In the early 1930's, Norwegian immigrant Helmuth Deetjen discovered the secluded beauty of Big Sur. In Carmel he met his future wife, Helen Haight–a woman with a nose for business and the means to buy several acres of land in Castro Canyon (the couple's favorite camping spot in Big Sur.) The pastoral canyon offered them the solitude they sought. Over the decades, Deetjens became a destination for artists, celebrities, and seekers of all kinds. The Deetjens’ began many of the traditions of our Big Sur Inn, bringing a dash of European glamour to the local bohemian lifestyle.

Deetjens exists today because in 1972 Grandpa Deetjen bequeathed the Big Sur Inn to be forever enjoyed by guests wanting to experience the peace, friendship, and beauty of this place. The US Department of the Interior has placed Deetjens Big Sur Inn on the National Register of Historic Places and the Inn is now operated on a non-profit basis by the Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn Preservation Foundation.

We invite you to come enjoy Big Sur's landscape of mountains, sea and sky with dinner for two in the timeless setting of Deetjens Inn.