The Best Hotels in Big Sur

The rustic setting for this lodge with cottage-style rooms is what Big Sur is all about.

Call it glamping if you must, but the accommodations at Big Sur Lodge hit the exact right balance between rustic and luxe. The lodge, in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, offers both cottage-style rooms and individual cottages with fireplaces and kitchens. Guests love the easy access to local hiking trails, and there is a pool on the property surrounded by redwoods. Use your visit as an opportunity to unplug since the WiFi is limited at this lodge.

• Inside a state park
• Access to hiking trails
• Cottage-style accommodations

This affordable option is well-reviewed as clean and close to the heart of Carmel.

Best Western Carmel’s Town House Lodge is just a few miles from Big Sur. Guests who have enjoyed their stay there generally say the motel-style accommodation isn’t the fanciest in town, but it’s comfortable and clean for the price. The location, especially, can’t be beat, just a few walkable blocks from the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea and from the beach. An outdoor pool is heated seasonally, and breakfast is free.

• Walkable location
• Free breakfast
• Affordable rates

This collection of five beachside cottages can fit just one or two guests, or up to 10, depending on which you choose.

If you’re looking for a family retreat, you should find it at Carmel Cottage Inn—if you can manage to snag a reservation at the in-demand property. These five cottages sleep from 2-10 people and are outfitted with kitchens and landscaped outdoor space private to each one. From there, it’s less than a block to walk to the beach, just a few minutes in the opposite direction to reach shopping and dining in Carmel, and just a short drive from Big Sur. 

• Individual cottages
• Close to beach

This gorgeous getaway comes with a high price tag but offers unforgettable experiences.

The Post Ranch Inn is the kind of getaway you’ll remember for years to come. Rooms with private balconies—some with hot tubs—overlook the Big Sur coast or the mountains. You also can take in the view from two infinity spas and a heated pool. If guests have time to leave between taking free yoga classes, guided forest meditations, art walks, and nature walks, they can be shuttled to nearby attractions in one of the Ranch's Lexus SUVs.

• Restaurant
• Spa and art gallery on site
• Three pools and hot tubs

This top-rated hotel for romantic getaways overlooks the Big Sur coast and has lots of perks for an adults-only getaway, like Champagne upon arrival.

When there’s a bottle of Champagne chilled and waiting for you when you enter your room, you know you’re going to be in for a good vacation. Tickle Pink Inn, overlooking the Big Sur coast, is top-rated by guests for its romantic ambiance. Rooms have balconies overlooking the ocean, and many have kitchens or hot tubs, depending on which you book. In the evenings, enjoy a complimentary wine and cheese reception with live music.

• Champagne on arrival
• Free breakfast
• Great views

This pet-friendly hotel with waterfront views offers great amenities for reasonable prices.

The oceanfront view rooms at Ragged Point Inn and Resort offer gorgeous vistas from atop a 350-foot cliff, but if that’s not your speed, there also are beautiful mountain view rooms in this San Simeon hotel near Big Sur. A plaza with shopping and dining hosts free concerts on the weekends. Ragged Point allows guests to bring up to two dogs per room for a fee of $50 per night for the first and $25 per night for the second. Per their pet policy, if other guests hear excessive barking, there could be a noise fee.

• Coastal views
• Plaza with live music
• Pet-friendly

This historic hotel has an iconic restaurant and is known as “the place with the chairs in the river” for its Adirondack chairs on the banks of—and even in—Big Sur River.

This rustic inn has been hosting guests since 1934 and has become a beloved stop for lodgers and diners, especially for the iconic apple pie still on the menu nearly a century later. Big Sur River Inn has direct access to the Big Sur River, where people enjoy sitting on chairs with their feet in the water and taking in the nature all around. When it’s time to explore the area, a filled picnic basket is available for purchase on-site. The property also includes a small store and gas station.

• Popular restaurant
• River access
• Outdoor pool

This boutique hotel in the heart of Carmel has a cozy feel and Craftsman-style architecture.

Nothing says romance like breakfast in bed, especially when it’s delivered to your room in the morning in a prepared basket ready to eat. Some rooms in this cozy, Craftsman-style hotel have fireplaces, and there are fire pits outside for chilly evenings. The Hideaway offers a free wine and cheese reception every evening and bicycles for guest use along with local maps and helmets.

• Pet-friendly
• Free breakfast
• Fire pits