Must-see hotels in Southern California

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Pavilion Hotel

    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…

  • Newport Beach Hotel

    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…

  • Sacred Sands

    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…

  • Shutters on the Beach

    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…

  • Kate's Lazy Desert

    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…

  • Beach House at Hermosa Beach

    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,…

  • La Casa del Zorro

    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…

  • Dream

    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…

  • Resort at Pelican Hill

    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…

  • Crystal Cove Beach Cottages

    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…

  • El Morocco Inn & Spa

    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…

  • Santa Barbara Auto Camp

    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…

  • Langham

    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…

  • Shade Hotel

    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…

  • Villa Anita

    Death Valley National Park

    Staying at this artist-run three-room B&B feels much like bunking with good friends. Using recycled materials whenever possible, Carlo and David have…

  • Spanish Garden Inn

    Santa Barbara

    At this Spanish-style inn, casual elegance, first-rate service and a romantic central courtyard will have you feeling like the don of your own private…

  • Paséa

    Huntington Beach

    This hotel is slick and serene, with tons of light and air. Floors are themed for shades of blue from denim to sky and each of its 250 shimmery,…

  • Inn at Death Valley

    Death Valley National Park

    Roll out of bed, pull back the curtains and count the colors of the desert at this 1927 Spanish Mission–style hotel that emerged from a major rejuvenation…