Joy Berry and a group of friends have been the owner of Carmel River Inn since 2014. Joy is a pioneer in the hospitality industry and was instrumental in reimagining Carmel River Inn into the gem of a property it is today. Her goal is to own the property for the long term and continue to improve upon it's already charming and relaxing retreat setting.
Joy's passion for hospitality goes back to career pivot earlier in her life. When her beloved Grandpa died during her university medical school, she took the $5,000 she inherited and decided to enroll as an exchange student in Guadalajara, Mexico; after all, the school there was affordable and excellent, and he loved telling stories of his life traveling through Latin America. It was on that long train ride back home that she realized the magic of travel and decided on a different path. Her hospitality career ended up working for Wall Street and billionaires, with the focus on making them more money, not herself or her community. She took all her savings and bought an inn in Carmel. As a small business owner, it has not been easy, but she feels the joy of engaging with her employees and all those who believe in the magic of travel. She urges others to think twice about where they spend their travel dollars and time.
