More about The Tradewinds At Carmel-By-The-Sea
A Gem in Carmel!!
by TripAdvisor Member cinnabun1
This inn is absolutely soo beautiful and exotic. Upon check in, we were greeted by very friendly staff. We got to our room and we were soo excited, the decor and architecture of this place is out of this world. It's a beautiful little hotel with an exotic, Asian Zen theme. The bed was a beautiful comfy white bed, the rooms came equipped with a fire place, a little fountain, gorgeous bathroom and they even leave you two chocolate covered strawberries. Outside of the rooms in the courtyard is a huge buddha with fountain and even an outdoor fireplace which they light up in the evening! This place was so enchanting, I wished we had stayed there for more than one night!! We highly recommend this place!
A true sanctuary...but not cheap!
by TripAdvisor Member emmab
Yes, it does look like a motel from the outside but the rooms are stunning. We stayed in the room that had been featured in Architectural Digest and it was so peaceful, very Zen!
We were disappointed by our dinner at the Forge in the Forest and if I went back to Carmel I would buy some cheese, crackers and salami and a bottle of wine from 'Sea & Sand' store (not sure if that is the name but it's similar and they stock everything!) and stay on the balcony of my room for the evening.
It was heavenly. I was so relaxed especially after a soak in that amazing tub with the bath salts! Mmmm! Wish I was there now!
We hadn't booked any accomodation in advance but called at about 5pm and got a good discount off the room. It's a risk but it worked out well for us.
Service to the Max!
by A TripAdvisor Member
A friend and I stayed at the Tradewinds after a trip to Sonoma and Napa. We were concerned about the high price since we had reserved a deluxe room with a balcony. The room was spectacular! In fact, we stayed in a room that had been featured in Architectural Digest. The decor was Zen inspired - orchids, fireplace, jet tub, etc. Included in the price of the room was a delicious breakfast - above and beyond the usual. Fresh pineapple and strawberries, French pastries, various selections of tea and coffee, in addition to the regular cereal - all served in a calm, serene dining area. The staff couldn't have more attentive or helpful. The hotel is on a steep hill ,yet still in town. I had stayed at the Highlands (now Hyatt) which is located on a hillside overlooking scenic Point Lobos, beautiful but inconvenient if one is wanting to get to the shops and restaurants easily.
Also on this trip we dined at Cielo at the Ventana Resort in Big Sur. The day was beautiful and dining on the terrace was delightful. It appeared to be a good place to stay if one is interested in getting away from crowds and enjoying an awesome natural setting.
Lovely...but
by TripAdvisor Member JeanfromLivermore
We stayed in a deluxe king room which for the $ (and compared to similarily priced rooms we've stayed in in Carmel) was a little small. While the decor and ambiance were very nice, the hotel really should have spent a bit more money in soundproofing the rooms when they remodeled. We were in a downstairs room and heard every step, conversation and snore of the people above us. Breakfast was OK...standard pastries, toast, bagels, fruit...and there were apples & cookies in the office should you need a snack. As menioned by others, this is an uphill climb from Ocean Ave. May not matter to some, but the last 1/2 block is especailly brutal after walking up from town.
Hopefully not #1 in Carmel...
by TripAdvisor Member Fine_Connoiseur
I am quite torn about how to rate this place - some aspects are simply exemplary but other aspects are downright intolerable, which of course, is predicated by the room we were in - the Poet's Suite (Room 25) at $450/night which is nothing to sneeze at. Let's start with the good news: service for us was clearly the main asset of this place, as well as the proximity to the shops and restaurants - if you aren't keen on the walk uphill, I would recommend taking Mission St, which has a slightly milder grade. As for the room itself, there is a lovely view of the garden below, the decor is pleasant, pillows comfortable, and the bathroom has a heat lamp. Breakfast is passable and not the breakfast of champions. The chcolate-coated strawberries are definitely a nice touch and of course, the gas fireplace made our room feel quite romantic. The front desk was also very helpful with our dinner reservations.
On the less positive side of things, our sheets were not changed daily until we complained to the front desk, the water pressure for the whirlpool bathtub (a standard tub with whirlpool jets) was laughable - I could have got water faster by going down to the ocean and hauling it back myself, it was nothing more than a trickle. My husband - I kid you not - ended up using the ice bucket to fill up the water from the shower and pouring it into the bathtub. Also, the rooom does seem to have a damp musty smell, so keeping the balcony doors open is advisable. Last but not least, this is a downstairs room, so you will hear every step that is taken on the floor above and then some - I certainly concur with the earlier posting about the noise. Not a room to stay in if you are not a heavy sleeper and if you like to sleep in!
To the Inn's credit, they did provide a handwritten apology for the lack of water pressure as well as a bottle of '98 Georis Estate Cab Sav. I have been assured that there are better rooms which would have met my expectations, so I do not want to dissuade others from patronizing this hotel - my advice is merely to avoid the Poet's Suite.
Loved it, would return
by TripAdvisor Member JulieFangKoo
We just returned from staying at Tradewinds Inn for the Labor Day weekend. We stayed in room #1 which was a deluxe king with no fireplace, facing back side. It was the cheapest room they offer.
The front desk was very friendly and helpful. The room was what we expected for the rate - zen decor, Frette linens, tiled bathroom. The cookies at the front desk, strawberries in the room added a nice touch. The free continental breakfast was not fancy but adequate and convenient. I liked that they always kept it stocked - it wasn't that if you didn't get there at 8 am, that they'd run out of food. Parking was limited but we always found a space. The location was 3 blocks from Ocean Ave - yes it was uphill but provided good exercise after a full meal.
We enjoyed our stay very much and would definitely return.
P.S. Some recommendations on surrounding restaurants: Friar Tuck for breakfast, and Village Corner for dinner - are good choices (expecially if you have kids - we went with our 3 month old baby) We also ate at Flaherty's Seafood and Em Le's - which were good but over rated.
Lovely hotel with great staff
by TripAdvisor Member thegamebird
We stayed at the Tradewinds for three days as part of a trip around California. We found the staff to be really friendly, helpful, and genuinely happy to chat to us (not just going through the motions, as in some hotels). We had room 6 which was dual aspect. It was really comfortable, with a huge lovely bed, and a superb bathroom. The hotel and grounds were beautifully finished, and as everyone, we loved the strawberries on arrival. Other plusses were the complimentary wireless internet, of which we took full advantage, and the toiletries which were of a very good standard. The only downside for us was the fact that we found the room a little noisy as it faced the road. As there is no air-conditioning (as per all of Carmel), and we like a nice cold room when we sleep we kept the balcony door and curtain open. This was fine at night (apart from the balcony light which you can't turn off!), but in the morning the dustcarts woke us every time - we weren't overly impressed with that - but it's not the fault of the hotel. Food-wise, the hotel recommended a couple of restaurants - the Flying Fish and the Grill on Ocean were both excellent, with the former being the best value, and for us the nicest food we had in Carmel. We also ate at Portobella, which we found stuffy, overpriced with mediocre service and food. All in all a great stay, with Carmel being the higghlight of our trip - we will return!
Loved the Tradewinds Inn!!!
by TripAdvisor Member kylerussell
We took our dog to Carmel for a much-needed vacation. The Tradewinds Inn delivered and then some. The staff was extremely accommodating and friendly. Although on the pricey side, the Tradewinds Inn lets your dog stay with you in your room for an additional $25 per night.
The room’s décor was sophisticated, clean, and comfortable. It included a tabletop waterfall, a gas fireplace, a free closet safe, and a mini-fridge. The bathroom floor was downright beautiful and the bathroom included a jet tub and a separate shower, that was a little on the small side, but usable. Other amenities include chocolate-covered strawberries on our first day, free daily continental breakfast, and free cookies in the lobby.
The location was walking distance to the many shops and restaurants in town, yet far enough away for peace and quiet, and the priceless feeling of being a local for the duration of your stay. We plan on going back at least three times a year!
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