In a city full of storybook architecture, it’s fitting that this one-time motel has been given a cottagecore glow-up. But Le Petit Pali doesn’t resort to kitsch: This is an adorably stylish and highly recommended boutique option, one that’s on a residential-bordering corner just a block from town, and it’s (usually) priced a little more than the area’s many roadside inns but less than its luxury villas.
There are actually two new Palisociety-managed hotels in Carmel about two blocks from each other, both with essentially the same decorative touches but different building layouts. The 34-room Le Petit Pali Ocean Avenue is centered around a parking lot with a small outdoor terrace off of its airy lobby; the 24-room 8th Avenue location fills its courtyard with shaded cafe tables and Adirondack chairs, though you’re limited to street parking (we always managed to find a spot within a couple of blocks during our weekday visit).
We were provided with a fireplace suite for our 8th Avenue stay, though if we were to visit again we’d be more than happy to settle for the smaller king room—chances are you’ll be spending most of your time alfresco anyway. In any configuration, the accommodations are just perfectly dapper, a cross between Craftsman cozy and Parisian chic with botanical patterns that add pops of color to an earthy palette. The bed is quite comfy, the Diptyque soaps smell like a pastoral grove and the rain shower is just superb. The hardwood floors are handsome though a little bit creaky; since we were staying upstairs, we can’t say how much of an annoyance that is from below. And as is the case with most area hotels, there’s no air conditioning, but the ceiling fan or windows should usually suffice in the consistently cool coastal city (if anything, you may be turning on the heat by bedtime).
In the morning, you can snack on an excellent assortment of pastries from neighbor Rise + Roam plus coffee, tea, juice and champagne, all served complimentary in the lobby-adjacent sunroom and patio. Water bottles and chocolates are restocked in the room daily, with cookie delivery nightly. You can borrow bikes and the rooms come with a few particularly thoughtful additions (a fabric steamer, a hot water bottle). Otherwise you won’t find any resort-like amenities: no pool, no gym, no spa. That’s not really an issue for much of the year, when weekday stays under $400 are easy to come by. But as area hotel prices spike in the mid-to-late-summer, particularly on weekends and during events at Pebble Beach, Le Petit Pali’s double-or-more peak rate creeps closer to the sort of splurge where you’d expect to find oceanfront views or a golf course.
A quick note for travelers with furry friends: Carmel just might be one of the most dog-friendly cities in the country, and Le Petit Pali does its part by providing pups under 35 pounds (for a one-time fee of $125) with a bed, bowl, treats and toy (during our stay, a squeaky champagne bottle).