Renovated
2020
Price
$$
Outside the door
Handcrafted redwood outpost
Hand-built timber cabins sit deep in the canyon forest, preserving a slower pace without televisions or phone signals.
“This historic and beloved inn was built in the midcentury using local redwood and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.”
Where it shines
Remarkable
Unbroken Highway 1 hospitality since 1937, with handwritten guest journals and fireside breakfasts.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
Set within a diminutive redwood canyon, this storied, meticulously preserved 1930s inn is a real charmer, with humble yet timeless Norwegian design.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park sits just up Highway 1, and the Henry Miller Memorial Library is around the bend.
The rooms
Rustic rooms have wood-burning stoves and wavy timber floors, with handwritten guest journals left beside the beds.
Deetjen's Restaurant
Candlelit timber rooms with brick fireplaces serve morning blueberry pancakes and seasonal dinners to classical music.
How it began
Norwegian immigrant Helmuth Deetjen camped here in the early 1930s, constructing the first cabins from salvaged wharf timber.
Big Sur
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The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.