Review of Hofsas House Hotel in Carmel | 2024

Do you want an unpretentious and cozy hotel vibe without the stuffiness of a typical “boutique” property?  Well then, Hofsas House Hotel in Carmel by the Sea is the hotel for you!  I know what you are thinking, millennials enjoying their time in Carmel? Seriously?  Yes, I’m here to give you all the things you need to know in this Hofsas House Hotel review!

My husband and I headed out one Friday afternoon to get to Carmel.  I had been feeling the need to connect with no kids and you all should know by now, I’m a fan of traveling with just your spouse. I was initially stressing out about getting past the traffic and I was thinking why are we rushing?  But in typical fashion, he was right and just after we hit Gilroy, we hit a wall of traffic. 

This post is sponsored by Chatterbox PR and Hofsas House Hotel. All thoughts and opinions my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this site! Photos by Malia Meditz Photography.

By the time we rounded the corner of San Carlos Street, the beautiful pink exterior of the Hofsas House Hotel was a welcome sight.  Check-in was simple and we had the pleasure of chatting with the General Manager Carrie Theis for a bit before heading up to our room. 

The Hofsas House was originally opened in the 1940’s by her grandparents and Carrie told us that as a young girl, she would help out at the hotel in the summertime.  The Hofsas House Hotel is such a charming property right down to the Bavarian-inspired design and murals that greet guests as they head into the front office.

The Hofsas House Hotel General Info

Hofsas House Hotel has 38 rooms each with fireplaces, wet bars and most rooms has a partial view of the ocean.  It’s the very last hotel at the end of San Carlos but still within walking distance to pretty much anything you need in Downtown Carmel.  We were able to park at the hotel and leave the car almost the entire weekend, only taking it to explore Pt Lobos on our last day in the area. 

It was a beautiful weekend so we walked everywhere but even if it was pouring rain, I could see ourselves holing up our cozy room with some wine and cheese!

Hofsas House Hotel offers a continental breakfast and each day we went down for tea, coffee and pastries.  The lobby always has the fireplace on and since mornings are usually cool, it was so lovely to walk into to a warm room.  Carrie is the go-to for Carmel recommendations but the rest of the staff is just as friendly and helpful. 

Getting extras like a blanket for the beach or extra mugs to bring up to the room was no problem.  Hofsas House also has a heated pool and dry sauna, a nice perk on the days when the weather is warm enough for pool time.  While there isn’t an electric charger, the hotel does have a regular plug but in the future, Hofsas is pursuing installing a Tesla charger on site.

Hotel Vibe

Hofsas House Hotel is a quiet and quaint hotel which we really needed.  We only saw a handful of other guests plus it’s super dog friendly.  In fact, the entire town of Carmel is dog friendly, which made us wish that we had brought Max!

Just being in the space made me feel relaxed and happy. I went out to the balcony area more than once to read and enjoy a drink while overlooking the ocean. It may also be that I really love an iconic pink building and Hofsas House is that!

The Hofsas House Hotel Room

Our room was on the top floor with a partial view of the ocean.  It included a kitchenette with fridge, coffee maker and a wood-burning fireplace.  The coffee was from Carmel Coffee House and it was delicious!  Our bathroom was a good size and had heated floors.  The room was stocked with an iron, an ironing board (which we used for our wrinkled clothes) and hangers in the closet. 

Carrie left a map with some recommendations for food and tasting rooms which was really appreciated.  We went to two places she recommended, the 5th Street Deli where we got a boxed lunch to take to the beach, and Blair Estate tastings room, where we had a lovely tasting with the owner.

Got any questions about Hofsas House Hotel? Leave them in the comments.