"Though Dev Patel grew up in a hospitality family, Villa Mara Carmel is his first project on his own—and certainly not his last. The almost top-to-bottom renovation of the property (which took three years) shows in every detail, from the leather-wrapped staircase handrails on the inside to the botanically perfect landscaping outside. And if you could fuse muted minimalism with beach chic and add a dash of fabric fantastic (e.g., the bed headboards and throw pillows), you’d have Villa Mara’s 16 guest rooms nailed to perfection. But the hotel’s most enviable feature is its location, nestled along one of the most historic streets in Carmel-By-The-Sea’s Carmel Point neighborhood literally a few hundred steps from Carmel Beach, which is one of the most postcard-perfect stretches of sand and sea in America. Rooms from $495." - CNT Editors