Best Luxury Hotels in California

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.

With 196 rooms and suites, The Citizen Hotel blends the heritage of a 1920s-era skyscraper with the individuality of Autograph Collection design. Set in downtown Sacramento near the State Capitol, the property embraces its political past with curated artwork, vintage details and a stately, period-inspired style. Interiors combine original architectural features with contemporary comforts, creating a hotel that feels both nostalgic and cosmopolitan.

The on-site restaurant, Grange, focuses on seasonal California cuisine with produce from the Central Valley, while the lounge offers cocktails in a sophisticated setting. A fitness centre caters to guests wishing to stay active, and the hotel’s central location makes exploring Old Sacramento, the Crocker Art Museum and the riverfront effortless. With its historic architecture, strong sense of place and cultural context, The Citizen Hotel has become one of Sacramento’s most distinctive stays.

First imagined by the French restauranteur Claude Claude Rouas in the 1980s, this was the valley’s original fine-dining destination. Here hotel guests get a taste of Provence, surrounded by US wine country. There are 50 bedrooms at the property ranging from private Maisons to classic rooms. But of course, it’s the culinary offer that is the highlight at Auberge du Soleil. Three and four-course set menus are offered alongside five and six-course tasting menus – these are sensory experiences that excite the pallet. Meals are accompanied by French-inspired cocktails, bubbles from the tableside champagne cart and of course the extensive wine list. There’s also a bistro and bar for a more relaxed approach to mealtime, with stunning sunset views at the end of the day. Auberge du Soleil has been in receipt of a Michelin star for 14 consecutive years.

Run for the hills and you’ll find this Forbes Five-Star luxury hotel up there. It has 92 rooms, including private bungalows. The heated infinity-edged saltwater swimming pool is the ultimate in serenity, with stunning Pacific views (take a look through the hotel’s terrace-based telescope to spot whales and dolphins). An indoor-outdoor restaurant uses fruit, herbs and veg grown in the on-site kitchen garden, cheese made from the resident cow and home-brewed beer and coffee, as well as locally-sourced Santa Barbara delicacies. El Encanto also has a spa, is child and pet friendly and boasts artworks from creators such as Damien Hirst.

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.

Previously named the best hotel in Los Angeles by readers of Travel + Leisure, this is the only hotel in the region to have received an AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star accolade every year since 1993. Offering an enhanced level of flexibility, check-in (and out) can be arranged at any time of the day or night as part of the brand’s Peninsula Time experience. Accommodating 195 rooms, suites and villas, it’s nestled in lush tropical gardens, with an additional rooftop garden home to a pool and dining area. The Peninsula is on Santa Monica Boulevard (an address made famous by Sheryl Crow’s song All I Wanna Do), which is a short walk to Rodeo Drive.

Lido House, Autograph Collection occupies the site of the former City Hall and is now a beautiful boutique hotel which perfectly encapsulates an authentic beach house experience. It has a Cape Cod meets nautical feel, designed by Los Angeles-based architect Rob Sinclair and a five-storey lighthouse as part of its makeup. Comprising 130 stylish guest rooms, including five unique cottages with private roof terraces with BBQs. Dining takes place at the Mayor’s Table restaurant with its open kitchen, bar and glass-walled wine room, while outdoors guests can enjoy drinks at Topside, the only Newport Beach wine bar with a rooftop, it’s a sophisticated space with celebration-worthy views. Leisure facilities also include an outdoor pool, 24-hour fitness centre and a Spa.

In possession of a salubrious address, this hotel is found right across the road from Rodeo Drive. At the centre of the property, is the hotel’s Mediterranean-styled heated pool and dining terrace, providing an opportunity to quaff cocktails and soak up some rays from your own comfy cabana. Michelin-starred cuisine is on-site, in the form of CUT, a seafood and steakhouse restaurant (also by acclaimed restauranteur Wolfgang Puck). Or watch the world go by from the front of the building, with a chic and healthy lunch at THE Blvd. Pets are made very welcome if you want to bring them along, with bowls and baskets provided.

Conveniently located just a short walk from Union Square, the Ferry Building and Fisherman’s wharf, the second Four Seasons hotel in San Francisco is a sky high urban retreat. With unparalleled panoramic views from the 11 floors of the 48-storey landmark building the hotel offers guests a choice of contemporary designed rooms and suites; from a deluxe city view room to a golden gate view corner suite. With a 24-hour fitness and business centre this hotel is as equally suited to business guests as it is leisure. The hotel eagerly anticipates its new concept signature restaurant and bar (due to open 2022) and meanwhile an all-day In-Room dining service is the convenient choice for great food for those who don’t wish to venture far. The expert concierge team is always on hand to tailor the best experiences for guests to fully immerse themselves in the incredible things to do in this culturally diverse and vibrant city.

Found on Wilshire Boulevard, this hotel is a short schlep to the beach. The rooftop pool deck (the only one on the Westside) is a feature, along with the Ayurvedic Surya Spa, lush garden terrace and the Balearic outdoor restaurant and bar with its chic cabanas. Earthy tones blend with a Scandi meets mid-century design vibe, that’s accented by creative artworks, murals and indoor palm trees. The Proper Hotel is deeply fashionable, with sushi, oysters, organic juices, biodynamic wines and small-batch mezcals found on the menus. Here you can start the day with a Greek Goddess yoghurt bowl and end it with prime flat iron steak.

You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back into another era when you enter the Ritz Carlton, still oozing the charm and ambience of past days with the luscious decor and the striking 1909 architecture. With a cable car stop right outside the entrance, you’ll have no trouble getting around the city with the Ritz as your base. The Ritz Carlton San Francisco is a top spot for weddings, celebrations and other functions with the Terrace Courtyard offering an exquisite setting and backdrop for photos. Home to L’Occitane Spa, refreshing massages, body and face treatments are available and rustic Californian-style food is served up at Parallel 37.

Stars who’ve stayed here include Eva Longoria, Fearne Cotton, Julia Roberts, Christian Bale, Jennifer Aniston and Brangelina. Known as Hollywood’s Beach House, it was also used for scenes in the movie Something’s Gotta Give. Inside, there are artworks by the likes of Hockney, balconied bedrooms with four-poster beds and airy, barefoot luxury decor by one of the Obamas’ favourite designers. Outside, the pool faces directly onto the ocean, with a waterside cafe and bar. Guests can take private yoga classes, borrow bikes, book surf lessons, dine, sip cocktails in the Living Room and indulge at ONE spa.