L'Auberge Carmel, Relais & Chateaux

What L'Auberge Carmel, Relais & Chateaux does

L'Auberge Carmel is a 20-room luxury boutique hotel located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, operating from a historic 1929 Bohemian-style building designed by architect Albert Farr. The property is a member of Relais & Châteaux, an exclusive association of 580+ hotels and restaurants across 65 countries, and is the only Relais & Châteaux property in Carmel. Its core offering pairs individually designed guest accommodations (250-425 sq ft) with the two Michelin star and Forbes Five Star Aubergine restaurant, led by Executive Chef-Director Justin Cogley, a Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef.

The underlying product is built on a 1929 physical asset with coved plaster walls, French windows, antique doorknobs, and radiant floor heating, combined with modern amenities including Penhaligon's Quercus bath products, flat-screen TVs, and complimentary high-speed WiFi. The hotel operates without air conditioning, relying on natural ventilation in line with European design principles. Aubergine serves a daily-changing eight-course tasting menu at $285 per person five nights per week, supported by a 3,700-bottle wine cellar with 1,750 selections. The company has no proprietary software technology, no app, and no API-exposed systems; its technology stack is limited to standard reservation platforms (Tock for the restaurant, an external booking engine for rooms).

The business model is direct-to-consumer with five revenue streams: (1) hotel accommodations at nightly rates with a $40 resort fee and signature breakfast included; (2) restaurant dining at Aubergine with 22% service charge; (3) event and catering services; (4) gift certificates with no expiration; and (5) amenity enhancements with a 22% service fee. Distribution is primarily through the hotel's own website, the Relais & Châteaux network, Michelin/Forbes-earned media, and a 24/7 internal reservations team. Primary customer segments are luxury travelers and couples, food and wine enthusiasts, special occasion celebrants, and Monterey Peninsula visitors, with a secondary segment of pet-owning travelers served through three designated dog-friendly rooms. The property is privately held with no public financial disclosures, and Sorasea Hospitality appears to be involved in management based on email domain patterns ([email protected], [email protected]).

Name

L'Auberge Carmel, Relais & Chateaux

Legal name

L'Auberge Carmel

Website

https://laubergecarmel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

L'Auberge Carmel is a 20-room luxury boutique hotel and Relais & Châteaux member in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, offering individually designed accommodations alongside the two Michelin star Aubergine restaurant for affluent travelers, food and wine enthusiasts, and special occasion celebrants. The property operates from a historic 1929 Bohemian-style building.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Boutique Hospitality

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Hotels & Motels (7011), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Private House Hotels & Small Luxury Inns (THAGADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH), Beachfront & Coastal Full-Service Hotels (THAGAAAI)

Keywords

• Luxury boutique hotel
• Fine dining restaurant
• Michelin star accommodation
• Wine cellar experiences
• Private event catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Carmel-by-the-Sea

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hotel Accommodations: 20 individually designed guest rooms ranging from 250-425 sq ft. Room rates based on single/double occupancy including signature breakfast and $40 nightly resort fee. 100% non-smoking property with dog-friendly accommodations available.
2. Fine Dining - Aubergine Restaurant: Two Michelin star restaurant serving seasonal tasting menu ($285 per person) five nights per week. 3,700-bottle wine cellar with 1,750 selections. Course-by-course wine pairings available for supplement. 22% service charge plus taxes added to each guest check.
3. Event & Catering Services: Private dining experiences including wine cellar for parties of 4-10, special events, and catering services for off-site venues. Reservations required with credit card guarantee.
4. Amenity Enhancements: Pre-arrival concierge services offering food, wines, and curated experiences available for order (22% service fee plus taxes)
5. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates available in any denomination for overnight stays or dining at Aubergine. Never expire.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

L'Auberge Carmel operates a 20-room luxury boutique hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea offering individually designed European-style accommodations with signature breakfast, valet parking, concierge service, and twice-daily housekeeping. Anchored by the two Michelin star restaurant Aubergine, the property delivers an integrated hospitality experience enhanced by a 3,700-bottle wine cellar, private dining, off-site catering, and gift certificates. The hotel is the only Relais & Châteaux property in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Product overview

L'Auberge Carmel is a single-property luxury boutique hotel offering 20 individually designed guest rooms as its core accommodation product, complemented by the award-winning Aubergine two Michelin star restaurant. The property operates as a unified guest experience with all stays including signature breakfast, valet parking, house car service, concierge services, and twice-daily housekeeping. Additional revenue streams include gift certificates for stays or dining, spa services through a partner property, optional amenity upgrades, and off-site catering services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• L'Auberge Carmel Guest Rooms Twenty individually appointed guest rooms featuring European-style elegance with separate walk-in showers, flat-screen TVs, Penhaligon's Quercus bath toiletries, radiant floor heating in bathrooms, and natural ventilation. Rooms range from 250-425 square feet across categories including Superior Premium King, Premium King, Premium Courtyard King, Premium Deluxe Queen, Deluxe Courtyard King, Deluxe Courtyard Queen, Deluxe Queen, Standard Courtyard King, Courtyard Queen & Queen, and Standard Courtyard Queen. All stays include signature breakfast, valet parking, Volvo house car service, complimentary WiFi, room service (Wednesday-Sunday), concierge services, and twice-daily housekeeping.
• Aubergine Restaurant Two Michelin star and Forbes Five Star fine-dining restaurant serving an eight-course daily-changing tasting menu at $285 per person celebrating California's Central Coast ingredients. Led by Executive Chef-Director Justin Cogley (Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef), supported by a 3,700-bottle wine cellar with 1,750 selections. Operating five nights per week (Wednesday through Sunday). 22% service charge plus taxes added to each guest check. Course-by-course wine pairings available for supplemental charge.
• Concierge & Room Service Personalized concierge services for dining, activities, and local discoveries, with room service available Wednesday through Sunday and twice-daily housekeeping included with all guest stays.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates available in any denomination for overnight stays or dining at Aubergine restaurant, with a never-expire policy.
• Spa Services Spa services available through Spa Adeline at the sister property Carmel Beach Hotel, allowing guests to access spa treatments during their stay.
• Enhance Your Stay Amenities Pre-arrival optional add-ons including premium food items, wine selections, and curated experiences available for order (22% service fee plus taxes).
• Special Events & Catering Off-site catering and private event services recreating Aubergine's cuisine and service for intimate dinners, strolling receptions, or large-scale events. Includes wine cellar private dining for parties of 4-10. Reservations required with credit card guarantee.

Quantifiable outcome

• Two Michelin Stars awarded in 2024 (earned first star in 2019)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• Relais & ChâteauxflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1954L'Auberge Carmel is a proud member of Relais & Châteaux, an exclusive association of 580+ of the finest hotels and gourmet restaurants across 65 countries. Founded in 1954, the association promotes unique art de vivre and exceptional hospitality standards. As a member, L'Auberge Carmel gains global marketing reach, distribution through the network, and association with prestigious international standards of luxury hospitality and culinary excellence.
• Spa Adeline at Carmel Beach HotelminorOthersSpa services are available through Spa Adeline at the sister property Carmel Beach Hotel, allowing guests to access spa treatments during their stay. This relationship provides extended services beyond the boutique hotel's core offerings.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Auberge du Soleil: Auberge Resorts Collection flagship in Napa Valley — a 50-room luxury boutique with Michelin-level dining, comparable intimate scale and culinary-driven luxury positioning in California wine country.
• Post Ranch Inn: Small luxury boutique hotel on the Big Sur coast (~30 miles south of Carmel) with comparable intimate scale, dramatic coastal setting, and high-end culinary program, targeting the same affluent leisure traveler.
• Ventana Big Sur: Luxury resort on the Big Sur coast within the same Monterey-Big Sur luxury corridor; comparable adult-oriented upscale positioning and amenities targeting affluent couples and culinary travelers.
• Meadowood Napa Valley: Luxury Relais & Châteaux property in Napa with 25 rooms and Michelin-starred dining — same association affiliation, comparable intimate scale, and luxury culinary positioning in California.
• The Carneros Inn: Plush boutique resort in Napa with 100 cottages, a high-end spa, and elevated dining, competing for the same Northern/Central California luxury traveler with similar amenity-rich positioning.
• Bernardus Lodge & Spa: Luxury lodge in Carmel Valley (~5 miles from Carmel-by-the-Sea) with on-site fine dining and a wine-country orientation, competing directly for the same Monterey Peninsula luxury traveler.
• Cavallo Point: Historic former military lodging turned luxury resort in Sausalito with Michelin-recognized dining — comparable historic architecture, intimate scale, and California coastal luxury positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Hotel Bel-Air: Dorchester Collection luxury hotel in Los Angeles with 12 acres and a Michelin-starred restaurant — broader portfolio incumbent competing for the same ultra-high-net-worth California leisure traveler.
• The Beverly Hills Hotel: Iconic Dorchester Collection luxury hotel — a large incumbent with historic cachet and multiple dining outlets that competes for the same luxury leisure and special-occasion segment in California.
• The Madeline Hotel & Residences (Auberge Resorts): Auberge Resorts Collection property in Telluride — comparable intimate luxury boutique format with elevated culinary program under the same California-rooted luxury hospitality umbrella.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/l'auberge-carmel-relais-&-chateaux

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about L'Auberge Carmel, Relais & Chateaux