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Hotel Class: 
2.5 Stars - 1 Review and 66 Opinions
San Carlos Street & Fourth Ave., P.O. Box 101, Carmel, California, 93921, United States
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67 Opinions
Paris92
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If for some reason all the hotels in town are booked and you need to use this one, fine, but otherwise, go for something else. Yes, it's pretty centrally located but so is every hotel in town and there are better choices.
The room was relatively dingy--not dirty, just not anything you'd want to look at for very long. The dust ruffles were wrinkled, the drawers in the bureau either didn't work or were crudely cut out for television wires, and the drapes had seen better days. The balcony was soaking wet even though it hadn't rained and there was incredibly early morning noise from the restaurant next door. The bathrooms were itty bitty as was the dressing area. The lamps didn't work and when we asked for lightbulbs they forgot to bring them.
That said, the breakfast area in the lobby is lovely and there are a few staff members who tried very hard. I won't be back but I've certainly had worse experiences and the price is cheap.
Unique Quality: None, really.
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Courtyard
See Jane Austen at Home on the way.
jane Austen At Home
Em Le's
Hi , it's possible that the itinerary for my wife and i and 15 yr old son will find us in the vicinity of Carmel/Monterey on 4th July. Can you tell me if, being Independence Day, whether everything shuts down and things are very quiet, or is it a mass celebration with a good vibe, parties, fireworks etc???
Please give me a feeling for the day.
Would it be better or worse if we were in the Big Sur area on the 4th or wouldn't it matter?
Thanks
>>>Please give me a feeling for the day.
The Fourth of July is a big day for us. We celebrate it various ways, family get-togethers at home, at a beach, at a park or in a restaurant/bar, it just depends.
Government offices are closed, also banks and most "office" type businesses. Retail stores--many have big sales that day--and restaurants/bars are open, especially in tourist areas.
If it is the "mass celebration" you crave, I'd suggest beaches and parks. Look at the newspaper websites for organized events. During the day there are public and private picnics going on and the finale includes a huge fireworks display, usually around 9:00 p.m. and these venues will be packed!
Thanks for your input Linda - much appreciated. I also checked your LA pages and found some useful comments :-)
Thanks for checking out my L.A. page.
Sorry it's not well developed.
You might take a look at Erin74's Los Angeles Page:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/6685d/b80ac/
She lives there and offers a nice selection of tips.
Though I have not attended Monterey's 4th of July Festival, I hear it is a pretty big event featuring fireworks over the Monterey Bay, live music and a parade. Pacific Grove also has a small celebration with live music and food downtown. I'm not sure what Carmel offers, but between the three towns, you'll certainly find plenty to keep you entertained.
Monterey Cypress & Pines which grow in abundance in Carmel are native to Central California and Cedros Island off Baja Mexico.These rare and beautiful trees thrive on fertile soil, cool climates and low coastal fog. Some of the pines have been introduced in South Africa, Australia & New Zealand for timber. But the largest and healthiest native Monterey Pine Forests are located on the Monterey Peninsula.
Just blocks from one of the world's most beautiful beaches, in the heart of Carmel-By-The-Sea, you will find CARMEL PLAZA. A unique collection of over fifty shops and restaurants in an elegant courtyard and luscious garden setting.
The mission was founded on June 3, 1770 by Father Junipero Serra and is called 'Mission San Carlos Borromeo'
You can find the mission a mile south of the city of Carmel on Junipero Avenue.
The history of the Mission :
San Carlos Borromeo is believed by many to be the most beautiful of all California missions. It is here that Fr. Serra made his headquarters for his California missionary work, and where he was buried upon his death in 1784. A year after its founding, the mission was moved from Monterey to a beautiful site in Carmel Valley. The Monterey site was not only inadequate for growing crops, it was a long way from where the Native Americans resided. Fr. Serra was buried in the sanctuary beside the altar in the adobe church next to his longtime friend Fr. Crespi. A few years later the current large stone church was built around the small adobe church. In 1803, upon the death of Fr. Lasuen, Fr. Serra's successor, he too was buried in the stone church.
When secularization occurred in 1834 all of the mission lands, except the church site, were sold to private parties. The great stone mission church was abandoned and for 30 years stood roofless after its collapse in 1851. Enough money was eventually raised in 1884 to build a new roof, but the steep pitch was out of place with the original design. The latest restoration, begun in the 1930's, has restored a more suitable roof, and is believed to be the most authentic restoration in the entire mission chain.
You can find much more information about the mission on this website http://www.carmelmission.org/
If you drive through the residential areas you'll notice that mailboxes are conspicuously absent. That's because there isn't postal delivery. This is a long standing tradition in this quaint town. Carmel residents must receive their mail by going to their box at the Post Office. UPS and FedEx do deliver to the door however.
The first time we went there, we expected to see a sleepy seaside village. Instead, we discovered a very touristy shopping mecca with LOTS of very expensive art.
Do check out the following:-
Garcia Gallery. It is located on Ocean between San Carlos and Dolores.
The Carmel Pine Cone is a FREE weekly publication that you can pick up just about anywhere in the Monterey/ Carmel area.
Check this site out: Carmel Pine Cone
Collect lots of brochures and short travel guides (via their flyers) from the Visitors' Center. This will certainly enable and help you to plan your day trips in a much better manner.
Have fun!
None, really.
17 members live in Carmel-by-the-Sea
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