Cal-a-Vie

”In Vista, California, Cal-a-Vie just added a new bathhouse, complete with Provençal antiques and thalassotherapy and hydrotherapy rooms....”  More

Otter Bar Lodge

”You'll be taught basic paddling skills on a spring-fed pond—and be navigating neighborhood rapids on the Salmon River within a...”  More

Morongo Casino Resort & Spa

”By far, the coolest thing about this place is the outdoor area, which is rimmed with six two-bedroom casitas (these...”  More

Montage Laguna Beach

”Montage aims for an experience you might find in Positano, crisp service and the smell of the surf. You’ll find...”  More

Post Ranch Inn

”The hotel opened in 1992 and is made up entirely of small buildings set on a ridge high above the...”  More

San Ysidro Ranch

”The 500-acre property, fresh from a $150 million investment, gives the impression of stretching on forever (even if a few...”  More

Auberge du Soleil

”Napa Valley hideaway set among olive groves and vineyards....”  More

St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort

”Tuscan-inspired spa and golf resort on a hillside overlooking the Pacific....”  More

Calistoga Ranch

”Forget peanuts and M&M’s. We scoured the globe for great in-room treats that really give you a sense of where...”  More

Lodge at Pebble Beach

”1919 stucco buildings overlooking the ocean....”  More

Casa Palmero

”Alongside the celebrated Pebble Beach Golf Links, Casa Palmero feels like a Mediterranean villa: all palm trees and rosebushes, trickling...”  More

Raffles L'Ermitage Beverly Hills

”Eight-story Asian-inspired hotel, minutes from Rodeo Drive....”  More

Poetry Inn

”With just three rooms, the Poetry Inn is one of the most tranquil spaces in the buzzing Napa Valley. Guest...”  More

Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore

”1927 Spanish colonial-style beachfront estate, fresh from a $225 million overhaul; the renovated beach club opens in 2008....”  More

St. Regis, San Francisco

”This brand-new hotel next door to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is close to downtown but removed from...”  More

Inn at Spanish Bay

”Contemporary Spanish California-style golf resort on the Monterey Peninsula....”  More

Bernardus Lodge

”Mediterranean-style resort surrounded by vineyards, in Carmel Valley....”  More

Les Mars Hôtel

”The 16 over-the-top rooms at the new Les Mars Hôtel, which is modeled after a French château, are decked out...”  More

Meadowood Napa Valley

”Sprawling resort and club with country-house interiors on 250 acres....”  More

Beverly Wilshire Beverly Hills

”Beverly Hills legend composed of the 1928 Wilshire Wing and the later Beverly Wing, both freshly renovated....”  More

Carneros Inn

”Stylish cottages with outdoor showers and decks in the Napa Valley's rural Carneros region....”  More

Hotel Casa del Mar

Shutters on the Beach

”Nantucket-style shingled hotel on the Santa Monica beach....”  More

Highlands Inn, Park Hyatt Carmel

”Craftsman-style resort on an oceanside bluff near Point Lobos State Reserve, 4 miles from downtown....”  More

The Peninsula, Beverly Hills

”Peninsula hotels on both coasts are giving their r...”  More

Rancho Valencia Resort

”Mediterranean-style casitas in a private canyon....”  More

Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel

”Family-friendly, yet formal resort overlooking the Pacific, a short drive to the beach....”  More

Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills

”The Four Seasons Beverly Hills has seven lovely on...”  More

Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco

”Like metropolitan Ritz-Carltons across the land, the San Francisco incarnation is distinguished by its location; this one occupies an imposing...”  More

The Ahwahnee

”A 1927 lodge clad in granite boulders, the six-story structure is as rough and textured as the surrounding Sierra Nevada...”  More

Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco

”Polished hotel in a tower overlooking the Yerba Buena Gardens....”  More

Surf & Sand

”Also consider the newly remodeled, all oceanfront rooms at Surf & Sand, an easy walk into town....”  More

Keating Hotel

”The Keating Hotel was designed by Pininfarina, the Italian team behind Ferrari and Maserati. You’ll find a few more brand...”  More

The Lodge at Torrey Pines

”Arts and Crafts hotel beside the Torrey Pines State Reserve and golf course....”  More

The Alisal Guest Ranch

”Quarter horses, cattle and cowboys roam the grassy hills surrounding this working ranch. There's tennis and golf; the charming guest...”  More

Mondrian

”Playing Alvy Singer in 1977’s Annie Hall, Woody Allen famously described Los Angeles as a place whose only cultural advantage...”  More

Four Seasons, Newport Beach

”Tool around Newport and Catalina on the hotel's mountain bikes....”  More

Ojai Valley Inn & Spa

”Farther north, the 220-acre Ojai Valley Inn & Spa has created a new lobby and touched up all of its...”  More

US Grant Hotel

”The Grant Grill at this hotel—which was named for Ulysses S. Grant...”  More

Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa

”1907 landmark in the San Gabriel foothills....”  More

Hotel Bel-Air

”Pink Mission-style hideaway with 12 acres of gardens and a lake in a quiet, residential neighborhood....”  More

Hotel Parisi

”The nearby 28-room Hotel Parisi is a locally owned boutique hotel with suitably So-Cal services....”  More

Four Seasons Resort, Aviara

”Spanish colonial-style property overlooking Batiquitos Lagoon, 30 minutes from the city....”  More

Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco

”Newly renovated Financial District high-rise, blocks from Union Square....”  More

Campton Place Hotel

”Business-oriented hotel with a residential feel, steps from Union Square....”  More

Clift Hotel

”If the Clift is about smoldering glamour, the Vitale is about health and sunshine and relaxation…...”  More

Island Hotel Newport Beach

”20-story tower popular with business travelers, 1 mile from the beach....”  More

Hotel Solamar

”Ten-story hotel with playful décor, minutes from the burgeoning Gaslamp Quarter....”  More

Malibu Beach Inn

”The Malibu Beach Inn is the locals' favorite weekend escape. The David Geffen hotel has 47 guest rooms each with...”  More

Ventana Inn & Spa

”Collection of cedar lodges on nearly 250 acres bordering the ocean and the Ventana Wilderness area....”  More

Hollywood Roosevelt

”Marilyn Monroe first stayed at the hotel...”  More

Carmel Valley Ranch

”400-acre golf resort—formerly a working ranch—surrounded by the Santa Lucia Mountains....”  More

Four Seasons Hotel, Westlake Village

”Public areas are a bit McMansion-y, with patterned marble floors and 19th-century antiques, but the butter-hued guest rooms dressed in...”  More

Huntington Hotel & Nob Hill Spa

”San Francisco's Huntington Hotel & Nob Hill Spa commissioned an exclusive Tiffany porcelain jewelry box for returning patrons....”  More

Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows

”1912 Mission-style hotel, minutes from Rodeo Drive....”  More

Hotel Vitale

”Stylish 2005 hotel on the Embarcadero, a short stroll from downtown....”  More

Omni San Diego Hotel

”PETCO Park, the new home of the San Diego Padres, is the only baseball stadium with 511 bedrooms. The $124...”  More

Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay

”Dramatic golf and spa resort, set on an oceanfront bluff less than 45 minutes from San Francisco....”  More

Hotel Andalucía

”I checked into the Hotel Andalucía, the Slatkin brothers' new Spanish Colonial Revival-style boutique hotel, with ornate iron railings and...”  More

Madrona Manor

”1881 estate in the hills above Dry Creek Valley....”  More

Hotel Healdsburg

”Stylish modern building with a pool, on the town plaza....”  More

Villagio Inn & Spa

”Cluster of 2-story stucco buildings and Italianate gardens, on Yountville's lovely main street....”  More

Chateau Marmont

”...where Barack’s number one fan, Scarlett Johansson, stays...”  More

Château du Sureau

”Stone-and-stucco castle in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, 16 miles south of Yosemite National Park....”  More

Hotel del Coronado

”This coral-red-roofed classic resort is just moments away from Silver Strand State Beach, a shell-collector's dream. ...”  More

Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey

Avalon Beverly Hills

”The Avalon Beverly Hills would rather tally cocktail orders...”  More

Duchamp

”Duchamp (421 Foss St.; 800/431-9341 or 707/431-1300; www.duchamphotel.com; doubles from $325, including breakfast) is a minimalist's dream come true: six...”  More

La Valencia Hotel

”1926 hotel with modern villas in the heart of La Jolla, across the street from the beach and 15 minutes...”  More

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel

”A sophisticated Arts and Crafts–style resort, where kids eat as well as their parents—care for a flight of grape juice?...”  More

Milliken Creek Inn

”All 10 have fireplaces and spa baths, brushed twill robes and lemon verbena—scented soaps. Conspiratorially, the innkeepers suggest breakfast in...”  More

Chamberlain West Hollywood

”This chic little four-story hotel frrom the KOR group is done up in designer Kelly Wearstler's signature Hollywood Regency style...”  More

L'Auberge Carmel

”European-style inn built around a brick courtyard, in the center of town....”  More

Mosaic Hotel

”Formerly an apartment building, The Mosaic is like a mini Four Seasons, with a gorgeous marble-floored lobby and 49 luxurious...”  More

Sunset Tower Hotel

”From a distance, the photos that hang on the walnut-paneled walls of the lobby bar and restaurant in the Sunset...”  More

Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs

”Designer Jonathan Adler's first hotel—a kitsch extravaganza....”  More

Santa Ynez Inn

”This 2 1/2-year-old Victorian-style hotel is within walking distance of everything in Santa Ynez, in the heart of wine country...”  More

Harbor House Inn

”All rooms in the Arts & Crafts Lodge have antique furniture and feather beds. Those seeking more privacy will want...”  More

London West Hollywood

”Playing Alvy Singer in 1977’s Annie Hall, Woody Allen famously described Los Angeles as a place whose only cultural advantage...”  More

La Costa Resort

”'I drop in as a member to eat, swim, have my hair chopped, do all the spa massage stuff, eat...”  More

Old Monterey Inn

”Monterey possesses the magical conjunction of sunshine and precipitation that will germinate just about anything stuck in the ground. And...”  More

Viceroy Santa Monica

”This time the theme is British colonial through the looking glass, a Hollywood animation of a stately drawing room. Luckily...”  More

The Bristol

”Two years ago the Bristol got a major makeover; the formerly dowdy downtown lodge is now a boutique hotel with...”  More

Sea Ranch Lodge

”Set near a redwood forest, the Sea Ranch Lodge is ...”  More

The W San Diego

”At the W Hotel San Diego, I found a lovely sense of whimsy....”  More

The Galleria Park Hotel

”decorated in a cool palette of blues and greens, with vintage-style furniture, evokes true retro chic....”  More

Viceroy

”Though it often seems that the entire town has been painted orange, lime green, and swimming-pool blue, the design-driven renaissance...”  More

Crescent Hotel

”No two rooms are identical at this hotel that feels more like a jet-setter's mansion. The mod decor includes minimalist...”  More

Apple Farm

”More than 80 varieties of apples are grown on this 30-acre farm, which also offers cooking classes from February through...”  More

El Morocco

”Like a traditional riad, El Morocco is built around a square courtyard, with a pool at the center and palm...”  More

Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza

”Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza is the town's latest arrival. Rooms are sunny, with high ceilings, bay windows, fireplaces, and...”  More

Heritage House

”The white clapboard Heritage House (Little River; 800/235-5885; www.heritagehouseinn.com; doubles from $199), 10 minutes out of town, is the place...”  More

Vintners Inn

”Trio of Provençal-style buildings in central wine country....”  More

Orbit In's Hideaway

”Billing itself as the 'ultimate Palm Springs modern experience,' Orbit In Oasis welcomed its first guests in 1957. Originally named...”  More

La Quinta Resort & Club

”Only when we arrive do I reveal the highlight of our trip: we'll be spending a long weekend at La...”  More

Horizon Hotel

”Every time I make the 110-mile drive from Los Angeles, I hear about the renovation of another historic hotel. Along...”  More

Hotel Triton

”In San Francisco, the Hotel Triton has suites designed by musicians Carlos Santana and Anthony Kiedis, whose eco-friendly room (with...”  More

Orchard Garden Hotel

The Inn of the Spanish Garden

”Beyond the obligatory Frette linens, Molton Brown bath products, and oversized tubs, downtown Santa Barbara's only luxury inn delivers the...”  More

Manka's Inverness Lodge

”Specializes in coziness, with fireplaces, flannel curtains, shelves of old books, and an arkful of taxidermied animals....”  More

Carlsbad Inn

”'Two more hotel recommendations: If you want to be just steps from the sand, check into the Carlsbad Inn.'...”  More

Miracle Manor Retreat

”A run-of-the-mill motel in 1948, today the Albert Frey-inspired 'spa-tel' features a poolside spa with a Plexiglass-and-steel enclosure....”  More

Hotel Bohème

Brewery Gulch Inn

”The 10-room Brewery Gulch Inn has all the trappings of a fine hotel— rooms come with fireplaces, fresh flowers, and...”  More

Culver Hotel

Farmer’s Daughter Hotel

”This former flophouse is full of country-meets-city quirks: the rooms have rooster wallpaper; the No Tell room has a full...”  More

Farmhouse Inn

”Where do you prefer to be pampered—bedroom or bath? Bath people, consider a restored 1873 Sonoma County farmhouse inn, painstakingly...”  More

Estrella Resort & Spa

”They're perfect for lounging by the pool at the Estrella Resort & Spa, sister property to Santa Monica's Viceroy, both...”  More

Hotel Metropole

”Use the dockside Hotel Metropole as a base while exploring by horse, bike, or kayak....”  More

Beat Hotel

”All eight guest rooms of the restored 1957 motel are decorated with paintings and photographs by Burroughs himself. In case...”  More

Bissell House

”The more intimate Bissell House, a Victorian B&B, was formerly the winter mansion of the vacuum-cleaner manufacturer. There's a shady...”  More

Argonaut

”The nautically themed Argonaut is a new boutique hotel on Fisherman's Wharf....”  More

Hotel del Sol

”The Hotel del Sol, in the Marina District, is as groovy as it gets....”  More

Loews Coronado Bay Resort

”Ambitious spa plans are under way at Loews Coronad...”  More

Ambrose

”A bamboo garden with a koi pond sets the scene at the new Ambrose, an early California Craftsman-style hotel in...”  More

Cavalier Oceanfront Resort

”It's no Hearst Castle—that's three miles to the north—but for a Best Western, the 12-acre Cavalier Oceanfront Resort can't be...”  More

Snug Harbor Inn

”Enjoy panoramic views of Avalon Bay from any of six rooms, all with king-sized beds, Egyptian-cotton sheets, and whirlpool tubs....”  More

Hotel California

”Its 26 rooms are 1947-vintage small (a few have ocean views), but make up for it with a breezy Gidget-goes-to-design-school...”  More

Inn at Union Square

”A bijou B&B, the Inn at Union Square has a modern French feel, with trompe-l'oeil garden scenes on bedroom walls...”  More

Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf

”The Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf also has a heated indoor pool....”  More

The Westin Pasadena

”In the center of the city, the Westin Pasadena is within walking distance of museums, the Pasadena Playhouse, shopping, and...”  More

El Capitan Canyon

”These comfortable cedar cabins—outfitted with Wi-Fi and other 21st-century amenities—are near El Capitan State Beach, a 17-mile drive from Santa...”  More

El Bonita Motel

”Clean, no-frills rooms just minutes from St. Helena's shops and wineries....”  More

Beltane Ranch

”Lounge in a hammock or have breakfast overlooking the vineyards from the wraparound porches of the charming 1892 house. Without...”  More

The Hanford House Inn

”I booked a room in the Hanford House Inn, a well-appointed establishment which I'd been assured was apparition-free....”  More

Korakia Pensione

”Though it often seems that the entire town has been painted orange, lime green, and swimming-pool blue, the design-driven renaissance...”  More

Truckee Hotel

”The main draw of ski towns is, of course...”  More

Farmer's Daughter

”Little House on the Prairie meets MTV at this cheeky 66-room motel outfitted with denim bedspreads. Once popular with contestants...”  More

Renaissance ClubSport

”For health-conscious Bay Area business travelers, there's Renaissance ClubSport, 19 miles from Oakland. While each of the 175 rooms is...”  More

Figueroa Hotel

”It's Morocco à go-go at the 1920's Figueroa Hotel in downtown L.A....”  More

Hotel Diva

”But I don't think it seems that outrageous, thanks to places like the $109-a-night industrial-chic Hotel Diva....”  More

Mosser

”Last year, the owners of this Victorian hotel off Market Street painted the walls magenta, updated the furniture, and stocked...”  More

Ballantines Original Hotel

”1950’s kitsch, with 14 themed rooms—Marilyn Monroe stayed in the Pretty in Pink Suite, where Andy Warhol’s silk-screen print now...”  More

Good Hotel

”San Francisco’s playful Good Hotel has glow-in-the-dark ceiling messages and vending machines selling FedEx-envelope wallets....”  More

The Mojave

”Is there anything more indulgent than opening your door, padding across a lush lawn in your pajamas and bare feet...”  More

Boonville Hotel

”...a modern roadhouse...”  More

La Mer Bed & Breakfast

”Five Victorian-style rooms in an 1890 house in Ventura. The hearty Bavarian breakfast will fuel you up for a day...”  More

Hotel Carlton

”This 1927 hotel in lower Nob Hill just underwent a complete renovation and reopened in May. The Carlton combines a...”  More

The Ashram

”Kirsch is joking about the tree bark, but California's Ashram is a legendary spot for dropping weight fast. Spa-goers are...”  More

Bacara Resort & Spa

”Bottled water and a bowl of fruit are the minimum to expect. Many have fax machines, Internet service, and minibars...”  More

Balboa Bay Club & Resort

Beach Village at the Hotel del Coronado

”A private enclave of cottages and villas right on the shore, the Beach Village at the Hotel del Coronado is...”  More

Bear Basin Butte Lookout and Pierson Cabin

Beautiful Places

”Co-owner Liza Graves works with 30 estates in Sonoma and Napa valleys, from historic farmhouses and vineyard cottages to mountainside...”  More

Berkeley Tuolumne Family Camp

Best Western Move Manor Motor Inn

Boreal Motel

”A few miles from the slopes, the Boreal Motel has clean, basic rooms with microwaves and mini fridges....”  More

California Wellbeing Institute

”A staff of medical professionals and well-being advisers offer a 360-degree approach to wellness, at a Four Seasons near Los...”  More

Camp Mather

Canary Hotel

”The sun is setting and you’ve got a front-row seat on the 1,800-square-foot terrace with a pool, two fireplaces, a...”  More

Carter House

Cavallo Point—The Lodge at the Golden Gate