My husband and I are thinking of taking a trip to Carmel for our 1st wedding anniversary. I am trying to find a nice Inn or B&B that is around $200/night (weeknight). A fireplace in the room is a bonus! Also would appreciate any other recs for restaurants, activities, etc. Thanks!

Try the Normandy Inn. It has some rooms with fireplaces.

http://www.normandyinncarmel.com/

Not sure you can get it for 200, but The Tickled Pink Inn, is a phenomenal setting above Carmel on a bluff looking out over the rocks to the Pacific.....

Try Lobos Lodge. In town and has fireplaces:

www.loboslodge.com

I was suggest a stay in Pacific Grove which has the a lovely B&B that is just feet from the water. Excellent rooms, great breakfast, a sumptuous happy hour with free wine and grand appetizers and fresh baked cookies, milk, coffee, cocoa, tea each night.

Pictures at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/DebitNM/PacificGroveCA2008

Deb

What is the name of the B&B in Pacific Grove?
We would love to stay at Tickle Pink, but it just out of our budget!

Sorry! I meant to include name and website

Seven Gables Inn

http://www.pginns.com/

Deb

Our son played in a tournament at Pebble Beach and we stayed at the Garden Court Vacation Rentals. It was 2 bedroom 2 bath with fireplace overlooking 17 mile drive and ocean in distance. It was 5 minutes from Carmel and Monterey. We were extremely pleased and for the week it was under $200. Try their website and Happy Anniversary

Also try Briarwood Inn in Carmel. We have stayed there and thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

I agree about the Tickle Pink Inn, it is wonderful. We stayed here for the second time this past May. Check out one of the Inns on Ocean Ave., Normandy looks nice, Lobos Lodge, Lamp Lighter, Pine Inn, etc. You could check into La Playa, they may have specials during the week. This is a historic property with an outdoor swimming pool and is walking distance to both the shops and the ocean.

For great places to eat: Katy's Place, Casanova, Bouchee,PortaBella, Grasing's, Mission Ranch are all very good. Have fun! ***kim***

There are some good deals on hotels in the area through Oct 15.Deals are available for all the cities on the Monterey Peninsula.

More info:
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal...of-deals-2586/

http://www.montereyinfo.org/deals/

Wow, thank you for all the hotel suggestions! Anyone recommend any of the wineries in the area? And some romantic restaurants?

Chateau Julien and Bernardus in Carmel Valley, for the romantic restaurant go to Pacific's Edge at the Highland's Inn. We have been here several times, our last meal was this past May and it was amazing! ***kim***

RESTAURANT IN CARMEL: Try Casanova's. Great place.

RESTAURANT IN PACIFIC GROVE: Fandango's.

Pacific Grove has other great B&Bs: Green Gable Inn and Martine Inn both overlook the Monterey Bay.

As a local; Pacific Grove has a lot of Victorian Inns and is quaint, but is also often foggy. It sits at the tip of the peninsula. It isn't really the best for walking and exploring neighborhoods compared to getting around Carmel.

There are 2 affordable Inns in Carmel with private fireplaces, baths, AND patios: Carmel Garden Court Inn, and San Antonio House Inn. Carmel Garden Court Inn was voted "best place to kiss".

You can literally walk to everything: great restaurants, galleries, shops, the beach. Carmel's atmosphere is decidedly European.

Restaurants: As the previous poster said, Casanova's is good, very European; Fandangos is good; it's in Pacific Grove (also European).

Il Fornaio in Carmel at the Pine Inn has good Italian food and is a happy hour hangout for locals (so is the Cypress, Doris Day's pet-friendly hotel).

Rio Grill is a casual spot at the Crossroads shopping center, still popular (you would need a cab).

Brophie's Sports Bar is cool and very friendly. Young local hangout.

Sushi Heaven in Carmel is good. Pricier places that are romantic include Anton & Michel. They do some dishes table side. L'Auberge is very pricy.

Christopher's is excellent; kind of expensive but worth it.

Steaks: Kurt's Grasing's Chop House

Italian: Little Napoli

Bouchee Restaurant and wine bar

To be honest, there are so many great restaurants you can hardly go wrong.

If you can, go to the Tap Room at the Lodge in Pebble Beach (very cool).

Shopping: on Ocean Avenue. Carmel Plaza is on the corner of Ocean and Junipero.

www.carmelgardencourtinn.com
1-800-313-7770

Happy Anniversary, and many more!

Ditto on Carmel Garden Court, we really enjoyed our two stays there.

You could try the Grapevine Express. That is a bus that travels from Carmel to Carmel Valley, stopping by lots of great wineries on the way.

There is also a Big Sur bus that picks you up right in Carmel and takes you down to Nepenthe. You can get dropped off at a couple wonderful parks on the way and do a little hiking.