My fiance and I recently had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful town of Carmel by the Sea. Crazy to think, as Bay Area natives, we've been to Monterey several times but never had a chance to visit Carmel, and we couldn't be more thankful that we finally did! It's definitely an underestimated gem so close to home and we'll definitely be heading back!

Carmel by the Sea is a beautiful European inspired town in Monterey County, minutes walking distance to a gorgeous beach, filled with art galleries and wineries. They bring a rich history and this year they are celebrating their 100 year anniversary. Its a charming place that welcomes visitors with a friendly attitude and offers a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of the over crowded and over commercialized city.

The town has so many unique quirks I find of great value in our day when technology rules all. For one thing, addresses do not exist in Carmel by the Sea. I thought this was crazy! If you try to look up an address you'll merely get the closest intersection. All residents/businesses have a PO box and have to physically go to the post office to get their mail but at the same time promoting a strong sense of community and allowing you to get to know you neighbors. Now that, I do like. On top of that, every single sign in town must be a wooden one. How cool is that?! Here, you won't find a single Starbucks or Lulu Lemon. (Not that I have anything against either of these brands). The town is all about supporting small businesses and bringing things back to a simple idea of getting out on your feet to discover uniqueness and quality. And that alone is had me smitten by this adorable town of Carmel by the Sea.

One of my favorite things when traveling is strolling through the local streets and allowing myself to get lost and discover the beauty in each new place. Carmel by the Sea was made for just this, with something beautiful and intriguing around every corner. Carmel offers a refreshing art scene including sculpture, paint and photography alike. Shops offer one of a kind products that you can find in the typical department store.

We had the pleasure of staying at the charming Hofsas House Hotel, a super cute boutique hotel with a killer location and amazing service in the heart of Carmel by the Sea. A family owned hotel, with 60 years of history in the gorgeous town. Its dusty pink walls give a nostalgic retro vibe and the Bavarian inspired ambiance introduces a European charm to its visitors.

Just a short 2 and a half hour drive outside San Francisco, we arrived just before sunset to catch the gorgeous view from our room overlooking the water.

We had an amazingly comfortable stay. Carmel is THE perfect weekend getaway to unwind. It was such a refreshing break from all the overly trendy and routine bustle of San Francisco.

Literally just a few blocks away to the many choices of restaurants, wineries, galleries and shops we were eager to explore the town the moment we arrived.

One of Hofsas House's newest packages includes the Wine Walk Passport. Trust me when I say it's worth every single penny. In the passport you receive 9 vouchers that can each be redeemed for a full flight at several of the tasting rooms all located within just a few blocks of each other. The best thing is it's on your own schedule and they don't expire so if you have any left over you can come back and use them again or gift them to friends! We wandered into the Vino Napoli, Caraccioli Cellars, Dawn's Dream and Sheid tasting rooms, took home a couple bottles and even joined Sheid's wine club . . . and we still had vouchers left over!

And after a lovely night of great food and wine tasting, winding down in our room at Hofsas House with this incredible antique fireplace next to our bed was heavenly! Seriously, why don't all bedrooms have this?! They need to! This was my absolute favorite thing the entire weekend! AH il dolce far niente.

Carrie, the owner of Hofsas House runs a lovely hotel with top notch service as a priority. Murals from artist Maxine Albro, including the iconic piece that greets its guests at the front of the hotel, bring character to the the place. Paired with pretty antiques in your room, you truly do feel at home at Hofsas House. It's not the Hilton, and its not trying to be anything like that, and that's exactly what makes this place so beautiful and special. Good old warm hospitality and sincere character never go out of style. These are the places that you remember and want to come back to . . .

Sunset in Carmel Beach by Christel Gellidon

* This is a sponsored post however all opinions and photos are my own.

Stelavie