The Best Places to Drink and Stay in Carmel
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The best places to drink and stay in Carmel, according to the experts: the Forbes Travel Guide, The 50, and the Michelin Guide have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. L'Auberge Carmel comes out on top.
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Chez Noir and Villa Mara Carmel hold the next two places. The Michelin Guide shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with Esquire next.
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A 20-room boutique hotel wrapped around a courtyard in the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea, L'Auberge Carmel occupies a white stucco building that has been collecting interesting neighbors since the 1920s. The Relais & Châteaux membership sets the tone: evening turndown, valet, a chauffeured house car, and the quiet attentiveness of a place that knows exactly how small it is and considers that the point.
The awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Forbes Travel Guide: Forbes Recommended
- The 50 The 50: The 50 Discovery
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Rank 2. Chez Noir
Elevated Mediterranean Bistro
The chefs live upstairs, which explains why this Craftsman-on-5th Avenue bistro feels less like a restaurant and more like a very good dinner party you somehow got invited to. The cooking leans Mediterranean with a California coast accent, prix fixe, and a Michelin star to its name. The canelés alone have sparked quiet obsession among regulars. A James Beard nominee, and the kind of place Carmel somehow earned.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Star
- Esquire Esquire: Sungold Tomato Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2024 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Esquire Sungold Tomato Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
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The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Key
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The closest hotel to the beach in Carmel-by-the-Sea, La Playa is a grand Mediterranean-style property that has been the go-to for San Francisco's upper crust since forever. A thorough renovation kept the bones and the aesthetic intact while adding modern comforts. Bud's Bar leans into its retro styling, and the swimming pool, which was the first one built in Carmel, still draws a crowd.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Hotels
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The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Hotels
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The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Hotels
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The sister property to Carmel's Tradewinds Inn, the Stilwell Hotel brings the same laid-back California chic one block over, but trades its sibling's eclectic vintage feel for something cleaner: neutral tones, minimalist interiors, and decor that manages to feel considered without trying too hard. It's a boutique hotel for people who sleep better without a gallery wall staring at them.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Hotels
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The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Hotels