Hotel reviews: Tradewinds Inn, Carmel, California

Travelers to Carmel-by-the-Sea, the ocean-landscaped retreat on the Monterey Peninsula in central California, have vast and varied accommodation choices.

Quaint bed & breakfast inns to refurbished historic motels, more than 60 options are available in the one-square-mile hamlet.

Ocean Ave. is the city’s main artery, and many of the accommodations are located among or within a few blocks of the epicenter’s diverse collection of shops and restaurants.

This convenience can both add to the enjoyment of visiting Carmel and it can present issues.

Walking is a favorite pastime among locals and tourists. But it’s those same visitors and a steady flow of two-way vehicular traffic that can prove bothersome for guests at the most centrally located accommodations during popular seasons. As such, even in the paradise that is Carmel, convenient hotel parking and quiet rooms are not commonplace.

Through the years, however, Carmel establishments located off-the-beaten path, like Tradewinds Inn, have enticed a loyal following by offering a simple but important formula: quality rooms and service, plentiful parking and serenity.

Nonetheless, after reaching middle age, the Tradewinds Inn needed a makeover. The result is a $4 million renovation (completed in 2004) that transformed the facility into a Asian-influenced inn and place of peace. Susan Stilwell, the daughter of original 1959 owners, Richard and Patricia Catlin, collaborated on the recently completed one-year project with interior designer Charles Gruwell.

Flowing fountains, bamboo screens and tropical plants dominate the centerpiece meditation garden. Custom-designed furniture, multicolored slate floors and accents from Bali and China are prevalent in each of the 28 rooms. The Asian-dominated interior and exterior motif is a family preference. Stilwell’s father collected antiques on his trips to Japan, and some of his collection also decorates the lobby.

The lobby also more resembles the entry way of a spa rather than a hotel reception. Two sentinel-like statues rest on each side of the entry, and the guest check-in area features furnishings and an ambiance similar to room offerings.

While parking is limited or offered for a daily fee in some Carmel accommodation locations, covered and on-street parking in plentiful and free at the Tradewinds Inn.

I stayed in a second-floor deluxe king room with an ocean view during my visit. While not extraordinarily large, the arrangement of the furniture,