La Playa Carmel offers romance now and then
La Playa Carmel has always been a place for romance. Back in 1905, artist Christian Jorgensen designed La Playa as a gift for his wife, a member of the Ghirardelli family. Tragically, she drown in the nearby Pacific Ocean and Jorgensen never moved into the mansion. In 1916 La Playa Carmel became a hotel and has been welcoming guests ever since. The original section of the building that still stands today, features a star-shaped stained glass window facing the street, and steps leading up to the bell tower.
2012 La Playa renovation
Remember the rhyme “some thing old, something new, something borrowed, somethings blue?” La Playa Carmel’s new owners have put a lot of thought into respecting the original character of the building during the renovation says General Manager Mary Crowe. The hotel hadn’t been renovated since the 80’s. The property has kept its residential feel, while updating with fresh paint, utilizing eco-friendly materials, sound proofing rooms, adding high speed internet, and upgrading to high thread-count linens and pillow-top mattresses. The aqua blue ocean views and colorful gardens, however, have remained as inviting as ever.
Ocean view rooms
The La Playa Carmel features 75 rooms and suites, many with ocean views. Located two blocks from the beach and minutes from downtown, the property is ideally situated. Our room, #211, was an ocean view bedroom and rented for $384.30 per night during the August 2012 grand opening. If you are looking for value rooms, go with the garden view. Check the website for rates.
Complimentary breakfast buffet
The Champagne breakfast buffet is included in the price of your room, so sleep in, relax and saunter over to the library between 7 – 11 a.m. Early risers may take a dip in the swimming pool before breakfast or ponder a game of chess with larger-than-life chess pieces on the patio.
Insider tips
Are you a chocoholic? It’s not listed on the bar menu, but ask about the homemade chocolate chip cookies, served alongside a cold glass of milk. Delicious.
For additional insider tips follow Luxury Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown on Twitter and follow La Playa Carmel on Twitter.
La Playa Carmel (800) 582-8900 or (831) 293-6100
Camino Real at Eighth
Carmel, CA 93921
Article written by and photos courtesy of Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip, Travels from Northern California. I was a guest of La Playa Carmel.
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It’s great that the new owners of La Playa Carmel didn’t think of changing the structure of an ancestral landmark. It’s pretty rare to find real old houses or hotels these days, old and still productive.. accommodating? if you know what I mean. 🙂