Must-see hotels in California

  • Auberge du Soleil

    Napa Valley

    The top splurge for a no-holds-barred romantic weekend, Auberge’s hillside cottages are second to none. The view will very much define your lodging choice…

  • Harbor House Inn

    Coastal Highway 1

    Nestled within an old showcase home of the Goodyear Redwood Company – and with plenty of redwood paneling to show for it! – is this stunning 10-room hotel…

  • Thatcher Hotel

    Along Highway 101

    What's not to love about this newly renovated 1890s-era hotel? It's got a full bar with curated cocktails, a tempting cafe, a handsome library and a pool…

  • Rush Creek Lodge

    Yosemite National Park

    Luxurious country chic sums up this fabulous family-friendly resort surrounded by the Stanislaus National Forest and situated a half-mile from Yosemite's…

  • The US Grant Hotel of San Diego at night
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    US Grant Hotel

    San Diego

    This 11-stories high 1910 hotel was built as the fancy-city counterpart to the Hotel del Coronado and has hosted everyone from Albert Einstein to Harry…

  • Harbin Hot Springs

    Along Highway 101

    This beloved clothing-optional resort re-opened in 2019 after a devastating 2015 wildfire swept through its 1,700 acres of meadows and forestland. At the…

  • Hotel Californian

    Santa Barbara

    Hotel Californian is the new kid on the once-run-down block that is the lower end of State St. Spearheading the area's rehabilitation, it would be worth…

  • Terranea

    South Bay Beaches

    Nature trails wrap this 120-acre property, skirt the wild coast and are open to the public at LA’s best five-star beach resort. Rooms are flooded with…

  • Inn at Benton Hot Springs

    Eastern Sierra

    Soak in your own hot-springs tub and snooze beneath the moonlight at Benton Hot Springs, a small, historic resort in a 150-year-old former silver-mining…

  • Majestic Yosemite Hotel

    Yosemite National Park

    The crème de la crème of Yosemite’s lodging, this sumptuous historic property (formerly called the Ahwahnee) dazzles with soaring ceilings and atmospheric…

  • Evergreen Lodge

    Yosemite National Park

    Outside Yosemite National Park near the entrance to Hetch Hetchy, this classic, nearly century-old resort consists of lovingly decorated and comfy cabins …

  • Petit Ermitage

    West Hollywood & Mid-City

    Bohemian-chic environs with Turkish rugs, old-world antiques, rooftop bars and fine booze set apart this intimate, one-of-a-kind hotel. No two of its 79…

  • Shanti Permaculture Farm

    Russian River Area

    Tucked back in the redwoods on scenic Coleman Valley Rd, this is the ultimate NorCal farmstay. The knowledgeable Oregonian owner educates guests about…

  • Palihouse

    Santa Monica

    LA's grooviest hotel brand (not named Ace) occupies the 38 rooms, studios and one-bedroom apartments of the 1927 Spanish Colonial Embassy Hotel, with…

  • Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

    Hollywood

    At the heart of the action, the Roosevelt heaves with Hollywood lore: Shirley Temple learned to tap dance on the stairs off the lobby, Marilyn Monroe shot…

  • Belmondo El Encanto

    Santa Barbara

    Triumphantly reborn in 2013, this 1908 icon of Santa Barbara style is a hilltop hideaway for travelers who demand the very best of everything. An infinity…

  • Montage

    Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood & Westwood

    Drawing on-point eye candy and serious wealth, the 201-room Montage balances elegance with warmth and affability. Models and moguls lunch by the gorgeous…

  • Malibu Beach Inn

    Malibu & Pacific Palisades

    This intimate, adult-oriented hacienda was recently given a four-star upgrade by Waldo Hernandez, celebrity designer who has done work for the likes of…

  • Mondrian

    West Hollywood & Mid-City

    This chic, sleek tower has been an LA showplace since the 1990s. Giant doors facing the Sunset Strip frame the entrance, opening to a lobby of minimalist…

  • HI Point Montara Lighthouse

    The Peninsula

    Starting life as a fog station in 1875, Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel is adjacent to the current lighthouse and has ramshackle yet beautiful Victorian…

  • Bissell House B&B

    Pasadena & the San Gabriel Valley

    Antiques, hardwood floors and a crackling fireplace make this secluded Victorian (1887) B&B on ‘Millionaire’s Row’ a bastion of warmth and romance. The…

  • Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

    Disneyland Resort

    Soaring timber beams rise above the cathedral-like lobby of the six-story Grand Californian, Disney’s homage to the arts-and-crafts architectural movement…

  • McCloud River Mercantile Hotel

    Mt Shasta Region

    Stroll into McCloud’s central Mercantile Hotel and try not to fall in love; built in 1897, this former lumber company store has been exquisitely restored,…

  • Hotel Indigo

    Downtown Los Angeles & Boyle Heights

    This freshly minted, 350-room property celebrates Downtown's colorful backstory: wagon-shaped lobby lights pay tribute to the Fiesta de Las Flores, blown…

  • Montage

    Laguna Beach

    You’ll find nowhere more indulgent on the OC’s coast than this over-the-top luxury waterside resort, especially if you hide away with your lover in a…

  • Hotel Maya

    Long Beach & San Pedro

    West of the Queen Mary, this boutique, waterside property hits you with hip immediately upon entering the rusted-steel, glass and magenta-paneled lobby…

  • Yotel San Francisco

    Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa

    Newly situated within the long-standing Grant building, this chic downtown hotel is a West Coast first for parent company Yotel, a chain of compact,…

  • Mountain Home Inn

    Marin County

    Hikers rejoice! Set amid redwood, spruce and pine trees on a ridge of Mt Tamalpais with trails spreading in all directions, this retreat is both modern…

  • Ranch at Laguna Beach

    Laguna Beach

    Laguna's newest resort is secluded away in Aliso Creek Canyon on the south side of town. Ninety-seven rooms, casitas and town homes are in multiple…

  • Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

    Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada

    This friendly, folksy place feels like a secret oasis tucked away on a forested hillside about 25 miles from Yosemite. A wide range of accommodations…

  • Mama Shelter

    Hollywood

    Hip, affordable Mama Shelter keeps things playful with its lobby gumball machines, foosball table and live streaming of guests' selfies and videos…

  • Line Hotel

    Westlake & Koreatown

    Behind the Line is Roy Choi, the man who sparked the LA food-truck revolution and became a celebrity chef. Interiors are sleek and industrial: think …

  • Chateau Marmont

    West Hollywood & Mid-City

    The French-flavored indulgence may look dated, but this faux castle has long lured A-listers with its hilltop perch, five-star mystique and legendary…

  • Post Ranch Inn

    Big Sur

    The last word in luxurious coastal getaways, this adult-only retreat ranch pampers guests with private hot tubs, wood-burning fireplaces, decks and a free…

  • Rowan Palm Springs

    Greater Palm Springs

    This hotel, opened in 2017, is literally tops in town. Palm Springs' tallest building (seven stories, but still...) offers unparalleled views of the…

  • Pacific Crest Hotel

    Santa Barbara

    Wonderfully friendly Greg and Jennifer make sure all guests feel at home at their boutique motel, close to East Beach and the zoo. Landscaped grounds…

  • Lakeport English Inn

    Along Highway 101

    The finest B&B at Clear Lake is an 1875 Carpenter Gothic with 10 impeccably furnished rooms, styled with a nod to the English countryside and with such…

  • Cedar House Sport Hotel

    Lake Tahoe

    This chic, environmentally conscious contemporary lodge aims at getting folks out into nature. It boasts countertops made from recycled paper, ‘rain…

  • Timber Cove Resort

    Fort Ross State Historic Park

    A dramatic and quirky '60s-modern seaside inn that has been refurbished into a luxury lodge. The rustic architectural shell is stunning, and a duet of…

  • Landsby

    Santa Ynez Valley

    Forget Solvang's cheesy Danish side, the Landsby is all about slick contemporary Scandinavian style. The principal decorative themes in this new arrival…