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Carmel-by-the-Sea

My family embarked on a road trip north from Los Angeles to Carmel-by-the-Sea. I had not taken a road trip to this beautiful coastal area in many years. I was looking forward to photographing the spectacular scenery. We stayed at the Hofsas House Hotel Family-Friendly Lodging.

At this time of year, the California coast is usually shrouded in a marine layer otherwise known as June Gloom. We lucked out and saw the sun early each morning and it hung around for most of each day of our trip.

In order to set my disabled daughter up for a successful trip, especially a road trip, my friend Judy and our service dogs joined us. Thanks to our lovely family-friendly accommodations and a nice blend of activities with downtime, we had a fun and successful trip.

European Charm

Hofsas House Hotel is located in Carmel-by-the-Sea and was a perfect fit for my family. The hotel has been owned and operated by one family (three generations) for the past seventy years. The Owner and General Manager Carrie Theis arranged a thoughtful itinerary for us. She made excellent family-friendly recommendations for restaurants and places to visit around the Monterey Peninsula.

Carmel-by-the-Sea has some unique ordinances to ensure the town maintains its non-commercial natural charm. Buildings can only be two stories. Hofsas House is four stories connected by exterior staircases however, only one story sits above street level. The office is located on San Carlos Street near Fourth Street.

The three other stories of the Hotel were built below street level against a hillside. There is plenty of off-street parking that can be accessed from San Carlos Street next to the office and from a driveway down to the ground level. All of the rooms have Dutch doors and with the top half open, the ocean breezes were lovely.

Family-Friendly Lodging

Each room is uniquely decorated. Our room was ideal for families. The room included a separate large bedroom with a king-sized, incredibly comfortable bed. We arrived to find edible treats and helpful information regarding our itinerary.

There was a brick wood-burning fireplace in the living room that we enjoyed, a kitchenette, dining table and chairs for four, and a modern queen-sized sofa bed. Our balcony faced the ocean and we could hear the waves breaking during the evening. A nice fire in the fireplace helped my daughter wind down after our busy days.

Two Bathrooms

What we absolutely loved about our room were the two full bathrooms. This is the most family-friendly amenity a hotel can offer! One was located inside the bedroom and the other off the living area. This was a much-appreciated design, especially for my teen daughter. Two bathrooms enabled us to avoid the typical morning backup.

Both full bathrooms had large soaking tubs with a sink inside the bathroom. Outside of both bathrooms was a dressing area with another sink, large vanity, and an open closet with luggage stands. My daughter took over one of the vanities.

Due to her special needs, the ability to spread out, take her time, change her mind fifty times, and not impede Judy and me from getting ready was a luxury. This was an ideal layout!

Accessibility

While my family does not have mobility challenges, Hofsas House has accessible rooms for patrons with this need. There are no elevators and most rooms require climbing stairs. However, there are several rooms with entrances located at street level. The rooms are accessible from the street level parking. Travelers with mobility challenges should call the hotel in advance to discuss their needs and accommodations will be confirmed.

Amenities

Hofsas House provides its guests with a complimentary continental breakfast consisting of fruit, delicious pastries from a local bakery, coffee, and juice. Guests can bring a tray with their breakfast to their rooms. There is seating in the lobby to dine with other guests. Guests with mobility challenges can request breakfast delivery to their room.

The grab-and-go breakfast is a family-friendly option.  Breakfast in our room avoids having to drive and wait in a restaurant. Not having to behave around other guests first thing is also helpful. We kept snacks and drinks in the room mini-fridge. Late-night leftovers were reheated in the microwave.

WiFi is free and the signal is strong. The swimming pool is open and heated year-round and there are two European-style dry saunas. Groups are welcome. Ms. Theis is available to personally assist guests with planning their events.

The hotel is ideal for family reunions and small conferences. The conference room is located poolside and includes a full kitchen. Guests are welcome to bring their own chef or work with the Hofsas House chef. The conference room seats thirty comfortably.

Art Around the Hofsas House Hotel

Hofsas House Hotel feels like you have arrived in a Bavarian village. A lovely mural welcomes you at the entrance. Original owner Donna Hofsas commissioned artist Maxine Albro to paint the mural and several paintings that hang in the office. The Bavarian influence is all throughout the property. Ms. Albro is known for having painted murals with Diego Rivera. Room 47 has been designed as a tribute to Maxine Albro.

Special Packages

Hofsas House Hotel offers several special packages:
Get Artsy Package
Wine and Chocolate Package
Tail Wagging Package

Hofsas House has a partnership with Cinq Mondes Spa Carmel (their only spa in the US) to offer a spa package, and partnerships with local golf courses including Quail Lodge, Poppy Hills, and Pacific Grove Golf Links.

Hofsas House has a partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The Aquarium is ideal for families with special needs. Guests can purchase tickets directly through the hotel for a two-day pass for the price of a one-day pass. Families can spread out their visit to this amazing aquarium. Shorter visits avoid sensory overload and other challenges associated with a large venue. Spreading out the visit over two days ensures your family won’t miss any of the educational and fun exhibits.

Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea

Hofsas House is ideally located just a few walkable blocks to fantastic dining and shopping that centers around Ocean Avenue, the main street.

Walking to the beach from Hofsas House is possible for the fit who don’t mind walking back uphill. I was pleasantly surprised to find plentiful and free parking right near the beach. Head west on Ocean Avenue and you will end up at the beach. The beaches are dog-friendly.

Delicious Family-Friendly Dining Options

Brophy’s Tavern

After the long drive, we decided to pick up dinner and bring it back to the hotel. We walked across the street to Brophy’s Tavern. The atmosphere was fun and we enjoyed sitting at the bar while we waited for our food. We ordered a classic bacon cheeseburger, prime rib French dip, and bangers and mash with grilled onion and mustard gravy. We enjoyed all three meals while watching the sunset from our room.

Lugano’s Swiss Bistro

Ms. Theis arranged a special treat for us on our second evening. We dined at Lugano’s Swiss Bistro. This restaurant is located in The Barnyard – a shopping center just ten minutes from the hotel. This was an especially fun evening for my daughter.

The wait staff charmed her with magic tricks. We were seated at a large table on the patio which was ideal for our dogs. There was plenty of room for them to safely rest under the table. Lugano’s is a dog-friendly restaurant on the patio and they even offer a Doggie Menu.

We began with an appetizer of swiss pastry pastetli filled with three types of mushrooms and parmesan cheese. Two dinner entrees of spaghetti with kalamata olives, roasted tomatoes, scallions, garlic, basil, and parmesan cheese, and a fondue entree were shared by the three of us. The fondue was a fun dining experience. My daughter enjoyed delicious bread pudding for dessert.

The fondue pot was filled with Gruyere, Emmenthaler, and Appenzeller cheese with roasted tomatoes and cream. We dipped bread, vegetables, and apples into a pot of gooey deliciousness. We had a fun evening filled with lots of laughter and a new fondue dining experience.

The Cheese Shop Carmel

We found a bottle of wine and delicious cheese from The Cheese Shop Carmel waiting in our room. We visited this shop to purchase cheese and crackers to enjoy on our ride home. This was the first time my daughter visited a cheese specialty shop (not in a grocery store).

Tasting cheese was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The gentleman who assisted us was patient and really listened to what my daughter was willing to try. I envision locating cheese shops on future travels!

5th Avenue Deli

Our last stop before we hit the road was at the highly recommended 5th Avenue Deli for sandwiches to go. The Deli was jam-packed full of delicious options including a salad bar. We chose made-to-order sandwiches (turkey, tuna, and ham) and all were delicious. We also stocked up on drinks and snacks. This is a great place to purchase picnic fixings for a day at the beach or parks.

Family-Friendly Activities Around the Peninsula

17-Mile Drive

Revisiting the 17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach was on my to-do list. In order to accommodate my short attention-spanned teen, Ms. Theis mapped out a shorter route that included the coastal highlights. We exited at the Pacific Grove gate where our next destination was located.

17-Mile Drive winds along the rugged and extraordinarily beautiful coast. We drove along the world-famous Pebble Beach golf course. There are many Points of Interest in which to stop and enjoy with plenty of parking. What makes this drive family-friendly is the number of stops you make at points of interest. If a family member has a short attention span, make fewer stops and be sure to have all family members pick a stop that interests them.

Highlights of our drive were the Ghost Trees at Pescadero Point – they are sun-bleached, needless cypress trees that are quite spooky. The Lone Cypress is a solitary tree out on the cliff that has braved the elements for the past 250 years. The Pacific ocean is a gorgeous dark blue along the cliffs.

Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History

The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History was an ideal family-friendly destination. The Museum is a manageable size and fully ADA accessible with an elevator. The little town of Pacific Grove is charming.

In order to engage my daughter and have a successful visit, I handed over my camera and asked her to photograph whatever she liked. Several of the photos in this post are hers. It worked like a charm, she remained fully engaged and this enabled us, adults, to also enjoy each exhibit. We were able to visit all of the exhibits on both floors including the outdoor Native Plant Garden.

We particularly enjoyed the Birds of Monterey County exhibit. This one little area of the world has hundreds of bird species. Raven was wary of the birds-of-prey exhibit.

The coolest exhibit was the sand. Hundreds of small glass vials filled with sand from all over the world are on display. There is a list posted to look up the number on the vial to locate where the sand came from. Who knew that sand could be so varied and incredibly colorful with so many different types of grains.

The exhibits in this Museum are interesting to all ages and the size, layout, and accessibility make it an ideal destination for special needs families.

Family-Friendly Vacation Destination

There is so much more to see and do in and around Carmel-by-the-Sea and the Monterey Bay area. Families can easily spend a week here and still not see everything the area has to offer. Hofsas House Hotel is family friendly lodging that is centrally located and accommodating. We look forward to returning.

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