Hofsas House Carmel by The Sea
Hofsas House in Carmel by The Sea
It's been too long since we last visited the coastal area near Carmel by the Sea, 20 years to be exact. We were graciously invited for a weekend stay at Hofsas House and we couldn't have had a better time or weather during our trip. If you are not familiar with the area, Carmel By The Sea is approximately 325 miles north of Los Angeles off the 101.
Hofsas House Hotel is a unique boutique Inn offering 38 individually decorated room offering loads of space, many with an ocean view. The property include a year round heated pool, his and hers dry sauna, as well as a fourth floor deck to take in the ocean views along with the beautiful tree top views.
The accommodations at the Hofsas House are very comfortable and homey. Each room is decorated differently and they range from single King bedrooms to 2 bedroom suites with kitchens. About a third of the rooms have fireplaces which is always a treat!
Continental breakfast is included with your stay and can be had in the lobby or taken to your room. fresh fruit and even fresher local pastries with coffee and juice so starts the day just right. Make sure to grab the local paper, browse local restaurant menus or inquire about any current happenings, they are more that happy to help.
Deluxe King Room with Ocean View and Fireplace
There are always specials and packages to be had at Hofsas, this month for example you can get a wine passport at a discount with a one night minimum stay or enjoy a lovely cheese and wine selection upon Check in. The wines are all from the local Monterey Bay area wineries and the cheeses are from The Cheese Shop. Arrange yours upon booking your stay, it's a nice way to kick off your visit.
Our lovely wine and cheese welcome upon our arrival. Cheese from The Cheese Shop
The friendly and knowledgeable team running the Inn has a great amount of history on the property. It is a third generation business started by the current families grandmother back in the late 1950's. The personal touches and way of running the Inn have continued through to today and show in the dedication and hands on approach of tending to all of it's guests. I highly recommend taking a moment to learn more about the City from the staff at the front desk, get their top recommendations for places to go and dine, it truly is their passion.
Our room with a view, and a new friend
I totally appreciated the restaurant recommendations we received from Carrie the current GM at Hofsas House as well as the family friendly activities in near by Monterey Bay and Point Lobos State Reserve. She went as far as offering to loan us binoculars for the day. We were able to pick up on some discounts for dining and purchase our Aquarium tickets in advance. Services you would expect from the big hotel chains all with a personal approach.
The perks of staying in Carmel by the sea are the amazing varieties of dining choices, the proximity of everything in the town (no need to drive) and the amazing character the city has from it's homes and businesses down to the immense friendliness of the people who work and reside there. Immediately you will notice just how green and lush everything is from the countless trees and beautifully planted store fronts, it's just so lush and full of life everywhere.
You will find so much to do within a few miles of Carmel like the beautiful state reserves, fishermen Warf in Monterey Bay as well as the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Into wine tastings? Carmel has a fun Wine Walk you can partake in. It's self guided and at $65 it's a great deal for the 9 tasting tickets you get. Each ticket will get you 4-5 samples and if you have any left over, they never expire. Collect art, there are many many art galleries to browse.
Enjoy a light continental breakfast fireside in the lobby
A little about the town. This year Carmel by the Sea is celebrating their 100th birthday as the Village in the forest by the sea. The town itself is 1 square mile in size. A few interesting facts: There are no street addresses within the Carmel by the Sea. You will find your way around by the street and cross streets. Street lamps are not allowed, nor is neon lighting and it's the worlds most dog friendly city.
What you won't find are chain stores or mass transit.
Buildings cannot exceed 2 stories high from the street level
Beaches are dog friendly.
Most restaurant are farm to table.
Fires are allowed on the beach Mondays through Thursdays
There are approximately 3900 residence
Recycling is a big deal as the city is at around 75%
Water consumption is very low at around 45 gallons each.
The garbage trucks run off methane gas.
Looking to book a room at Hofsas House, here's what you can do to get the best rate and when the best time to visit is.
Call directly to get the best rate. They have no high or low seasons so to ensure you are getting exactly the room you need or want, contact them directly. Find a better rate online, they will match it. They are a very dog friendly hotel. A single king will run you about $150 including free parking, WiFi and continental breakfast. Family suites will run about $300-$350 per night.
Warmest months are September thru October and the off season is November thru February, but seriously anytime of the year is amazing to visit.
Hofsas House Hotel
Between 3rd & 4th Ave
on San Carlos Street.
P.O. Box 1195
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
I want to send my most sincere thanks to Hofsas GM Carrie for making our family’s stay a memorable and enjoyable one. We were so overdue for a mini getaway, it was like staying at a second home and we hope to visit again soon (I still have some Wine Walk Tickets). Carmel by the Sea is such a beautiful city and area to visit, a total hidden gem I highly recommend to everyone.
