My husband and I were recently invited to stay at the Hofsas House hotel in the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea for an enchanting getaway. It was my first time visiting Carmel ~ it won’t be my last. This review is about our lovely accommodations, stay tuned for a post on all the things we did in this charming seaside town.
A family-run boutique hotel for over 65 years, Hofsas House offers warm European style hospitality with a goal to make you fall in love so you will want to return again and again.
Whether a romantic weekend celebrating a special anniversary, a girls’ weekend shopping and dining, or a family road trip (even the dog is welcome!) this is an area of California everyone should explore at least once in your lifetime.
I not only fell in love, I fell madly in love with Carmel-by-the-Sea; one of the best getaways my husband and I have ever experienced.
Our adventure started bright and early on a Thursday morning. Wanting to take the Scenic Highway One through Big Sur and drive up the coast, we hit the road at 6am. Getting through LA was the toughest part of the trip, but once we hit the 101 we were smooth sailing.
We made about six stops along the way ~ this state is so amazing. The word MAJESTIC kept coming to mind…
If time permits, I can’t more highly suggest taking the drive up the California coast. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life.
We arrived in Carmel around 3pm just in time for check in. When we drove into town we were immediately captivated by its beauty, reminiscent of a quaint European village.
One of the largest inns in the one square mile town known as Carmel-by-the-Sea, each of the 38 rooms is different and uniquely decorated in Old World Bavarian-style.
The property felt like visiting your Great Aunt Helga in Germany and staying in her cozy haus in the countryside. Since my husband’s family is from Germany, we felt right at home.
Forget the big screen TV’s, you don’t need them. The property and entire town felt like stepping back in time. A time when people strolled instead of power walking while looking down at a phone. Sigh.
Here is our spacious ocean view king suite…
Upon arrival to the room, we were greeted by one of their speciality amenities, the Monterey Wine & Cheese Pairing, which you can opt to add on to your stay for only $30.
Once we were settled, we opened up the crisp Ventana chardonnay and delectable cheese and crackers for a lovely appetizer before walking out to dinner. This was an amazing way to start our Carmel experience, especially since we were hungry from the long drive! YUM…
Our ocean view room was impeccably clean (big for me) and featured a king sized bed with lovely linens, wood-burning fireplace, small kitchenette with microwave and mini-fridge, and the cutest pink Dutch door (which every room in the inn has) allowing us to open the top to let the ocean breeze in.
Hofsas House Offerings
Here are a few of the features you can find at the hotel:
~ Heated swimming pool (it was 80 degrees when we were there!)
~ Pet friendly rooms and pet concierge service
~ European style dry saunas
~ Off-street FREE parking (thank you very much)
~ Free continental breakfast (pastries, yogurts and great coffee)
~ Free WIFI (thank you very much)
Each morning we would go to the lobby where an employee would ask if they could make us a carafe of coffee to take to our room, which we did.
I love a hotel that offers a few free nibbles in the AM to tide you over until you get out and about…
Your Personal Carmel Concierge
One of the best parts about staying at the Hofsas House, was Carrie the owner, and her staff.
Her grandmother Donna Hofsas (photo left on wall) founded the hotel six decades ago, and Carrie spent summers as a child helping her grandmother at the Hofsas House. You can definitely say hospitality is in her blood!
The passion for her boutique hotel and the city of Carmel-by-the-Sea was evident in the sparkle in her eyes.
Knowing we were going on a romantic weekend away, she helped create the perfect weekend itinerary to help us explore and enjoy all the different things the area has to offer.
If you stay at Hofsas House, PLEASE take advantage of their knowledge of the area and chat with them on things to do and allow them to arrange activities for you.
To me, this is what made this hotel so special.
Location, Location, Location
Overlooking the quaint seaside village, the Hofsas House is walking distance to central Carmel, the beach, shops and dining.
You could easily pull up, park, and not get in your car again the rest of the trip if you didn’t chose to.
However, if you want to venture out, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Big Sur and Pacific Grove are only a short drive away.
Scenery like this is walking distance from the hotel. Magical, and impossible not to fall in love…
Ways to Enhance Your Stay
The Hofsas House prides themselves on giving guests options to enhance their stay with packages and add on’s such as:
~ Beach fire kit and s’mores bundle with blanket and flashlight to take down to the beach ($60)
~ In room his and her couples massage starting at 45 minutes ($160)
~ Romantic room decor for special occasions ($75)
~ Beach fire set up for you including flowers, s’mores, blanket, flashlight and message in the sand ($139)
~ Partnerships with 6 golf courses with golf fees starting at $65pp including cart.
~ Hospitality partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, if tickets purchased through Hofsas House, you can receive a two-consecutive-day pass for the price of one.
~ Tail wagging package including dog frisbee, dog bed, tips and recommendations for your stay and pet-friendly businesses. There is a $25/night fee for one dog and $40/night additional fee for two dogs.
Pricing & Tips on Staying at the Hofsas House
The Hofsas House room rates are refreshingly reasonable, and they offer many different types of rooms depending on what you are looking for.
Many have fireplaces, kitchenettes, private balconies, and they also offer three family suites and two deluxe suites. If traveling with children, their family suites were AWESOME! Some have two separate sleeping rooms and two separate bathrooms. The perfect set-up.
CALL TO BOOK.
I would recommend not booking online, but calling the hotel to make your reservation, so they can help find out more what you are looking for and place you in the room that will be most comfortable for you.
This way you can let them know if you want a fireplace, private balcony, two separate sleeping rooms if traveling with kids, or the most economical choice, etc.
Use their concierge services!
Like I mentioned before, Carrie was incredibly helpful in suggesting the most amazing things to do and experience on our stay.
They can help you plan an itinerary, make reservations, purchase tickets, etc. so I highly suggest calling and chatting with her so you can utilize this amazing resource.
We had the time of our lives. Thank you so much to Carrie and the Hofsas House for giving us a getaway we will never forget! And you better believe we WILL be back!
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Disclosure: I was invited to stay at the Hofsas House complimentary as a part of a media stay to facilitate a review. All opinions are 100% my own. LOVED IT!
Majestic! The Californian coast has to be one of my most favorite places in the world. I feel so serene and peaceful there. Big Sur is my happy place and Carmel is the coziest.
I seriously must have said the word “majestic” a thousand times over the drive up! It really is a magical destination and the drive is unbelievable!
Carmel is fantastic and the Hofsas House is a great place to stay. Take the time and drive up the 1.
Absolutely gorgeous! Already want to book a trip 🙂
The town is insanely romantic – highly suggest for an anniversary or weekend getaway with your hubby! 3 nights was perfect! Xo
My husband and I stayed at Hofsas house in July 2008 right after our wedding in Yosemite. We decided to “wing it” after the wedding and not plan exactly when we would go to places – so we did not have a reservation. We were delighted with the professionalism and warmness of the staff at Hofsas house when we called and knew that would be where we would stay when we arrived in Carmel. The location was fantastic – and the rooms were very sweet. Our experience there was very memorable – and we both travel a lot for work so to have an experience stand out means that it was top notch!
Jen, I am so happy to hear you received the same warm welcome that we did at the Hofsas House. It really is a special place. I hope to make it back next year!