Carmel-by-the-Sea Vacation and Hofsas House Review

So a couple of weeks ago I posted about how I and my family had been invited to visit the quaint town of Carmel-by-the-Sea and stay at Hofsas House Hotel. Well, we did and guess what?! It was amazing! First I need to tell you about the charming place that is Carmel-by-the Sea. I grew up in southern California however, I lived in San Francisco for a few years during my late teens, early twenties. Despite San Francisco only being about two hours away from Carmel I never visited, but now that I have I can't imagine why no one ever mentioned it to me. It is the most adorable seaside town located in Monterey County. A peaceful hamlet that is picturesque and clean and reminds me of a fairytale village. 

 












It has numerous restaurants, art galleries and shops all in close walking distance. It is also super dog friendly and I saw so many locals walking the uneven paved streets with their four legged companions. More on that later... Many of the homes in the area are cute cottages and Tudor style that remind me of something out of Hansel & Gretel. In fact, the houses don't even have addresses instead they have cute names like Dream Catcher or Robins Nest. They have a local post office where you can stroll to and pick up your mail, so who needs an address, right? I also learned that they do  not allow chain restaurants because they want to keep that small town vibe going. I love this! Another fun fact is that as of 1963 it is actually illegal to to wear high heels. What?! That's right a municipal code bans shoes with heels taller than 2 inches or with a base of of less than 1 square inch. This law was put into place to protect the city from lawsuits due to the irregular pavement and tree roots that have grown through the sidewalk. Don't worry though, local police do  not enforce the law, however if you want to be on the safe side you can actually visit city hall and get a permit to wear said high heels. I really wanted to get a permit as a souvenir however city hall is closed on the weekends. One more thing you may not know about Carmel-by-the-sea, from 1986-1988 Clint Eastwood was mayor. Did that make your day? 

Now there are several places to stay when visiting Carmel-by-the-sea but my suggestion for you would be to stay at the Hofsas House Hotel. 

   












This Family run Bavarian inspired hotel fits Carmel-by-the-Sea's setting perfectly. Built by Donna Hofsas and her then husband in 1957 it is now run by her granddaughter Carrie Theis. Today they are celebrating 70 years of hospitality. During your stay be sure and have Carrie share the hotels history with you. She is absolutely lovely and you can tell she is proud of the grand accomplishment that is Hofsas House. The room we stayed in was one of the larger ones 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and a wood burning fire place. All the rooms have these cute dutch doors. 

Our room had a balcony and ocean view ideal for enjoying Carmel's beautiful sunsets. 

I loved the traditional old world vibe of the room and it was really comfy. We were greeted with this fabulous gift. 

One of their additional add-ons that can be added to your room when booking. This was their Champagne & Cheese Pairing complete with champagne from a local winery and cheese from the local cheese shop. Yummy! As you can see they also gifted us with a Frisbee to take home to our pups. The hotel is also dog friendly however our dogs are the size of mini horses and they would have never fit in the car up. In addition to the wonderful offerings that can be added to your room Hofsas House also has special packages available; The Artsy Package, The Wine and Chocolate Package, The Tail Wagging Package and a Cinq Mondes Spa Package. Inquire about them when you are booking your stay. Amenities include on and off street parking, on-site meeting room, free wireless and a heated pool. My daughter loved taking advantage of the heated pool because although the local beaches are picturesque, the water sure is awfully cold. 

They also have a complimentary continental breakfast complete with pastries and muffins from the local bakery, yogurt and coffee and juice. Delicious! 

We were also invited to visit a local gem, Lugano Swiss Bistro. Here, you can find authentic Swiss food in a rustic setting. 

Of course we had to partake in some fondue! Just an FYI when you are planning your trip, Lugano's is closed on Mondays, and the 4 Course Fondue Dinner is the way to go. 

Our stay was fabulous and I truly want to think owner Carrie for being so gracious and all the staff at Hofsas House for the world class hospitality. To the people of Carmel-by-the-Sea, I envy you and absolutely want to live in your beautiful oasis. 

I was provided a complimentary stay at the above mentioned hotel by the owner or PR company representing them.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone.