Carmel's Hofsas House Inn Providing Traditional Family Hospitality

On a recent visit to the Carmel/Monterey Peninsula to attend the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Event, we discovered a quaint third generation family-owned inn conveniently located in the charming story-book village of Carmel-by-the-Sea. This Bavarian-themed hotel provided us with well-appointed, spacious rooms that had breath-taking views of the ocean as well as the beautiful pines which canopy the village.

General Manager, Carrie Theis gave us a tour of the grounds and related the story of the wonderful family history of the property. Carrie's grandparents, Donna and Fred Hofsas, were drawn to the area in the 1940's when Carmel was known as an artist colony, as Fred dabbled as an artist and photographer. Donna wanted something to do, so created the inn with a couple of cottages, which are still used as rooms today. In the next ten years she built 25 more rooms in a four-story structure, and then the north wing was added in the following decade. This was quite a feat, as Carmel is infamous for its strict building codes which only allow construction two stories above street level. She was able to erect four stories and one of the largest properties in the village, by building into the hill on San Carlos Street. This fact allows for some of the best hotel views in the village from your room or the fourth floor viewing deck.

Carrie began working at the inn as a teenager, spending the summers with her grandmother. She and her family have lived on the property in the house her grandmother built in the 60's, running the inn along with part-time help from her brother and mother for over eight years. She feels “Truly blessed that my grandmother had the foresight to develop this.”

The inn now has 38 unique rooms. All King suites have ocean views, fireplaces, wet bars, kitchens and private balconies or outside patio areas. Some rooms are dog-friendly - which was an important option for us in this, one of the most dog-friendly towns in California. Also, the inn is one of the few hotels in Carmel that has a meeting space. This pool-side facility includes a fireplace, full kitchen and seats twenty-four for a business meeting or forty standing.  It is ideal for corporate retreats, family reunions, or conferences before or after you hit the golf course. Other amenities include ample off-street parking, a heated swimming pool, two dry saunas (in the European style), Dutch doors to allow the freshness of the ocean breeze into the rooms, free wi-fi, and continental breakfast available in the lobby- in which the staff encourages guests to partake so they can share their views of the numerous activities the area has to offer, and to establish on-going relationships with guests. Carrie offers “Each inn in Carmel has its own personality. We want our customers to become repeat visitors. We think we achieve this by providing warm hospitality and an amazing staff who take great care in providing personal service to our guests.”

For your next golfing excursion to the Carmel/Monterey Peninsula, allow the Hofsas House staff to secure your discounted green fees at Bayonet and BlackHorse golf courses. Whether you plan on visiting the area for business, Pebble Beach events like the Food & Wine Event and AT&T pro-am, or a family vacation, consider staying at the Hofsas House-'Providing Leisure with Dignity' at a traditional family-owned inn.

The Hofsas House is located in the village of Carmel, three blocks north of Ocean Avenue at San Carlos and 4th. Contact them at (831) 624-2745 or www.hofsashouse.com