Carmel House
2 BR | 2 BA | SLEEPS 4
This wonderfully authentic home is nestled into Wildcat Cove in the Carmel Highlands, an artist enclave in California's Monterey County. An original 1948 California post-and-beam adobe, it was designed by self-taught architect Hugh Comstock, who is well known for creating many of the quirky, fairytale dwellings that Carmel-by-the-Sea is famous for.
Unusual for a Comstock home, this has a Zen-like, almost Japanese feel. A family residence for many years, it has been perfectly maintained, retaining its authentic charm and soul. The sunny interiors of the main house are furnished stylishly and comfortably, with an almost Mediterranean atmosphere, and they feature Saltillo terracotta tiled floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a six-foot-wide fireplace.
The owners are an interior designer and cinematographer, and the home is filled with personal touches, including paintings by family members and bookshelves lined with art books. We love the original kitchen and the wooden furnishings that evoke times past.
The property has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, in two parts: the main adobe structure, with one bedroom and bathroom, and an artist's studio at the top of the garden, which has one bed and a bathroom. The patio is lined with lovely old tiles, and the terraced garden features a koi pond, a yoga deck, and little stone paths that connect the two structures.
The house boasts amazing views of the rugged Carmel and Big Sur coastline, with seasonal whale sightings as well as nightly sunsets. Not only can you see the ocean splashing onto the rocks below, but the surf provides the soundtrack for your stay.
This vacation home for rent in California is ideal for guests looking for something truly original and full of authentic charm.
AROUND
Wildcat is located in the Carmel Highlands, which were developed in the early 20th century as a secluded residential community dedicated to the arts, and its residents have included photographers Ansel Adams and Edward Weston (who had a studio nearby). When the coastal highway opened in the 1930s, it brought tourists and other visitors to the region.
The house is 15 minutes from a private gated beach, with a number of hiking trails nearby, but it's also only 10 minutes from downtown Carmel. Destinations to explore in the region include Point Lobos State Reserve, with its headlands, coves, rolling meadows, and a marine sanctuary that's popular with divers, plus Garrapata State Park with its two-mile beach, coastal hiking trails, and dense redwood groves. Big Sur is 30 minutes away, as are the Carmel Valley wineries, and San Francisco is only two hours by car.
LOCATION
Wildcat Cove, Carmel Highlands, California, US. Nearest airport: Monterey Regional (15 miles), San Jose (60 miles), San Francisco (75 miles).
BEST TIME TO VISIT: This vacation home for rent in California is great year-round, but spring through fall offer best weather.
