Best Luxury 5 Star Hotels in California

Indulge your inner Willy Wonka when you stay in this former chocolate factory. One, two and three-bedroom apartments are offered within the building, with round-the-clock butler and concierge services on hand. These come with fully equipped kitchens and entertaining areas, ideal for an extended stay. Decor is US loft-style, with polished wooden floors and internal brick walls. Guests can enjoy a drink on the terrace warmed by the glow of a fire pit while looking out over the city. There’s a trolley stop right opposite and direct access to the buzzing Fisherman’s Wharf waterfront area of San Francisco.

Walking distance to Stanford and the station, and a short ride from the airport, this eight-storey hotel offers California-cool bedrooms with Italian linens and balconies, proffering views over the Santa Cruz mountains. Its construction includes the local redwood, with nature-themed interiors and suitably mod cons such as an onsite media lab. Nobu of course is internationally renowned for its contemporary Japanese cuisine, incorporating subtle South American flavours. And here you can devour its signature dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s a boutique property with a more intimate feel, but guests can access the health club next door.

Occupying 16 acres, this 2009 build (renovated in 2020), has a more resort feel, with sprawling grounds incorporating courtyard gardens, a chic pool terrace and low-rise accommodation. It has 121 bedrooms and a Forbes Five Star rating. Guest amenities include a Sense Spa, an Alex Chases Salon and meeting rooms including a glittering 2,800-square-foot ballroom. Madera is the hotel’s signature restaurant, with a wood-burning kitchen cooking up Bay Area favourites and private dining areas. Additionally, there’s The Library & Bar for cocktails and light bites and The Pool Bar & Grill for snacks, sandwiches and smoothies.

With just 23 one and two-bedroom suites, The Clement offers a more intimate experience, but with resort benefits; most notably a gorgeous rooftop deck with a lap pool (seductively underlit after dark), a hot tub, cabanas and an open fire, overlooking the downtown. It’s all been arranged with impeccable taste; there are paintings by the likes of Emil Lukas, Frette robes, Nespresso machines and organic ODE bath products. Guests have access to a cosy living room with a stone fireplace, a business centre and a fitness room — and don’t worry if you forget your sunscreen, it’s complimentary here.

Displaying a slightly bohemian, artistic flair, the Parker Palm Springs takes on Morrocan, maritime, pop art and retro American influences in its styling. The design plays beautifully with colour in the spaces and bedrooms are filled with unique, eclectic collectables. Guests can find nooks and crannies among the two swimming pools (one for families) croquet lawns, bocce courts, fruit trees and herb gardens; lie in a hammock, play ping-pong, play tennis, sip on boozy fresh lemonade and dine in the two restaurants. Those arriving at the wellness centre – The Palm Springs Yacht Club – are furnished with white cotton terry robes, flip flops and a thimble of cucumber-infused vodka.

Set downtown in the lively Gaslamp Quarter, this smart 12-storey hotel opened in 2017. Geared toward a young and trendy crowd, it has a stylish rooftop pool house (the place to party on summer nights), a chic cocktail bar, a nightclub, multiple restaurants, a beer hall, coffee bar, Moët & Chandon champagne vending machine and a bijou boutique. Urban rooms have ocean-inspired artwork, vintage writing desks, 50” TVs and French macarons popped on the pillow during the nightly turndown service. On higher levels, guests can enjoy views across the city and toward the bay.

A brand that needs no introduction, The 123 bedroomed Ritz-Carlton offers a British touch. This family-friendly property stands on the edge of the city’s downtown district. An in-house WP24 Restaurant by Wolfgang Puck serves fancy Chinese cuisine – and is one of the places to be seen in the local area. Or dine in one of its alternative cafes, eateries and bars. Take a dip in The Ritz-Carlton’s rooftop cabana-lined pool, or the outdoor hot tub, while soaking in the panoramic views of LA’s skyline. The spa is one of the largest in town and it has a state of the art fitness centre.

Located on Sunset Boulevard (a setting used by Billy Wilder for his 1950 movie by the same name), this glass-fronted hotel has a tiered, eco-friendly greenery-clad exterior. This was Edition’s first property on the West Coast, having opened in 2019 in collaboration with the Marriott group. It has 190 loft-like rooms with floor to ceiling windows, a basement, club, spa, two restaurants, a moodily lit rooftop pool, a screening room and oodles of artworks. 20 penthouse residences have been included in the build, for those who want to linger longer. There’s a focus on sustainability here, in a hotel that attracts cool, creative types.

Towering above the neighbouring properties with its 12 floors, the Waldorf Astoria cuts a striking presence on Beverly Hill’s Wilshire Boulevard. As you may expect, this means it has the most breathtaking views around. Seek out its rooftop deck offering 360 degrees vistas – it has a hot tub, bar, a saltwater pool and a restaurant. Each of the 170 rooms has a private terrace and smart technology providing an extra wow factor. The hotel was designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon featuring an epic three-story lobby. Guests are treated to the hotel’s Rolls Royce chauffeur service within the local area and can book divine treatments at in-house La Prairie Spa.

A veteran of the LA hotel scene at over a century old, this grand hotel was rebuilt (to be earthquake-proof) in the 1980s. Flanked by the San Gabriel mountains, its 23 acres include Japanese gardens, a croquet lawn, a badminton area and an outdoor pool. Inside, guests can enjoy a European style vintage opulence. Chinese medicine-based treatments are offered at the Chuan Spa. And meals are taken alfresco on a poolside terrace, or in The Royce Wood-Fired Steakhouse, while an art deco era prohibition-style bar is a sophisticated spot for cocktails.

For incredible views over Beverly Hills, head to the Altitude Pool and cocktail bar – in the summer, guests can take part in calming rooftop yoga by day and party with the Sounds Like Summer weekend DJ sessions by night. Seven categories of room are available in this large establishment (comprising a total of 297 bedrooms, 61 of which are suites). All of them come with a fully stocked minibar and Philippe Starck designer features. Its Ciel spa is one of the few in the city to offer the Biologique Recherche facial and anti-ageing treatments.

Inspired by the Pasedenan Gamble and Blacker houses, The Lodge at Torrey Pines is family-owned and run by locals. Leather, dark woods, crisp white linens and vintage touches play heavily in the decor aesthetic. 170 rooms include mini-bars, complimentary shoeshine service and toiletries featuring the hotel’s signature scent. The lodge is found on the 18th green of the Torrey Pines South Course (once played by previous President Barack Obama). So it presents a prime location for those seeking to practice their swing in the finest of company – this year the same course hosted the US Open providing guests with grandstand views. The onsite restaurant is suitably high-end and the hotel offers delightful extras such as twice-daily guided hikes.