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La Playa Hotel
La Playa Hotel
Courtyard Ceremony
Courtyard Ceremony
📷 Jasmine Lee Photography
📷 Jasmine Lee Photography
Courtyard Ceremony
Courtyard Ceremony
Pacific Room
Pacific Room
Hotel Entrance
Hotel Entrance
Courtyard Reception
Courtyard Reception
📷 Cheers Babe Photo
📷 Cheers Babe Photo
Pacific Terrace
Pacific Terrace
Carmel Beach
Carmel Beach
Pacific Terrace
Pacific Terrace
Party in the Pacific Room
Party in the Pacific Room
Cocktail Hour in the Courtyard
Cocktail Hour in the Courtyard
Evening Reception
Evening Reception
La Playa Patio
La Playa Patio
📷 Cheers Babe Photo
📷 Cheers Babe Photo
Reception Seating
Reception Seating
The Carmel Coast
The Carmel Coast
Pacific Room
Pacific Room
The Gates
The Gates
Cocktail Seating-Pacific Room
Cocktail Seating-Pacific Room
Pacific Views
Pacific Views
Fountains at La Playa Carmel
Fountains at La Playa Carmel
La Playa Carmel
La Playa Carmel
Photos in the Courtyard
Photos in the Courtyard
Courtyard Ceremony
Courtyard Ceremony
Reception in the Courtyard
Reception in the Courtyard
La Playa's Courtyard
La Playa's Courtyard
Pacific Room
Pacific Room
Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach
Courtyard Ceremony
Courtyard Ceremony
Bud's Bar & Restaurant
Bud's Bar & Restaurant
Carmel Beach
Carmel Beach
Rustic Architecture
Rustic Architecture
Boutique Accommodations
Boutique Accommodations
Beach Photos
Beach Photos
Simply Set in the Pacific Room
Simply Set in the Pacific Room
A Seaside Toast
A Seaside Toast
Courtyard Fountain
Courtyard Fountain
Reception in the Garden Room
Reception in the Garden Room
Views of the Pacific
Views of the Pacific
A Kiss in the Courtyard
A Kiss in the Courtyard
Ceremony on the Upper Courtyar
Ceremony on the Upper Courtyar

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La Playa's Gardens

About

La Playa Carmel is the premier wedding venue located in the oceanside village of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Our staff provides unparalleled service amongst one of the most iconic backdrops the Monterey Peninsula has to offer. We are honored to host couples, their family and friends for unforgettable celebrations in this splendid setting.

Facilities and Capacity

La Playa Carmel offers a wide variety of venues infused with glamour and old-world ambiance. The Courtyard features the captivating atmosphere of our award-winning English gardens with more than 600 varieties of flowers. Flanked by these marvelous gardens, the La Playa Patio is a wonderful outdoor space for small gatherings amidst turn-of-the-century architectural details. Indoors, the Pacific Room and Terrace feature amazing views of the California coastline. A fire pit and heaters are situated within the Terrace for the comfort of guests. The Garden Room offers magnificent ocean and garden scenery while the historic Fireside Room is suitable for intimate events indoors.

Services

We are proud to provide the following services: Ceremonies & Receptions; Elopements & Mini Matrimonies; Engagement Parties; Bridal Luncheons; Rehearsal Dinners; Farewell Brunches and Guest Accommodations.

Intimate Weddings & Elopements

Whether you wish for a luscious garden setting, a terrace with ocean views or historic indoor surrounds, you are sure to find an atmosphere that’s perfect for you!

Our Elopement Package is available for events with a guest count of 10 or fewer.

Catering & Cuisine

Our culinary team has earned a reputation for enhancing event cuisine with fine dining sensibilities. Skilled chefs will strive to provide you with a feast worthy of your special celebration. Select from our meticulously designed event menus which offer a diverse array of dishes, or customize a menu tailored to your tastes.

Accommodations

Experience charm and romance amidst the sights and sounds of the Pacific. La Playa Carmel features 75 guest rooms with spectacular ocean, garden or estate views. Reflecting a sophisticated beach cottage style, each hotel room is as unique as Carmel itself.

History

Originally designed in 1905 by an artist for his wife, La Playa Carmel has a remarkable history. In 1917, Agnes “Alice” Signor obtained the manor, transforming the seaside estate into a high-end boarding house — “The Strand.” In 1940, additional rooms were added, turning the intimate inn into a full-service destination hotel. In 1968 Carmel legend, Howard "Bud" Allen introduced several amenities — including a full-time bar. In 1983, Steve Jobs unveiled the Macintosh computer prototype at La Playa Carmel.

Acquired by Classic Hotels & Resorts in 2012, modern touches have since been added while being careful to preserve the historic significance of this California landmark.

*Please note, a Day-of Wedding Coordinator and/or Wedding Planner is required for Ceremonies and Receptions at La Playa Carmel.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$500

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Chairs
China
Clean Up
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
Parking
Set Up
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Dessert
Server(s)

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

House Beer
House Wine
Open Bar
Specialty Beer

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

2

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

5

Describe your venue:

Hotel

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Accommodations
Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Get Ready Rooms
Outside Vendors
Pet Friendly
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Family Style
French Service
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Liquor License
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Altar/Arch
Chairs
Dance Floor
Furniture
Lighting
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

Reviews of La Playa Hotel

Write a review
Write a review
La Playa Hotel - 1
La Playa Hotel - 2
La Playa Hotel - 3
+20 User photos
La Playa Hotel - 4
Carmen
Carmen Sent on 06/30/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Great experience, amazing food

The entire La Playa staff/team was amazing and helpful to make this past weekend incredibly special for my wife and myself.

Everyone from Sammy, Dana, Ian, Kathleen, Primo, Claudia and the rest of the staff provided great service and made everyone's experience enjoyable. The food and drinks were amazing and the property was unbelievable and perfect for a Spring Wedding. Our guests complimented that they ate the best food of any wedding they've attended. The hotel staff was so attentive to us and our guests during our stay with constant offerings of iced coffee, champagne and anything else we could think of. Weddings are pricey, but when staff go the extra mile, it is worth it!!
Riley
Riley Sent on 02/17/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Gorgeous space, professional staff!

We were so pleased to have our wedding reception at the La Playa Hotel! What stood out to us the most was the professional event staff who were present, day of. We had a meal tasting before the wedding and that was fantastic and well organized. They even accommodated the groom ordering his potatoes (extra chunky) and the father of the bride requesting a special brand of sparkling water. They had a big box of the sparkling water and extra chunky potatoes ready to go on the wedding day! I also really loved that they allowed dogs, we had our sweet lab with us all day, he was our ring bearer and naturally he came with us to the reception space too. The La playa staff were so nice, they brought our dog a huge tray of leftover chicken meat at dinner time. He absolutely loved it! The quality of service here is what really stood out to us, we are very happy with choosing the La Playa for our reception space.

We reserved the Pacific room and Terrance. We had about 50 guests. We used this space on a Sunday, only used it for a reception space and went with the cheapest meal option. Lemon Rosemary Chicken and Lobster Ravioli. We chose the soft bar only, and had guests purchase cocktails if desired at Buds. We also used house linens and the included table and glassware. Everything was of great quality! We were definitely not the highest paying customer, but we were treated so well and felt very happy with all of our service. The food is absolutely delicious too! A special thank you goes out to the service event staff, you guys were amazing! Thank you.
  • La Playa Hotel - 5
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    La Playa Hotel - 7
L
Lauren Sent on 01/12/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Above and Beyond

We had to move the venue 3 days before the event! Let’s just say that every T was crossed and every I was dotted. Exceptional help!
S
Sarah Sent on 05/29/2022
5 out of 5 rating

15 person wedding

Our wedding was absolutely perfect. The staff at La Playa really make you feel special and pay attention to every detail. We had a smaller wedding with just immediate family, and it was just perfect. They made some suggestions as the day got closer and it made things even better than before. We love this place and our family cannot stop talking about how spectacular it all was. Cannot wait to come back!
  • La Playa Hotel - 8
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  • +8 photos
    La Playa Hotel - 10
Z
Zoe K. Sent on 08/21/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Fabulous & Charming

Very charming place. Great staff. Sammy and Jehan were a pleasure to work with and quickly responded to our wishes. The Venue has so many wonderful photo areas. Our Ceremony was held in front of the fountain with the Beautiful Bride (Zoe) walking from the top of the Garden stairs to the Fountain.
  • La Playa Hotel - 11
A
Allison Sent on 11/12/2018
5 out of 5 rating

Lovely experience!

La Playas customer service is excellent! Every single staff member was wonderful and very personalble! A special thanks to Fallon for her wonderful planning and Brian at the bar who was just so sweet and provided excellent service! I would highly recommend La Playa for a wedding venue! Food was excellent as well.
K
Katie Sent on 01/28/2014
5 out of 5 rating
La Playa is a BEAUTIFUL venue. The wedding day was perfect, and we were told by countless guests that our wedding was the best wedding they'd ever been to. The understated elegance of the property goes such a long way, and the staff goes above and beyond in a bed and breakfast type of manner, to really make guests feel welcome and important. The food was amazing, we go so many compliments on that, and everything really went perfectly. I will say, La Playa has recently been purchased and with that change in management there have definitely been some growing pains, plus some push-back from the locals. Also, the first wedding planner we worked with (Samantha) was not very responsive or easy to deal with. She ended up leaving and the replacement that they brought in from another property - Chelsea - was amazing!!! She was so easy to work with, super responsive (to countless emails with lists upon lists of questions), creative thinker, and pulled the whole thing off beautifully! The staff at La Playa knows what they are doing and they know how to throw a party, we ran out of 4 cases of my favorite chardonnoay in the first couple hours, but the staff made sure to save a bottle just for me, and my glass was always full when needed. There was also a bottle of champagne in our room upon check in, and when we went to our room for a few minutes alone (HIGHLY RECOMMEND) after the ceremony during cocktail hour, they'd put a bottle of Rombauer and a platter of the passed apps in our room for us to get some food in our stomachs before we started making the roudns. Those special touches are really important and don't go unnoticed. Our guests were also really complimentary on the breakfast, it is delicious! The place is so beautiful, you must check it out, posted pictures do not do it justice! Get married at La Playa - you will not be disappointed!!
E
Erin Sent on 11/21/2013
5 out of 5 rating
We stayed at La Playa for our wedding and were married at the beach. The staff were all very helpful, kind, warm and professional. They were all quick to congratulate us on our wedding, sent us two bottles of free champagne with a personal note of congratulations, called us a cab and arranged deliveries of flowers, dinner reservations and helped our photographer set up for some shots in the gardens. Would definitely highly recommend staying there and marrying there. Very romantic hotel with gorgeous views and an awesome free brunch buffet too. :)
B
Gayle Sent on 09/03/2011
5 out of 5 rating
It's hard to find the perfect word to describe my formal garden wedding at The La Playa, but exquisite might do. Richard Wood and the entire hotel staff provided us with a wedding one can only dream about. If you're looking for a garden to be married in, only the La Playa will do. The grounds are meticulously cared for and your photos will be stunning. Richard was attentive to our special ceremony requests and made us feel very welcome to this wonderful place. In fact, the entire place seemed to be ours on our wedding day.
The Carmel Room was the perfect location for the reception. The doors are open to the grounds which makes the room seem much larger. It's also tucked away from the rest of the hotel for a feeling of privacy.
We chose the La Playa not only for the gardens, but for the overall feel of "vintage California". For this, I hope the La Playa never changes. If you're looking for ultra modern this is not the place for you.
Careful...most of the La Playa is not wheelchair accessible. But the staff made it possible for my father to easily make it from the gazebo to the reception with the use of ramps.
If you're looking for that California feel, vintage architecture, formal gardens, the sound of the ocean, and a few birds and butterflies floating through your special day, the La Playa is the place for you.
Rosa
Rosa Sent on 11/15/2017
4.9 out of 5 rating
When my husband and I first started planning our wedding we had no idea where we were going with it. At first we thought of an elopement, then we decided we would have just a select number of family members to enjoy a nice dinner for a celebration of our marriage. Ultimately, we ended up planning a stunning destination beach wedding ceremony and couldn't just go to any restaurant afterward to celebrate. It was my husband's choice to go with La Playa Carmel for our catering and reception and I am beyond happy that we did! We were set up with Adrienne Karr as our wedding coordinator for La Playa and she was just amazing. Any questions that we had, she had the answer and very quickly as a matter of fact. We did run into a small issue where our cake was delivered there from a different vendor without the flower decorations the day before but she took care of it! She was lovely and very easy to work with. Throughout the reception she stayed and coordinated the timing of events with us. She helped us stay on track because honestly, we were having such a great time and would have lost track of time for the events. We also decided to book our honeymoon night with La Playa the day before the wedding, and she made it happen instantly for a VERY reasonable price. The location was stunning. We were taking a chance because we didn't get a walk through of the Garden Patio because we lived in different states, but when we arrived, it looked prettier than the pictures. We went with the Italian Buffet and it was simply delicious! Our bartender was very friendly and catered to our every need. I am very happy with the way our wedding reception turned out :)
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Awards

20
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2011 Winner

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Professional Network & Endorsements

4 Endorsements
Denise Adkins Weddings Denise Adkins Weddings Wedding Officiants

beautiful place. cant wait until it reopens

Every Last Detail Wedding & Event Coordination Every Last Detail Wedding & Event Coordination Wedding Planners

For a touch of the Mediterranean without the airfare, visit La Playa Hotel. Richard and Megan are a pleasure to work with and the hotel staff are very accommodating. All of my brides have always enjoyed their wedding day at La Playa and I always enjoy watching my couples and their families soak in all that La Playa has to offer. Patty Speirs, Executive Coordinator Every Last Detail Wedding & Event Coordination www.eldweddings.com

Fleurish Floral Designs Fleurish Floral Designs Wedding Florists

The La Playa hotel is one of my favorite venues. The location is historic and quaint with beautiful gardens and personal service. The staff is always helpful and friendly. If you are looking for a romantic garden setting for your wedding, make sure you talk to the La Playa hotel

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Map

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Wedding Venues Monterey Hotels Monterey
Wedding Venues Carmel by the Sea Hotels Carmel by the Sea

La Playa Hotel frequently asked questions

La Playa Hotel includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Linens
  • Parking
  • Set Up
  • Tables
La Playa Hotel includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Dessert
  • Server(s)
The bar service starting price at La Playa Hotel includes:
  • House Beer
  • House Wine
  • Open Bar
  • Specialty Beer
The space offered by La Playa Hotel for wedding events is known for:
  • Hotel
La Playa Hotel offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
La Playa Hotel offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
La Playa Hotel offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Accommodations
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Outside Vendors
  • Pet Friendly
  • Wifi
La Playa Hotel offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Altar/Arch
  • Chairs
  • Dance Floor
  • Furniture
  • Lighting
  • Tables
La Playa Hotel is recommended by 90% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.5 in quality of service, 4.5 in flexibility, 4.5 in professionalism, 4.5 in value and 4.3 in average response time.
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