Napa
Carneros Resort & Spa’s contemporary aesthetic and retro small-town agricultural theme shatter the predictable Wine Country mold. The semidetached,…
Must-see hotels in California
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…
Los Angeles
This low-slung, sweet but not swanky resort feels much more intimate than its 71 units would suggest. Rooms have attractive rattan furnishings, comfy beds…
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…
Newport Beach
There's charm to spare in this intimate, 20-room beachfront inn, built in 1904 and updated with beach-chic style. Relax over tea, fruit and cookies in the…
Joshua Tree National Park
In an isolated, pin-drop-quiet spot, these two desert-chic suites are the ultimate romantic retreat. Each has a kitchenette and a private patio with…
Santa Monica
Bringing classic Cape Cod charm to the Pacific coast, the 198 rooms here have a beach-cottage feel with marble baths, wood floors, spectacular ocean views…
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…
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…
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…
South Bay Beaches
This upscale beachfront inn epitomizes California’s laid-back lifestyle. Open the balcony door of your lofty ocean-view suite to let in the ocean breezes,…
Joshua Tree National Park
Owned by Kate Pierson of the band B-52s, this desert camp has a coin-sized pool (May to October) and half-a-dozen artist-designed Airstream trailers to…
San Francisco
Heads of state choose the Fairmont for its grand hotel swagger – magnificent marble lobby, opulent mosaic penthouse suite, bacchanalian brunches – plus…
The Deserts
Completely updated, this venerable 1937 resort is again the region's grandest stay. The ambience exudes desert romance in 67 elegantly rustic poolside…
Newport Beach
At this Tuscan-themed resort secluded in the Newport Coast hills, mature trees and Palladian columns line the way to over 300 deluxe air-con bungalows and…
Hollywood
This 179-room complex is inspired by mid-century style and designed by the acclaimed Rockwell Group. It's a hip, sceney spot, with a massive rooftop pool…
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…
Newport Beach
Right on the beach, these two dozen preserved cottages (circa 1930s to '50s) now host guests for a one-of-a-kind stay. Each cottage is different, sleeping…
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…
Greater Palm Springs
Heed the call of the casbah at this drop-dead gorgeous hideaway where the scene is set for romance. Twelve exotically furnished rooms wrap around a pool…
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…
Santa Barbara
Ramp up the retro chic and bed down with vintage style in one of six shiny silver Airstream trailers parked next to a historic RV park near upper State St…
Coastal Highway 1
A perfect romantic hideaway: beds have views over the coast, decks have ocean views and all rooms have wood-burning fireplaces; outside, a gorgeous path…
Pasadena & the San Gabriel Valley
Opened as the Huntington Hotel in 1906, this place spent several decades as the Ritz-Carlton before recently donning the robes of Langham. But some things…
South Bay Beaches
Look for cool, subdued craftsman-inspired design with splashes of color. All rooms have outdoor space and marble bathrooms with spa tubs big enough for…
Calistoga
Adorable, gingerbread-style Victorian cottage amid lush grounds that in the 1860s belonged to the town's favorite entrepreneur Samuel Brannan. Restored to…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Roll out of bed and find shopping, spas and shabu-shabu dining at your doorstep. Mid-century modern luxe city-view rooms offer views of Japantown's Peace…
North Coast & Redwoods
The Cape Cod–style architecture twinned with deluxe contemporary decor make Scopa the best reason to hang around in Crescent City. Furnished in warm earth…
