Noteable Amenities
Location
Villa Mara sits on a quiet street in Carmel Point, a neighborhood where the Pacific is always audible and nothing feels hurried.
Just a block from the beach, it shares its postcode with architect-designed homes and locals who’ve been here for decades. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Clinton Della Walker House is just around the corner, but the real pull of this place is in the mood—it's private and very much coastal.
You’re a short walk from Carmel Beach, a mile from downtown, and close enough to the Carmel Mission and Tor House to get a sense of the culture, but far enough to forget about itineraries altogether.
Design
This is a hotel that leans into the feeling of arriving at someone’s impeccably appointed beach home. Designed by Lisa Koch, the interiors are residential in the truest sense.
A white-washed, California traditional exterior gives way to light-filled interiors with Venetian plaster walls, layered textures, and custom-made furnishings in a calm palette of dusty pinks, sage greens, and sea blues.
There’s a strong emphasis on touch, from wicker and leather to natural woods and vintage accents, all working together to create a coastal mood without slipping into cliché.
Throughout the space, you’ll find a reverence for design and detail. Bookshelves hold art house magazines and coastal travel guides. An in-house art collection of over 50 works was curated in partnership with Lost Art Salon in San Francisco. Even the landscaping is purposeful—fragrant jasmine, lavender, rose bushes, and five distinct outdoor seating vignettes are arranged to encourage slow mornings or sundowners by the fire.
Rooms
There are just 16 rooms at Villa Mara, each named after a local landmark, artist, or place of significance. Sizes range from 250 to 421 square feet, and almost all offer ocean views or private balconies.
Interiors continue the hotel’s residential design ethos. You’ve got soft linens, vintage and bespoke furniture, carefully layered textiles, with natural lighting pouring in from oversized northwest-facing windows.
Bathrooms feature Le Labo amenities, Waterworks fixtures, heated floors, and generous rain showers.
The complimentary in-room mini bars are filled with locally sourced snacks and beverages.
But the standout is the Jeffers Cottage, a 500-square-foot private suite tucked at the rear of the property, with its own fire pit and soaking tub, hidden behind a garden gate. It’s a sweet homage to poet Robinson Jeffers, whose spirit of Carmel lives on in the details.
Food & Drink
There’s no restaurant at Villa Mara. That said, mornings begin with coffee from ACME and warm pastries from Sweet Elena’s, served at the bar. Come evening, there’s a short but thoughtful rotation of cocktails, wines, and local beers—just enough for a quick one before heading out.
For something more substantial, you’ll need to venture out. Try Stationæry, just off Dolores Street, for breakfast or lunch that's equal parts polished and local.
For dinner, Chez Noir is a standout, an elegant seafood-forward spot that earned its Michelin star without any of the pretension. La Bicyclette remains a longtime favourite for wood-fired simplicity, and Vesuvius’s rooftop is great for an aperitif when the fog holds off.
