Vagabond's House Inn
Bed and Breakfast

Historic and romantic Vagabond's House Inn Bed and Breakfast in Carmel is a great place to stay with free wine and cheese and generous breakfast.

The Vagabond's House Inn

The Vagabond's House Inn in Carmel
All Photos (c) Donna Dailey

We've spent so long on the road over the years that a place called the Vagabond's House Inn Bed and Breakfast obviously appealed to us. And even though we only spent one night there, it did feel just like home before we left.

We'd spent a long day in Monterey, doing a walk around the Old Town, seeing Cannery Row and Fisherman's Wharf (great clam chowder at Abalonetti), and taking hours to see all round the wonderful aquarium, so we checked in a little late and tired. The first thing was that it was easy to find, and the second thing that parking was easy and free too, right on the street outside the Inn (though they also have a small private car park as well). That isn't always the case in compact little Carmel.

Best Guide to Carmel and Monterey

The Office!

Welcome to the Vagabond's House Inn!

The third thing was even better. We knew we were too late for the daily early evening free wine, cheeses, and other appetizers that the inn serves up, but the receptionist had kindly put some away for us.

No sooner had we checked in than we were relaxing with a very welcome glass of chilled Californian chardonnay, tucking into some tasty tit-bits, and enjoying a nice chat with the friendly lady behind the desk.

Rooms off a Stone Courtyard

The Vagabond's House Inn was completely delightful. Most of its 13 rooms are off a central stone courtyard that's filled with plants, ferns, flowers, waterfalls, and a big oak tree. Many have their own private entrance, like little cottages.

The Courtyard at the Vagabond's House Inn

The décor is old-fashioned rustic, and all the rooms have fireplaces and private bathrooms. They also have all the modern stuff like TVs with cable, DVDs, phones, and a big kitchen.

There's also a welcoming schooner of sherry in the room, and there was a danger that, once we were in, we might never get out again. However, we decided to save the sherry for a nightcap as we of course wanted to have a drink in Clint Eastwood's Hog's Breath Inn, which is just a short walk away.

Our room at The Vagabond's House Inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

In Our Room

There's no dining room at the Vagabond's Inn so next morning the breakfast was delivered to our room, though we could have eaten outside in the courtyard if we'd wanted.

Our Room at The Vagabond's House Inn

Vagabond's House Inn History

There's plenty to see in the reception area at the Vagabond's House. It's owned by Denny LeVett, who co-owns the Cypress Inn with Doris Day, but here he's added to the casual and very personal atmosphere by putting on display some of his own personal collections. There are books, toys and part of LeVett's collection of Colt-Patterson guns which is the largest in the world.

Our Room

The Inn was built in the late 1920s and very quickly became popular with artists and writers. One such was Don Blanding, a poet and prose writer who would come to the Inn for months at a time, as he found it such an inspirational place.

He wrote a famous poem called “Carmel-by-the-Sea”, and another long poem called the “Vagabond's House” – and the owners later named the place after his poem, a nice touch.

A night at the Vagabond's House Inn really refreshed and relaxed us, and we were very sorry when we had to hit the road the next morning and leave. It's the kind of Inn where one night is not enough, and it's definitely high on our list of Pacific Coast Highway places we want to stay at again.

The Pacific Coast Highway Travel team enjoying The Vagabond's House Inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Mike and Donna enjoying the Vagabond's House Inn Bed and Breakfast

More Information
Vagabond’s House Inn
4th & Dolores, Carmel-by-the-Sea
Tel: 1-800-262-1262

Unique Inns

The hotel is a member of Unique Inns. For more details and for online booking information for all the Unique Inns in California, Oregon and Washington, as well as their inns in Idaho, and British Columbia in Canada, visit the Unique Inns website.

Other Carmel pages

Point Lobos State Reserve near Carmel and Monterey, with photos
A walk around the Point Lobos State Reserve near Monterey and Carmel provides lots of photo opportunities, especially of the Harbor Seal Birthing Area.
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz on the Pacific Coast Highway in California has its famous boardwalk, beaches, wine tastings, Surfing Museum, Mission, and Marine Discovery Center.
Paso Robles Accommodation
If looking for Paso Robles accommodation you could stay on a vineyard at the luxury JUST Inn Bed and Breakfast, in the grounds of the JUSTIN winery.
Point Reyes National Seashore
The Point Reyes National Seashore is an hour’s drive northwest of San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway and is maintained by the National Park Service.
Where to Eat in Carmel
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to where to eat in Carmel with Italian, French, Mexican and American places, from inexpensive to Michelin-star fine dining.
Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach
The Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel is Ventura 's only beachside hotel with ocean front swimming pool and rooms with ocean views.
Coastal California Guidebook
Lonely Planet's Coastal California guidebook is the ideal travel guide for driving or cycling the Pacific Coast Highway from the Oregon border to Mexico.
Inn at Morro Bay
The Inn at Morro Bay offers accommodation in Morro Bay State Park, close to beach and wildlife, with outdoor pool, just off the Pacific Coast Highway.
Where to Stay in Carmel
Where to Stay in Carmel include reviews of the Mission Ranch, Sea View Inn, The Cypress Inn, Lamp Lighter Inn and Vagabond's House Inn.
Santa Cruz Downtown Wine Tastings
There are plenty of Santa Cruz downtown wine tastings including Beauregard Vineyards,Storrs Winery and Pelican Ranch Winery,all with tasting rooms.
Oceanside
Oceanside is a typical southern California beach town with a surf culture and with the Pacific Coast Highway running right through it.
Encinitas
Encinitas is a beach city in Southern California, famous for surfing, and regularly chosen as one of the best places to live in both California and the USA.
Eureka Inns
Of all Eureka inns, The Carter House Inns are the most romantic and historic, with one of the best restaurants in Northern California.
Bixby Bridge
Drive the Pacific Coast Highway and you have to cross Bixby Bridge in California, ten miles north of Big Sur and 30 minutes south of Monterey.
California Coast Hotels and Inns
The California Coast's hotels, inns, guesthouses, b&bs and other places to stay include 5-star luxury hotels and resorts, motel chains, RV parks and camping.
Carlsbad
Carlsbad is a beach city north of San Diego in southern California famous for its flower fields, LEGOLAND resort and water park, surfing and SEA LIFE Aquarium.
Laguna Beach
The Pacific Coast Highway goes right through Laguna Beach, a relaxed artsy beach resort whose attractions include shopping, galleries, dining, and beaches.
Monterey Inn
For a Monterey Inn just off the Pacific Coast Highway in California, the Mariposa Inn and Suites is hard to beat, providing good accommodation close to PCH.
Monterey Boutique Hotel, the Hotel Pacific near Fisherman's Wharf
The Hotel Pacific is a Monterey boutique hotel in a good location close to Fisherman’s wharf and downtown restaurants and bars and with its own parking garage.
Santa Barbara Beachfront Hotel
The Oceana Santa Barbara beachfront hotel has a perfect seafront location, close to Stearns Wharf and State Street, and whale watching cruises.
Viceroy Santa Monica
The Viceroy Santa Monica hotel is one of Los Angeles' best, a favorite of celebrities like Dustin Hoffman, Sting, Demi Moore, and Leonardo DiCaprio,
Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach is a small beach town on California's Central Coast, a resort famous for surfing and clams.
Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay is a small California coastal town on the borders of Marin County and Sonoma County, and the filming location for Alfred Hitchcock's the Birds.
Mendocino
Mendocino in Mendocino County is a small but pretty California coastal town, popular with artists and with travelers. It has featured in many songs and movies.
Moss Beach Hotel
For a Moss Beach hotel just off the Pacific Coast Highway, the Seal Cove Inn offers good accommodation north of Half Moon Bay, minutes from the ocean.