Hotels · Our pick in California
Where to stay in California: the back story
The back story
About Where to stay in California: the back story
California is big, and where you stay shapes the whole trip. A grand hotel on Nob Hill puts San Francisco’s cable cars at the door; a resort above the Napa Valley puts the vineyards outside your window; and on the Big Sur coast, a room on the cliffs is the destination in itself.
City grand hotels
In San Francisco, the Fairmont and the Ritz-Carlton sit on Nob Hill with the cable cars passing outside, and the Palace Hotel’s glass-roofed Garden Court has been a Market Street landmark for generations. On the Embarcadero, 1 Hotel San Francisco faces the Ferry Building and the Bay.
By the beach
Hotel del Coronado is San Diego’s great Victorian beach resort, the Lodge at Torrey Pines overlooks the Pacific and the golf course above La Jolla, and in Montecito, Rosewood Miramar Beach sits right on the sand.
On a road trip, book the special nights first, Big Sur and wine country, then fill in the cities around them.
Desert and wine country
Palm Springs mixes mid-century style with resort pools: the Parker, Colony Palms, Korakia Pensione and La Quinta Resort are all classics. In the Napa Valley, Auberge du Soleil looks down over the vineyards from Rutherford Hill, and in Sonoma County, Montage Healdsburg spreads across oak-studded hills.
On the coast and in the mountains
Post Ranch Inn and Alila Ventana sit high above Highway 1 in Big Sur. At Lake Tahoe, the Ritz-Carlton is slopeside at Northstar, Everline Resort is in Olympic Valley and The Landing is on the lakeshore in South Lake Tahoe.
Planning the route
Distances are long: San Francisco to Big Sur is a full morning’s drive, and Lake Tahoe and Palm Springs are each a day trip of their own. Check road conditions with Caltrans before you drive Highway 1 or the Sierra passes.
Our advice: give Big Sur and wine country two nights each. One night is never enough.
Why it's on our list
- City grand hotels
- By the beach
- Desert and wine country
- On the coast and in the mountains
- Planning the route
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Where to stay in California: the back story before you go.
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