Great service, dog friendly and money location! An older building that could use a bit of renovation; however, Hofsas is meticulous, makes the best of what they have and offers reasonable rates. We received dog treats, water bowl, frisbee and dog shampoo at check in which was a really nice touch for a reasonable $30 dog fee per night. This was such a refreshing change having come from a horrible stay at the Pacific Blue Inn at Santa Cruz that was just terrible, expensive and charged $50 for a pet with zero amenities. Keep up the good work Hofsas! read more

We brought our family to Carmel for a spontaneous over night trip. We discovered Hofsas online and we were not disappointed. The suite was comfortable and roomy enough for the five of us. It was all very well kept and nice and quiet. We enjoyed dinner on the balcony before going out to explore Carmel. It's close enough to walk downtown but far enough not to be in the middle of it all. We will definitely be back and recommend it to friends. read more

We had an amazing time! Our room was very clean, bed was comfy. We stayed in room 7 which was separate from the main building and it was amazing! So secluded and extremely romantic. Breakfast served in the morning was light but exactly as advertised! Short walk to the center of town and the beach. Would 100% stay here again. read more

Very unique with a lot of history. All of the paintings and family history is pretty interesting. Staff and owner are very sweet. Definitely older structuring and pretty thin walls but all the amenities with a beautiful view and just outside all of the hustle and bustle of the shopping district. read more

Hofsas House - Hotels Near Me - Carmel, California

We were evacuated during the Carmel Fire, and the Hofsas House was gracious enough to discount rooms for those evacuated. While it was hard to be away from home we are so glad we stayed here. The staff was so kind and attentive, and the family rooms were just perfect for us. It made a difficult experience so much easier than it could have been. Will definitely return. Thank you so much, Hofsas House! read more

Hofsas House - Hotels Near Me - Carmel, California

Great place to stay for a reasonable price. Room was clean with two comfy chairs. Bathroom had a heated floor--so nice. Continental breakfast was adequate. This place has a hot sauna. Lovely! We walked to lunches and dinners- convenient location. Looks out over pines and a peek of the ocean. Peaceful and quiet. Would definitely stay here again. read more

The hotel was fine, cute little thing. They do have a breakfast included but it was very weird. The pastries are all individually saran wrapped and they do not tell you what they are. I had a croissant and bit into it only to find jelly inside. Was not labeled anywhere and same go for the muffins, some have nuts and they do not tell you. They did have fruit, orange juice and yogurt as well. Next thing was that on the last night we were there, we saw ants in the bathroom. Mind you, my fiancé and I are very tidy and kept our food in sealed, air tight containers. They didn't even look like they were going for the food, just going in between rooms through the walls. Overall it was a nice room and the service was great! read more

I have stayed here many times over the last 10 years. It's funky but the location is terrific: far enough away from the bustle of downtown Carmel, but still within walking distance. Staff is friendly and rooms are clean, if not a bit dated. BUT,this year didn't go well. I came for some much needed rest and relaxation. One big con is the paper thin walls. Normally I come during off season so it's not a big issue. The hotel is fully occupied and the noise is annoying. You can hear every step and conversation. There are a lot of stairs so you hear bags being dragged up and down and stomping feet. My room faces the pool which has been used by screeching, yelling children til 8:00 pm. I know children like to play but the noise echoes all throughout the complex making it hard to unwind. And I can't change rooms, due to full occupancy. If you come, I recommend off season and requesting a street side room. Stay away from pool area if it's during any kind of school break. read more

This place was a surprise for me. So reasonably priced, well located and truly kind staff. The place really suited our needs.

TL;DR: This hotel gets 4.8 stars out of 5 for me. The only real issues I had were there were no curtains on the windows (there were blinds) so more light got in at night then I would have liked and the shower was a bit on the small side. Not a huge deal for me but someone who was bigger might have a problem with it. I just got back from a wonderful two nights stay in Carmel and this hotel was amazing. I stayed July 18-20th 2020. I was in room 1 which is on the first floor and is one of the pool side queens. The pool hours are 9am- 9pm and the hotel really enforces that rule because by 9pm there was no one in the pool making noise which was great. The staff was all super friendly and welcoming. Check in was a breeze and if you have any questions about the area, from where to eat to what kind of activity's to do the staff is more then happy to help you out. The room itself was great, hard wood floors and a very nice queen size bed. The bed was very comfy, not to soft but not to hard. As a person who is a very picky sleeper the beds were really great. The shower in the bathroom is a bit on the small side, which was not really a problem for me but someone who is bigger might have a problem with it. The floor in the bathroom was even heated which was so nice especially when getting up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. The walls and floor/ceiling are a little thin, so if you plan to take a nap or have kidos who need a nap in the middle of the day keep in mind that you might be hearing your neighbors walk around and talking. Also keep in mind that the hotel is dog friendly, I didn't have any problems with barking dogs during my stay (though I am a early riser so if you plan to sleep in on your vacation you might have a different experience) but be aware that there might be dogs in the hotel. The hotel offers a light breakfast of pastries (croissants and muffins), yogurt, fruit and coffee or tea in the mornings served from 8am-10pm, they have trays you can load up and take back to your room which I really appreciated, a great way to start the day before heading off to explore or hit up the beach for a nice morning walk. Speaking of the beach, Carmel beach is only about a 10 min walk from the hotel, however be warned that the walk there is all downhill so the walk back is all uphill, which can be quite exhausting if you are not use to doing a lot of daily exercise. All in all my stay was amazing and I would definitely recommend staying at Hofsas House. If you have any questions about the hotel please let me know and I will do my best to answer them. read more

This is my second stay at this hotel because I enjoyed the view, the breakfast pastries, as well as the bed and bedding last time I stayed here. My previous visit, I stayed in a room with a fireplace and kitchen, after being shown a variety of rooms. This visit I have a fridge only, but the room still has wine glasses and coffee mugs. Free wi-fi too. The staff is very helpful, the rooms are very clean, and it's a great location for walking to shops and restaurants, plus an awesome sunset view from the top floor rooms. The walls are thin, so definitely ask for a top floor room, but I haven't been disturbed. I walked in without a reservation, and they had my info on file, so check-in was a breeze. read more

I love Hofsas house. The owner has done a great job renovating the property. Perfect location and great prices!

Only a few blocks from Ocean Avenue on San Carlos Street, Hofsas House is a quaint inn with European charm. Rooms above street level will have a fantastic view of the ocean either from their window, balcony, or through their dutch door. Upon check-in, whales passed by and greeted Carmel with spouts that glistened in the afternoon sunlight. All of the rooms are unique, but here's what you might find in a spacious 2-queen room: * 2 queen beds with comfortable mattresses and lots of pillows * Cable TV * Telephone with voicemail * Bathroom with shower, vanity, hair dryers, and beautifully scented shampoo, conditioner, lotion and soaps * Comfortable upholstered chairs * Table and chairs for in-room dining or use as a desk for business * This particular room had a wet bar nook with sink, microwave, coffee maker, mini refrigerator read more

Hofsas House - Ocean view from 4th floor. You can see whales spouting today. - Hotels Near Me - Carmel, California

Came here because my husband always gets stuck in a rut. He has to stay at the same place over and over until I throw a major revolt! It's time for that now! I will NOT stay here again soon. First of all, we were promised a room with 2 queen beds. Instead we got a "king" and a twin sized rollaway that sagged heavily in the middle. We have 2 kids ages 3 and 5. Both refused to sleep on the rollaway alone. Both wanted to sleep with mom. Of course, dad booked the room and he is the most demanding sleeper who refuses anything less than a standard bed. So with four people in the smallest king-sized bed I have ever slept in, I got maybe 8 hours over the course of 4 nights. Total misery. We have a king-size bed at home and this "king" was more like a queen. Every night, I passed out at 3 am from exhaustion, only to be woken at 5 am by the creaking floorboards and conversation from upstairs on the fourth (top) floor. All previous reviews are correct- there is NO sound insulation in the main building. Previously we stayed in a bungalow out back which was far more private. Also, the third floor faces San Carlos street which happens to be one of the busiest streets in town. The door frames don't appear to have weatherproofing, despite their charming Dutch-style. I could see light streaming in around the doorway. Also the shutters were cute and quaint, but did not keep much light out. The drapes over the sliding glass doors were practically sheer. On the positive side, we had a beautiful view from the balcony, which we spent maybe 30 minutes on during our 4 night stay because it was windy, cold and rained the last day. Also, the staff was very friendly and accommodating. Even so, my husband was unable to change rooms because they were fully booked for Father's Day weekend and by Monday night, our last night, it was pointless to move. Plus- if you have 2 kids, you know what a pain it is to pack up and relocate. Breakfast was a nice bonus- free pastries, pound cake, Yoplait yogurt, orange juice, coffee, apples and bananas. My husband and kids loved the carb feast. The main reasons to stay here are budget and proximity to central Carmel and the beaches. If you must stay here, 1. Don't bring kids 2. Don't book anything except a bungalow or the fourth floor away from the stairwell. read more

The real reason you want to stay here is for location: walking distance to Carmel's many offerings. The staff is super sweet, and welcoming to dogs (humans, too!). They offered my pup a frisbee and a treat upon arrival in exchange for the $50 pet fee. Breakfast is efficient. Accommodations are clean. All that being said, I could not WAIT to check out of Hofsas House, if only to vacate the stuffy, outdated room. As other reviews have stated, the showers are small and short (at 5'8", I could easily reach up and touch the ceiling). Carpeting made me wish I'd brought slippers. Not all rooms are created the same, and mine was fairly small. Furniture was cramped and outdated. Sort of reminded me of a compact version of what I imagine someone's great grandma's house to be like, right down to the creepy bedding. The most free space I had was in the bathroom, on the floor of which the mini fridge was placed. The "ocean view" room I paid for had barely a glimpse of the early morning Pacific Ocean; by afternoon, the glare is so bad that the almost nonexistent glimmer of water was lost. I regret paying for the upgrade. This was absolutely zero fault of the staff; this establishment has just not grown with the times. (Although some new interior flooring and a fresh coat of paint would certainly not hurt at all.) I can see how others might consider it "quaint" or "charming", but I seek out something a bit more modern when traveling. read more

I needed a bit of extra help understanding my hotel bill, and Jennifer, the person working the front desk, told me it wasn't her problem, called me racial slurs (!) and literally walked out of the office leaving me alone in the lobby. I love this hotel but this made me very upset. read more

I loved it!! At check in, we were greeted warmly and all questions answered. Our room - #41 was spacious with a fabulous view. We did not use the pool but it looked clean and inviting. Breakfast was grab and go delicious pastries. Great hospitality, great location, great views! read more

Hofsas House - Morning view - Hotels Near Me - Carmel, California

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My son was evacuated from his Peace Corps post very suddenly and needed a place to self quarantine. After a VRBO that we reserved called and cancelled due to corona virus we were in a mad scramble to find a place, with a kitchen with the hope of it not costing more than the allowance given to him by Peace Corps. Carrie and staff could not have been more gracious, helpful and accommodating. They even put a lock box on the door so he could maintain no contact to get into the room. He was cozy, comfy and thanks to this lovely hotel, had a soft landing on his abrupt arrival back to the states. I cannot speak more highly of this experience and am deeply appreciative to this hotel, staff and owner. read more

The good: The size of our room was nice and included a fireplace and fridge. The bathroom was also spacious. The bed was really comfy. The not so good: the walls are super thin. You know exactly where housekeeping is in the mornings with their vacuums. Also, my wife wants you to know she didn't like the wallpaper. read more

Reasonably priced for such an area so close to the main strip. The room is clean and updated, with just the amount of supplies you would expect. Noise level is moderate with foot and parking car noise, but nothing problematic late in the night. Bed is firm with lots of pillow choices. Room heating was not a problem to adjust. Shower stall had no light, but also not a problem due to enough bathroom light. The breakfast is very minimal: pastries, muffins, (weak) coffee, yogurt, and fruits. There is not much area in the lobby to eat breakfast, so they have trays to take it back to your room. I wish there was an option to skip it while taking a few dollars off the room rate. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Parking seems to be limited, but I never experienced a complete lack of spots. The nice thing about this location is that if you had to park on the street, you are in the zone where you do not need to move your car every hour. I also like that it is super close to the Weston Gallery. Recommended for budget travelers. read more

OMG! BEST PLACE WE HAVE STAYED IN A LONG TIME! Not only was it an amazing location, the pool was open, they have an excellent continental breakfast and the rooms were HUGE and comfy! We would definitely stay here again and recommend to anyone who wanted to come to Carmel by the Sea. It was about a 2-3 min walk to downtown and a 10 min walk to the beach. read more

Great stay: -Complimentary pastries, yogurt, donuts, coffee, tea and hot chocolate! -large family suites -friendly hotel - walkable to everywhere - pool - half doors - kid friendly read more

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My husband and I spent part of our northern California trip in the charming area of Carmel-by-the-Sea. We stayed at the Hofsas House which we greatly enjoyed. We had their continental breakfasts in our room and the balcony overlooking the ocean each morning. The staff was very friendly and helpful in pointing us where to eat and how to spend our time there. The room had a fireplace, kitchenette and a beautiful view of the ocean. It was walking distance to the downtown area and beach. They have a heated pool (one of the few in the area) with beautiful flowers all around it. It was not very busy during our time there which is always a bonus to me! (If you have a dog, there are special rooms dedicated to people wanting to bring their dog! ) Feel free to read my full review here: https://wavesandlilacs.com/2019/08/06/a-charming-weekend-in-carmel-by-the-sea-at-hofsas-house/ read more

Clean ample sized rooms with many amenities. Great location (what place in Carmel By The Sea isn't?) and excellent value. Parking is surprisingly good and the heated pool is a bonus. Hofsa House is highly recommended! read more

Wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Rooms are old and we found someone's dirty socks under our bed. Front desk was told about the rooms uncleanliness and didn't offer us anything for the terrible experience. Daughter was on crutches and the entire place is very hard to get around for anyone who has trouble walking. It's on a hill and there are lots of stairs and no elevator access. Shower was so gross and had so much lime build up on the shower head. Stir clear of this hotel. read more

Great location and friendly staff! The beds are comfortable, rooms are large, and bathroom big. It's a little dated, but it gives it character. It was cute and typically not my kind of hotel but it exceeded my expectations. It's pretty inexpensive so it is well worth the stay...who stays in the room while in your Carmel anyway other than to sleep. Oh and I loved the dual doors, where you can open the top half and shut the bottom half...maybe this is Swedish but it was different and cute...made me want to find wooden shoes and peak my head out the door all day with a smile. I kept waiting for the song "It's a Small World After All" to play as I felt like I was in the hotel modeled after the Disney World's ride Its a small world LOL...they should so play this song in the halls :) read more

Carmel has expensive hotels which is understandable. This was the most affordable hotel we can find. Place was clean, but had thin walls. It's cozy and cute. It's in a nice street but it was good walking distance to the shops. Good service also. Don't mind coming back here. read more

Love our first visit to this unique boutique resort. Beds are comfy, thank you for welcoming responsible pet owners, clean rooms, great views and amenities including a good breakfast, lovely pool and flora. So refreshing to stay at a family owned boutique hotel versus chain hotel. read more

What an amazing spot. Some of the friendliest people I have ever met from the owners down to the staff. Wonderful pet friendly hotel. View of the ocean. Very nice sized rooms. Looking forward to several days left before we sadly have to leave for home. We will definitely be back. Owners that care about their guests are hard to come by. Do yourself a favor and book a stay. Walking distance to restaurants and shops. Yes it is an older hotel but it is very well maintained. Thank you so much for a wonderful stay. read more

If you're looking for a quaint European hotel, this is the place for you! The decor is rather amusing, our room had wallpaper throughout, even the ceiling! The fireplace was lovely. The bathroom was......totally pink, which was awesome. The hotel is high on an elevated street, so you get the view of the ocean and it's within walking distance to downtown Carmel. All in all, we had a nice romantic weekend. The hotel really fits the area, quaint hotel in a quaint little town. read more

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We stayed at this hotel for two nights while in Carmel for a wedding. Great location and quaint little room! Walking distance to some great restaurants, including Em Le's (HUGE tasty breakfasts and some mind-boggling fried french toast concoction). Our bed was adorable, clean and comfy. The staff was very nice, and the water in the shower was nice and hot. The room comes with a free continental breakfast. You can sit and eat next to the fireplace in the lounge, or you can put it on a tray to enjoy in your room! (My hubby brought me breakfast in bed, which elevated it to a whole new level for me!). Also! This hotel is pet-friendly, which is great! We'd recommend it. read more

Hofsas House - Hotels Near Me - Carmel, California

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Super cute hotel! We got the room with a balcony and a fireplace. Too bad the view was nothing but fog the first day, no fault of the hotel of course. We stayed another night and got placed one floor down, still a very nice room and the view had cleared up and was a beautiful day. I would have tried out the pool if the weather was warmer... The hotel staff was very friendly and we had no problems what-so-ever. Their continental breakfast is the typical pastries, fruit, OJ and coffee. You can also make coffee in your room. Sure, the hotel is outdated; but it's charming and family owned. There's something to be said about that. It's just a few blocks from the main street and it's very quiet. Parking lot is safe and I will definitely stay here again. read more

Clean, older facility, well maintained and comfortable. Carmel is hilly, but easy walk to downtown, restaurants, and the beach. Take your time and enjoy the beauty. Nice, well maintained pool, dry sauna was a plus. Helpful staff. We will happily return. Gave five stars for the value, fairly priced. read more

The people here are lovely. The price is right. The location is perfect. Unfortunately, the beds were extremely uncomfortable and the paper thin walls and creaking floorboards made sleep nearly impossible. As others have mentioned, this place is due for a major refresh - it is very dated. This would of course raise prices but is really needed. A white noise machine in every bedroom might help - also the use of natural cleaning products - the entire place wreaks of bleach. We had booked two nights, but ended up eating the cost of the second night in order to get home for a good night's sleep. Wish we had booked into a higher price place for one night instead. read more

This place is a bait and switch. The front of the building looks wonderful, cozy, and pleasant but the actual rooms are terrible. This place is worse than a motel 6. The rooms and bathrooms are old with paper thin walls. You can hear everything. There is no hair dryer. I would never recommend anyone to stay here. This is massively overpriced for what it is. read more

Of course I've been to Carmel before. I may have even noticed the prevalence of Dutch doors (doors split in half so you can swing open at the top) and Bavarian themed buildings. But I needed to ask Carrie Theis, granddaughter of founder Donna Hofsas of the Hofsas House Hotel, a few things about it: Was Hofsas House following an established existing theme in selecting Bavarian architecture for its buildings 60 years ago? Carmel, the "Village in the Forrest by the Sea", has always had a European Village feel. (Carmel will be celebrating its 100th year in 2016.) It was established by many Bohemian type residents, and Mr. Fred Hofsas (pronounced "hoff-says") had Bavarian ancestry. Fred and his wife Donna had built a cottage to start and traveled to Bavaria before the hotel's expansion. Their cottage home is now part of the property as guest cottages. (Hofsas House is not the oldest hotel in Carmel; that would be the Pine Inn.) No hotel is allowed to build over two stories above street level and lots are small in keeping with the European cottage theme throughout Carmel. Carmel-by-the-Sea is only 1-square mile large, making it ideal for walking everywhere: (The Wine Walk being first on my list, as well as visiting shops, restaurants, galleries and bars.) Why Bavaria? Were many of the residents back then from Germany? Fred and Donna Hofsas have ties to Bavaria but Carmel's founders migrated here after the San Francisco earthquake. Many writers and artists also found a home in Carmel, giving the town a very Bohemian feel. Each home is unique, there are no tract homes to be found. Flowers are year round, and air conditioning isn't needed. Could I see more of the murals and paintings by artist Maxine Albro? Hofsas House is the only hotel with these accents. I asked to see room 47 to see the special headboard by Albro and the valence, walls, end tables and crown molding by local artist Christine Sorenson. I was amazed at the different furnishings and offerings in the rooms. See my story of the unique art here in my Facebook album. Adding the Carmel-by-the-Sea Wine Walk to the existing landscape of beautiful surf, unique cottage homes, restaurants, shops and art galleries...works for me. Do people enjoy taking it all in without driving? Carrie said that guests enjoy walking everywhere and that's another thing that makes Carmel different. (In the past I had stayed in Monterey while my husband Eddie was attending the Naval Post Graduate School there. Now I think that one day in Cannery Row was enough. It's a metropolis, Carmel is not.) "Carmel is a place to get away from technology and reconnect," Carrie said. "We are very low-key. And as Carmel faces west we have nightly sunsets" to offer. After my stay these key points about the hotel stuck with me and make me want to return: Family-run and family-friendly. Bavarian-inspired. Ocean view from large private balconies. Wine waiting in the room after check-in. Fireplace turns on with the flip of a switch. A complete S'Mores, map to beach fire pits and firewood package. Original one-of-a-kind art. Loved my Dutch door. Walking distance to everything. French roast coffee in my room. Pets welcome. Large rooms, each with unique styling. A feeling of history. FREE Wi-Fi, continental breakfast with local baked goods and parking. read more

I would probably give 3.5 stars if I could... I would start by saying that you should be prepared for a dated dive if you stay here but by appearance, ALL OF THE LITTLE HOTELS in Carmel are dated dives. This one was the most reasonably priced (we got it for $129 per night on their website). I guess you get what you pay for... We stayed in Room 2 and were not very impressed. Location - Great. Staff - Great. Actual room - Not great. First, if I were staying here again, I would request to be on the top floor. We were woken up both mornings by people (and their kids) walking & running and talking outside of the room by their vehicles. The temperature control didn't work quite well (woke up sweating both nights and had to adjust...). Bed was fine but nothing super nice... The bathroom was somewhere between minimal and gross. It was clean but that's about all I can give it. Towels were skimpy and thin. There was no tub and the shower was pretty tiny and dark. A larger person may not even fit in it - It reminded me of a shower on a cruise ship... All in all, this place is completely forgettable. If it's the only thing in your price range, just lower your expectations and you should be fine. read more

Please don't invite me to your wedding in Carmel on Labor Day weekend! Planning a wedding in beautiful Carmel already means high prices for your guests' lodging. And planning a wedding on a weekend like Labor Day, means that most hotels have hiked up their rates AND force a two-night stay on your guests... EXCEPT... Hofsas House. This charming tudor style hotel is as cute as it's pink paint promises. The people who run it are very friendly (they even have some rooms reserved for dog owners and their furry friends), and the prices are more than reasonable. The place was clean, and any ammenity we needed (like irons, hairdryers, towels for their heated pool) was readily available and delivered to our room. An added bonus of staying here, is that its really just a short walk to the center of town, and the beach. read more

It was a while back when I stayed here, after a friend's wedding. There was a lot of wine served at the wedding, so my memory of the hotel room is foggy (plus consider it was a year and 1/2 ago). I remember it was a cute, clean, cozy room with an ocean view. We were in a good location- near the night time bars and restaurants and daytime shopping area. The price was under $100. I had a good experience, even though I don't remember much of it. I am glad I didn't hear anyone's dogs barking. That would have been very very bad especially when added to a hangover, or sleep. read more

A spur of the moment trip led us to this small retreat in carmel. We missed the parking as we drove past it because the entrance is rather tiny and seemed more like a walkway than a driveway. We soon realized that every single b&b around the Carmel is small and quaint. We quickly became accustomed to the feel of the small town and grew to love it. Although small, it has everything one would need on a short trip. It's equipped with a small fridge,microwave and coffee/tea. The staff is friendly and complimentary breakfast consisted of danish and fruits. The only qualm I have is the slightly run down structure and lack of sound insulation. We stayed on the first floor and can hear every bump and jiggle. read more

Hofsas House - Hotels Near Me - Carmel, California