Hofsas House Hotel Family-Friendly Lodging

Table Of Content

• Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea
• Walk through Carmel Art Association, the town's oldest gallery
• Fine Dining in Carmel
• MEET THE CURRENT HOFSAS HOUSE HOTEL OWNER – CARRIE THEIS
• Where to Stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea: Hofsas House Hotel Review
• Our Stay at Hofsa’s House in Carmel by the Sea – California’s Most Charming Town

You will find many wine tasting rooms sprinkled throughout town and most will ship wine to you back home. A lovely bottle of wine and cheese from the local cheese shop was waiting to welcome us when we arrived. Now that my husband and I are empty-nesters, we love to get away whenever we can. We had the opportunity to visit one of our favorite California cities, Carmel-by-the-Sea in Monterey County, California and stay at the warm and welcoming Hofsas House. While the weather was not the best during our visit, it rained quite a bit, but it turned out to be a cozy, very relaxing time to reconnect and unwind for a few days. Highlights of our drive were the Ghost Trees at Pescadero Point – they are sun-bleached, needless cypress trees that are quite spooky.

Carmel Planning Commission votes to move away from wood-burning fireplaces. - Monterey County Weekly

Carmel Planning Commission votes to move away from wood-burning fireplaces..

Posted: Thu, 10 Mar 2016 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea

The city center of Monterey is also a 15 minute drive from the hotel. 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. 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.

Walk through Carmel Art Association, the town's oldest gallery

However, there are several rooms with entrances located at street level. Travelers with mobility challenges should call the hotel in advance to discuss their needs and accommodations will be confirmed. Hofsas House Hotel is located in Carmel-by-the-Sea and was a perfect fit for my family.

Fine Dining in Carmel

I was pleasantly surprised to find plentiful and free parking right near the beach. Head west on Ocean Avenue and you will end up at the beach. The hotel is ideal for family reunions and small conferences. The conference room is located poolside and includes a full kitchen. Guests are welcome to bring their own chef or work with the Hofsas House chef. Breakfast in our room avoids having to drive and wait in a restaurant.

What we absolutely loved about our room were the two full bathrooms. This is the most family-friendly amenity a hotel can offer! One was located inside the bedroom and the other off the living area. This was a much-appreciated design, especially for my teen daughter. Two bathrooms enabled us to avoid the typical morning backup.

Hofsas House Hotel in Carmel: Review

When you pull up to Hofsas House, you will feel like you stumbled into a European Inn. Many of the rooms have ocean views above the treetops where the sunsets are magnificent, A walk to the beautiful beach is a pleasant stroll through town, about a half mile away. We found a bottle of wine and delicious cheese from The Cheese Shop Carmel waiting in our room. We visited this shop to purchase cheese and crackers to enjoy on our ride home. This was the first time my daughter visited a cheese specialty shop (not in a grocery store). After the long drive, we decided to pick up dinner and bring it back to the hotel.

Where to Stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea: Hofsas House Hotel Review

The property is perfectly located and had a great view of the ocean. The property is older and the rooms are decorated in a very eclectic style. We began with an appetizer of swiss pastry pastetli filled with three types of mushrooms and parmesan cheese.

Hofsas House is four stories connected by exterior staircases however, only one story sits above street level. The office is located on San Carlos Street near Fourth Street. In order to set my disabled daughter up for a successful trip, especially a road trip, my friend Judy and our service dogs joined us. Thanks to our lovely family-friendly accommodations and a nice blend of activities with downtime, we had a fun and successful trip. My family embarked on a road trip north from Los Angeles to Carmel-by-the-Sea. I had not taken a road trip to this beautiful coastal area in many years.

Check out Yvonne’s very different take on Hofsas House and Carmel, Dog-Friendly Travel; Hofsas House in Carmel. We had a delicious hearty breakfast at Friar Tuck’s in Carmel the next morning, which is a great local joint, clearly a favorite of the residents. We sampled the Firecracker Shrimp, which was slightly spicy and really tasty, and some delicately fried zucchini and broccoli as appetizers. I had a refreshing arugula and beet salad for my main course and I loved it.

This Summer we took a road trip up the California coast, seeing the sights and visiting colleges, and we stopped in Carmel-by-the-Sea for an overnight visit. 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). 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.

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.

Besides the family history behind the hotel, it’s also a beautiful Bavarian-inspired inn with an artistic, European style. I love seeing the charming houses, many with beautiful flowers and landscaping. Carrie said the heated pool had been redone since our last visit but the weather was too cold and rainy to take a dip this time.

The Deli was jam-packed full of delicious options including a salad bar. We chose made-to-order sandwiches (turkey, tuna, and ham) and all were delicious. This is a great place to purchase picnic fixings for a day at the beach or parks. The fondue pot was filled with Gruyere, Emmenthaler, and Appenzeller cheese with roasted tomatoes and cream. We dipped bread, vegetables, and apples into a pot of gooey deliciousness. We had a fun evening filled with lots of laughter and a new fondue dining experience.

Not having to behave around other guests first thing is also helpful. The three other stories of the Hotel were built below street level against a hillside. There is plenty of off-street parking that can be accessed from San Carlos Street next to the office and from a driveway down to the ground level. All of the rooms have Dutch doors and with the top half open, the ocean breezes were lovely. Carmel-by-the-Sea has some unique ordinances to ensure the town maintains its non-commercial natural charm.

The Museum is a manageable size and fully ADA accessible with an elevator. 17-Mile Drive winds along the rugged and extraordinarily beautiful coast. We drove along the world-famous Pebble Beach golf course. There are many Points of Interest in which to stop and enjoy with plenty of parking.