lend you a pair of binoculars so you can see all the sea creatures up close.

During our visit we explored both the Whaler’s Cove and the Cypress Grove South Shore. If you head in the direction of the Cypress Grove South Shore, there’s a long trail on top of the cliffs that gives you stunning oceans views. The trail is very well maintained and we had no problem pushing our stroller along the path. All of the seals and otters we saw were at the Cypress Grove Shore. If you enjoy hiking, there are several trails in the park at both Whaler’s Cove and the Cypress Grove South Shore.

Carmel Beach

We were super impressed with this beach, the sand was so soft and sparkling white. You can either opt to walk along the Scenic Road trail that runs parallel to the ocean or you can set up a picnic on the sand, we did both! There are many charming houses along the Scenic Road, we had fun taking a leisurely walk to observe all the unique architecture of the homes. There’s also a very clean and modern public restroom on the trail, probably the best one I’ve ever seen at a beach.

Carmel Mission

Growing up in California, you always study the missions in the 4th grade and everyone must build a model replica to showcase at school. I selected to build the Carmel Mission because out of the 21 California Missions, it is by far one of the most impressive. The outside architecture is simple and beautiful while inside the chapel is much more grand. It’s very peaceful walking through the gardens and the museum is filled with artifacts and history. Scroll to the end of the post to see our Carmel Mission photos!