The Romantic Lamp Lighter Inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Jul 29, 2011
Donna Dailey

Lone Cypress Tree on the 17-Mile Drive near Carmel - Donna Dailey

For that special vacation in California's Carmel, the Lamp Lighter Inn is hard to beat, close to the ocean but central too, and near the 17-Mile Drive.

Carmel-by-the-Sea on California’s Pacific Coast, just off the Pacific Coast Highway, is one of the most romantic and pretty little towns in California. It has long attracted artists and writers, and is a popular spot for that special occasion vacation – birthday, honeymoon, or anniversary. It has a wealth of upmarket shops and restaurants, though plenty of less-expensive places too. It’s a compact little place, and you can explore it easily on foot. It also has some of the best inns, hotels and other accommodation options along the coast. And one of the best of them all is the Lamp Lighter Inn.

The Romantic Lamp Lighter Inn

There’s a jaunty nautical look to the Lamp Lighter, with white walls and bright blue doors and windows, that cheers you up as soon as you arrive. Gentle guitar music plays softly in the background as you walk through the green garden patio area to the reception. It feels like you’re looking in on a friend, even if you’ve never been there before.

The Lamp Lighter has several guest rooms and suites, and a couple of cottages, all on or close to the garden area where guests relax and chat over wine and appetizers at the happy hour. Officially the happy hour is only Thursday-Sunday from 5-7pm but when we were there they were experimenting with holding it every night, and they always started early if guests were sitting around, enjoying the patio. That’s the kind of informal and friendly place the Lamp Lighter is.

Lamp Lighter Guest Rooms, Suites, and Cottages

Rooms at the Inn are all spacious and stylish, some continuing the blue and white nautical look but in a more subdued fashion. All have private bathrooms and private entrances, and some have fireplaces too. They all have marble bathrooms, TVs, and phones, and some are pet-friendly as well. The Lamp Lighter, like Carmel itself, is extremely pet-friendly. Room rates include the generous afternoon wine and appetizers, and a light breakfast of fresh-baked muffins, yogurt, orange juice, and hard-boiled eggs, brought to your room each morning. It’s the perfect way to start the day – and every day seemed to be pretty-near perfect during our stay here.

Close to the Ocean

The Lamp Lighter claims to be the closest Inn to the ocean in Carmel, and Carmel Beach is only three short blocks away – less than a 5-minute walk. If you’re looking for accommodation close to the ocean in Carmel, you won’t find it in the center but would have to stay outside the town. As such, the Lamp Lighter does offer the best choice for a stylish place to stay, within walking distance of the beach as well as Carmel’s many marvelous shops and restaurants.

The 17-Mile Drive

One of the most popular attractions in the area is the 17-Mile Drive, which takes you out to explore the Monterey Peninsula. There are lovely views back towards Carmel, and along the coast, while the Lone Cypress Tree provides the perfect photo opportunity. The drive takes you past Cypress Point, Seal Rock, and Bird Rock, towards Pacific Grove and Monterey, and you can visit both those places easily before returning through hilly woodland to Carmel. The drive has several gates, where a fee is payable, and the Carmel Gate is only about a 2-minute drive from the Lamp Lighter Inn.