City Escape: Carmel-by-the-Sea at the Hofsas House

Have you ever visited Carmel-by-the-sea in California?  If not, you're missing out on a gorgeous, tranquil place!  Carmel is a hidden away gem in a small beach town on California's Monterey Peninsula.  It's known for its artsy district, museums and galleries, and fairy-tale like cottage architecture in a village style setting.  It's like stepping into a real-life fable I use to read when I was a kid.

If you're looking for a city escape from all the hustle and bustle of places like San Francisco, Carmel-by-the-sea is a place to settle down and unwind, enjoy a glass or two of wine, and admire all the scenic views of God's creations.

As you all know, I'm born and raised in the East Bay of California but never heard of Carmel until recently when a couple of my friends here in Georgia was telling me how much they loved it there.  When the opportunity of visiting Carmel myself dropped in my email box a few months ago, I knew I just had to say yes to the offer.

The small-town feel of Carmel gives off a coziness, and the hospitality is very warm and welcoming.

And, Carmel is a walkable city.  So, you can park your car and walk throughout the town.  But do note that Carmel has a lot of hills, so wearing walking shoes is a must, leave those high heels at home!  LOL! 😄


Don't forget about your furry friend!  Carmel is a dog-friendly town.

The hotel my family and I stayed in was the Hofsas House, a boutique family-owned inn with 38 uniquely decorated, spacious rooms with many of the rooms having ocean views.  Owned and operated by the Theis Family, Hofsas House Hotel is within walking distance of everything Carmel has to offer, including a stunning beach, fine restaurants and shops, and wine tasting.  It provides peaceful respite and European charm just minutes from Monterey, Pebble Beach, Big Sur and Pacific Grove.

The Bavarian-style inn of the Hofsas House is so dainty and charming as if we stepped foot in a little village in Germany.

Famous mural painted by Maxine Albro in 1957

We were in a master bedroom suite with a huge living room that had a fireplace, wet bar, and private balcony.  I love how they maximize the space with two daybeds in the living room, so the girls had their own resting space.

Both bathrooms are enormous, especially in the master bedroom.  So definitely, my family and I were not on top of each other like traditional chain hotels.  Also, our suite had a unique style, dutch doors, reminds me of Hansel and Gretel and the decor of a grandmother's home, they paid close attention to every little detail.  It's quaint, quiet, cozy, a home away from home feel.  Extremely clean.

And that view from our balcony was everything!  Watching the sunrise and sunset is spectacular!  Opening up the windows and front dutch door letting the fresh ocean air in made our suite so airy and delightful.

Amenities Includes:

• Pet Friendly Rooms/ Pet Concierge Services

• Heated Swimming Pool 

• European Style Dry Saunas

• Off-Street Parking

• Continental Breakfast

• In Room Amenities includes WIFI, Personal Voicemail, Cable TV, and much more

• Netbook (it's their mobile business center for your convenience)

The staff and management of the Hofsas House are excellent!  They make sure every guest have what they need and enjoy their stay.  This is why people need to support small businesses; you get better service from family-owned businesses.  They go above and beyond for their customers.  And at the Hofsas House, you see the owners Carrie, and her mother Doris working at the hotel, they are not behind the scenes.  Both have a wealth of knowledge about Carmel and can set you up with a list of must-visit places in the city.

Speaking of places, Carrie set me up with a schedule of sites for me to visit while there in Carmel for the day.  See what I did below:

Carmel Beach

First up, we went to Carmel Beach off of Ocean Ave.  Michelle insisted on going to the beach, and I wanted to check the beach out because I heard it had white sand.  I thought white sandy beaches were only in the Caribbean and east coast.  Carmel beach allows dogs to be off leashes, so if you ever decide to come to Carmel with your fido family member, you both will have a great time at the beach.  We didn't stay long since it was chilly outside.  With the beach not packed with tourist, you'll have a pleasant time when the weather is a bit warmer.

5th Avenue Deli

5th Avenue Deli has a variety of delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner menu selections on a take-out basis, along with full catering services.  We order our picnic lunch there to take with us to Point Lobos State Park.  We visited this deli several times while in Carmel, and the staff always welcome us back.  Friendly people!

Point Lobos State Park

Point Lobos State Park Scenic coastal area features a variety of sea animals & wildlife, hiking, diving & a whaling museum.  Views like this at the park is breathtaking!  Some parts you can climb the cliffs and overlook the ocean.  And depending on the time of year, you may be able to spot whales, seals, and other sea animals.  It's $10 to visit the park, and you can also have a picnic there as we did.  We sat in our car watching the birds flying over the cliffs and sea.

Carmel Road Monterey

You think you have to travel to Napa to go on Wine tours?  Think again!  Camel has a Wine Walk By-the-Sea tasting tour.  The ongoing tour is self-paced, self-guided to the 15 tasting rooms in the 1x1 square mile of Carmel-by-the-Sea.  Personally, I'm not a wine drinker or do I know different wines, so I only did one wine room stop.  And what made me appreciate this wine tour is that it's family-friendly.  No, they don't serve wine to the kids, but you can take your kids with you, there are spaces for them to sit and play while you're enjoying different wines.  The tasting room we did was Carmel Road Monterey; they have a selection of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Rose offerings.  Also, Carmel Road has a collaboration with Drew Barrymore selling three of her wines, Barrymore Drew's Blend Pinot Noir, Barrymore Rosé of Pinot Noir, and Barrymore Pinot Grigio.

Beach House Restaurant

The Hofsas House set us up for dinner at the Beach House in Pacific Grove, a casual California dining overlooking Lovers Point Beach.  Panoramic views all around the restaurant, in a relaxed, romantic environment.  Our meals were cooked to perfection, flavorful, and good size portions.  Mr. M and I had the Grilled & Sliced Ribeye Steak Sandwich which by the way was incredibly fulfilling!  Michelle had fried shrimp and fries, Lauren had a pasta dish.  I like to mention that the menu is not overly priced either, affordable.

We managed to do a lot in one day!  However, I recommend staying in Carmel for at least a week to absorb everything.  When leaving Carmel, I felt like I was rejuvenated, brand new, ready to tackle head-on the fast pace life again.  You know the saying, I need a vacation from my vacation?  Carmel doesn't leave you feeling that way; you'll come out refreshed.

Thank you Hofsas House for inviting my family and me to your storybook hotel!  We had a fabulous time exploring Carmel!

Have you ever visited Carmel-by-the-Sea before?

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