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…
Must-see hotels in Southern California
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Hollywood
Hip, affordable Mama Shelter keeps things playful with its lobby gumball machines, foosball table and live streaming of guests' selfies and videos…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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,…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Greater Palm Springs
Rusted steel, wood and concrete are the main design ingredients of this stylish lair where the bar doubles as reception. The 32 spacious, phone-less rooms…
-
Santa Ynez Valley
Romantics should book this quaint inn in the stagecoach town of Ballard, just south of Los Olivos. Most of the remodeled rooms have wood-burning…
-
Greater Palm Springs
The intimate William F Cody–designed retreat that saw celebs such as Marilyn Monroe and Ronald Reagan lounging poolside has been rebooted as a sleek and…
-
San Diego
The 235-room Solamar delivers hip style without breaking the bank. Rooms sport hodge-podge decor with eccentric lamps, patterned carpets, yoga mats and…
-
Joshua Tree National Park
Camp in a knotty-pine cabin just like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers did in the 1940s at this soulful desert hideaway 4.5 miles north of Pioneertown. All have…
-
The Deserts
Characterful and ornate, this B&B in a hand-built 1920s log home is secluded from the tourist fray and has a dozen elegantly rustic rooms spaced over…
-
La Jolla
Inspired by the architecture of Greene & Greene, the turn-of-the-20th-century arts-and-crafts masters who designed the Gamble House in Pasadena, the lodge…
-
Coastal Orange County
Right across from the pier for amazing sunsets, the breezy B&B rooms at this delightful boutique hotel all have contemporary beachy design, private…
-
Venice, Marina Del Rey & Playa del Rey
This old motor inn has been dressed up, colored and otherwise funkified in retro style. Think eye-popping oranges, yellows and greens, framed photos of…
-
Los Angeles
Built in 1910 by the Banning brothers, who owned the island at the time, this classic craftsman has been converted into an inviting B&B. All 12 rooms are…
-
Springhill Suites Oceanside Downtown
San Diego
This modern, six-story, ocean-view hotel is awash in summery yellows and sea blues in the lobby. Rooms have crisp lines and distressed-wood headboards,…
San Diego
Charming Crystal Pier consists of 29 breezy cottages from the 1930s built right on a wooden pier and flaunting dreamy ocean views from spacious decks. All…
-
Disneyland Resort
Though built in 1955, the year Disneyland opened, the park’s original hotel has been rejuvenated with a dash of bibbidi-bobbidi-boo. There are three…
-
South Bay Beaches
This friendly, sophisticated, Japanese-owned hotel is slice of Tokyo in downtown Torrance. The inland location (near Honda’s US headquarters) isn't close…
-
San Diego
Lego designers were let loose on this hotel, just outside Legoland's main gate, and boy is it fun. Thousands of Lego models (dragons to surfers) populate…
-
Venice, Marina Del Rey & Playa del Rey
This intimate, low-slung, pension-style inn was built in 1908 and recently refurbished with beach-cottage cool. It's on a quiet street just off the beach…
-
Anaheim
This well-run minichain of business hotels delivers solid-gold value. The 133 recently renovated rooms have microwaves, minifridges, safes, wet bar,…
