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…
Must-see hotels in Northern California
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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,…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Lake Tahoe
This chic, environmentally conscious contemporary lodge aims at getting folks out into nature. It boasts countertops made from recycled paper, ‘rain…
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…
Napa
Carneros Resort & Spa’s contemporary aesthetic and retro small-town agricultural theme shatter the predictable Wine Country mold. The semidetached,…
Along Highway 101
The centerpiece may be the smartly renovated historic hotel – tile bathrooms, warm lighting, thick linens – but the rest of the property, including the…
Along Highway 101
Decked out in a contemporary American country feel with sea-grass flooring, pastel colors and fine linens, this historic hotel’s rooms and suites are safe…
Monterey
Barely visible behind a shroud of foliage, this 1911 khaki-shingled Craftsman-style house hums a playful Alice in Wonderland tune through seven immaculate…
Mammoth Lakes
Warm and cozy, oozing traditional ski-lodge appeal, and only steps from the base of the Panorama Gondola, this is the best address for skiers and…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
The seven-story, 1920s Atherton Hotel was remodeled in 2001 into a much-better-than-average hostel, with private baths in all rooms, including dorms. And…
North Coast & Redwoods
Perched atop a grassy cliff, high above crashing waves and braying sea lions, this spacious, modern, light-filled B&B has stunning views out to the sea…
Central Coast
Near downtown Paso Robles, this European-style boutique hotel has 16 rooms arrayed around a sheltered inner courtyard. Spacious guest accommodation…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Fisherman's Wharf's top hotel was built as a cannery in 1908 and has century-old wooden beams and exposed-brick walls. Rooms sport an over-the-top…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Welcome to the Steve Jobs of SF hotels – minimalist and austere outside, but inside sneaky psychedelic touches make you wonder who's been microdosing…
North Beach & Chinatown
San Francisco's original LEED-certified, all-green-practices hotel uses sustainably grown wood, chemical-free cleaning products and recycled fabrics in…
San Francisco
Heads of state choose the Fairmont for its grand hotel swagger – magnificent marble lobby, opulent mosaic penthouse suite, bacchanalian brunches – plus…
San Francisco
Imagine a Nob Hill socialite had a fling with English gentry: there you have romantic White Swan. Each room has its own eccentric English character –…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Built in 1903 as bachelor quarters for army officers, this three-story, redbrick building in the Presidio was transformed in 2012 into a smart national…
North Coast & Redwoods
This is the cream of dairyland elegance, an 1894 Queen Anne–Eastlake that's unsurprisingly the town’s most photographed building. And the inside is no…
Lake Tahoe
Minutes from Northstar and the beach, this former motel has private rooms and single-sex dorms with hand-painted murals and gauzy hanging textiles. A…
North Coast & Redwoods
Not only does this converted motor lodge have a collection of artsy rooms – all with kitchens and quirky wooden design touches – but there's also a…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Of all the downtown SF hotels aiming for high-tech appeal, this one gets it right. The lobby is razzle-dazzle LED, marble and riveted steel, but the games…
Coastal Highway 1
Famous for its striking Russian-inspired architecture: dramatic rough-hewn timbers, stained glass and burnished-copper domes, there’s no place quite like…
Kings Canyon National Park
A mile's hike deep into the Sequoia National Forest, this off-the-grid, all-inclusive resort is nirvana for those who don’t think luxury camping is an…
North Beach & Chinatown
Eclectic, historic and unabashedly romantic, this quintessential North Beach boutique hotel has jazz-era color schemes, wrought-iron beds, paper-umbrella…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
With rooms named for San Francisco's grand dames, this 23-room 1883 Italianate Victorian retains gorgeous original details, including rose-brass…
