A few weeks ago, I went back to one of my all-time favorite travel destinations…. Carmel by-the-sea! It’s honestly the cutest place I’ve ever seen *heart eyes*! With streets lined with fairytale cottages, dreamy secret passageways, incredible cuisine and breath-taking scenery, Carmel is definitely one-of-a-kind. I’ve been to Carmel once before and had the most magical time. This time, we did slightly different things that I will be sharing in a separate post but today, I’ll be detailing where to stay in Carmel by-the-sea.
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Where to Stay in Carmel By-the-Sea
Since we had such a great experience the first time, we decided to head back to the pretty pink Hofsas House Hotel! It started out as a group of four cottages and over seven decades and the span of three generations, it grew to be a full fledged boutique hotel! You can read more about the history in my previous review post. The Hofsas House has a unique Bavarian-inspired design throughout the hotel – it looks like you’ve stepped into the most charming European village! And of course, the entire hotel is the perfect shade of PINK and every single room is decorated individually with a lot of thought and care!! I just love it so much <3
The Room
As I mentioned, each room is decorated differently so we stayed in a different room than we did the first time. And honestly, I loved them both! They each had their own unique charm about them but both were ultra feminine and welcoming. The first room reminded me of a princess room with the soft mix of pastel blue and light gold but this one was much more fun with a delicate mix of florals to rival that of even the most expert pattern mixes. The florals encompass the stunning vintage wallpaper that extends across the ceiling, the darling table skirts on each side of the bed, the cushions of the adorable bistro set and the quilted bedspread that showcases many different florals and colors – items that you wouldn’t think would work together but they do in the most magical way! It seriously looks like the set of LoveShackFancy catalog! And the bathroom is the cutest shade of retro pink – I just love the pink tiled shower and marbled countertop. This particular room also had a little sitting area, fireplace, closet, and a little kitchen nook with a sink, microwave and fridge. Like the other rooms, it also has dutch doors to let in that cool ocean breeze (and this room does have a view of the ocean as well as it’s own outdoor little patio set!).
The bed was very comfortable and the shower was roomy enough for even my 6’2″ husband. I also want to mention how CLEAN it was! Cleanliness has always been important to me when it comes to travel but now that things are starting to open back up, it’s even more important than ever so that people feel safe. This was our first time staying at a hotel in over a year! One thing I remembered from our first stay at the Hofsas House was how clean everything was… and I mean everything! This time was no different. The entire room (and property) was spotless. You could tell that they really put a lot of effort into keeping the room clean and safe for guests and that made me feel much more at ease.
More Room Options
Above I’ve included a few of the other room options including the previous one we stayed in (second room image) and one of their latest collaborations with local folk artist, Marie-Clare Treseder Gorham (first room image). The headboard from that room in particular was custom built by local carpenter Gary Doubledee and hand-painted by Marie-Clare. It was inspired by twin headboards painted by artist, Maxine Albro in 1947 and pays homage with both the scalloped design and the palette of her original mural seen below. The other rooms are all different whether it’s a more rustic design, stunning vintage florals or even simple beachy decor – there really is something for everyone! They also have larger suites available for family travel or newlyweds (last two images above are the same suite).
Room Amenities
Here are some of the amenities offered:
- Fireplaces
- Private Balconies
- Wet Bars
- Kitchens
- Patios
- Dutch Doors
The Office
The office area is so warm and inviting! The outdoor welcome mural and indoor paintings were created by Maxine Albro to carry through the Bavarian inspiration through art. The inside is super cozy with a comfy seating area and fireplace. This is where you can find the continental breakfast with fresh French Roast coffee, juice, tea, fruit and pastries from a neighborhood bakery. To make guests feel even more safe, they wrapped everything and put it on a tray to take up to the room to enjoy. I thought it was super thoughtful!
The Pool Area
I loveee the pool area! It’s such a cute place to relax and it’s incredibly clean! The pool is heated to the perfect temperature, which is so nice because Carmel can get a bit chilly at times. It’s a good size and there’s plenty of seating if you’d just like to soak in sun. We took a ton of photos by the pool so I will share those in a future post 😉 There is also a dry sauna located here if you’d like to relax even more! And from the pool, you have a view of the pretty pink hotel surrounded with colorful blooming flowers, the ocean in the distance and of course, the newest addition to the hotel – a hand painted mural from their artist-in-residence, Marie-Clare.
Artwork
Carmel as a whole is a community that really values art and Hofsas House is no different. As you may have noticed, there are various hand-painted murals around the hotel that bring to life their European heritage. Marie-Clare uses the inspiration from Maxine Albro’s original mural along with her own unique artistry to highlight the family crest (located at the entrance) created by founder Fred Hofsas. Everything from the colors to the imagery to the latin script (which means “Leisure with dignity”) has such meaning and that’s what I love. It’s more than art. It encompasses heritage, pride and an entire family’s hard work and love for what they’ve built over seven decades.
I actually had the honor of meeting the artist in person and she was truly a gem! Such a passionate soul with a creative spirit. She shared with us her artwork, sketches, a sneak peak of new projects and even some clothing items that she designed herself with fabric that she created. It was such an inspiring experience, especially since I have a background in both art and design. She also has a few murals around town that I’ll share in a later post. Visit her Instagram to see more of her work and her incredible fashion sense (seriously you guys, she is SUCH a fashionista!).
The Grounds
Outfit Details
Sister Jane Pink Dress | Chicwish Floral Dress c/o | Vita Grace Collared Cardigan | White Sneakers | Lele Sadoughi Pearl Headband | Miss Sicily Handbag
The hotel grounds are absolutely breathtaking! As if a pretty pink hotel and beautiful vintage room decor wasn’t enough, the entire hotel is surrounded by the most beautiful flowers!! It’s seriously a cottagecore fairytale and photographer’s paradise! We did not see even one dead flower – everything is immaculate and so well taken care of. There is an abundance of color everywhere – pinks to highlight the color of the hotel and secondary hues to add a rainbow of color throughout. Taking a stroll around the hotel is such a treat! We had so much fun shooting in all the different areas – check out all of my posts here, here and here to see even more.
I also want to share that there is on-site parking and unlike many other places, there is NO additional fee. Other things to note – the property is dog-friendly, the rooms are affordable and spacious and the owner is seriously the sweetest! Both times during our stay, she gave us personalized recommendations and was so welcoming and accommodating! The property is also within walking distance of many incredible restaurants, downtown shopping, art galleries, wine tasting areas, and of course, Carmel Beach!
Overall, I LOVE this property and think that Hofsas House is the best place to stay in Carmel by-the-sea. It’s clean, cozy, and unique! From the moment you get here, you just know that it’s such a special place. We have been so pleased with both of our visits here and we will definitely be back for our next stay in Carmel by-the-sea. I can’t wait!!
Have you ever been to Carmel? What do you think of this pretty pink hotel?
Check out more of my travel posts here!
xo
