As 2025 winds down, we’re reflecting on the year—the places we visited, what we saw, the meals we shared, the memories we made, and of course, where we stayed.
Take a look below at the California hotels we loved best this year—just in time to add making a reservation to your 2026 New Year’s resolutions.
La Bahia Hotel, Santa Cruz
(Courtesy of La Bahia Hotel & Spa)
I was told on my initial tour that the theme at the La Bahia Hotel is “traveling the world,” with different global influences brought in by the owner’s travels. It’s meant to feel like entering your worldly aunt’s palatial home, comfortable and welcoming yet exotic and diverse. You get that sense even in the elevator, with the palm frond wallpaper feeling very White Lotus—which is kind of the point here. Plus, you can bring your dog or cat, as any good auntie would allow.
The guest rooms (including 29 signature suites) follow suit, with ornate, hand-painted headboards inspired by that auntie—specifically Aunt Elva, a character from La Bahia’s past whom the design team has appointed as muse. The colors and textures are oceanic and calming, with Spanish-inspired patterns, marble, and high-end touches like Le Labo bath products, Frette bathrobes, and a complimentary in-room minibar (think local saltwater taffy from Marini’s candy shop, caramel corn, tall boy cans of Giant Dipper Golden Ale from Discretion Brewing, and a full bottle of sauvignon blanc from Ensemble sister property, Bernardus, in Carmel Valley). Keep reading. -Amber Turpin
// 215 Beach St. (Santa Cruz), labahiahotel.comLe Petit Pali St. Helena
(Courtesy of Le Petit Pali St. Helena)
Inside, the reception area smells of roses and blackcurrant—Le Petit Pali’s signature scent, Diptyque’s Baies. The décor, a mix of vintage and eclectic pieces, is sophisticated yet playful. Each nook and cranny feels unexpected: floral curtains between art-filled green walls, checkered chairs, equestrian and striped pillows, vases of flowers, and a glossy green bowl that holds colorful pool-table balls instead of fruit. Keep reading. -Nicole Findlay
// 1152 Lodi Lane (St. Helena), lepetitpali.com
Treehouse Hotel, Sunnyvale
(Erin Kunkel)
Despite being in the heart of Google-land, stepping onto the Treehouse Hotel property feels like arriving at an oasis. The playful decor and design retain sophistication while still being fun. The 111 guest rooms and suites are equally nature-based yet subtly luxurious. It’s as if rusticity is the theme, but spiffed up with high-quality materials and clean design that makes you feel like you’re in a log cabin but also at a luxurious retreat. The rooms have custom quilts on the walls, colorful lighting features, plush bedding, and farm-style desks. It’s modern yet nostalgic, with that signature wood scent wafting the whole time. Keep reading. -Amber Turpin
// 1100 N. Mathilda Ave. (Sunnyvale), treehousehotels.com/silicon-valley
Okaeri, Calistoga
(Courtesy of Okaeri)
The stunning Okaeri isn’t a ryokan—it’s not trying to be—but out front they’ve transformed the yard into a Japanese-style garden with a waterfall, and sliding, paper-covered shoji doors open and close to reshape the main floor and suites. The former indoor pool has been covered with bamboo and turned into a breakfast salon under which koi fish swim, surfacing at a cutout in the center of the room.
Indeed, details small and large tingle the Japanophile’s senses, from the burnt cedar (yakisugi) in the hall to the hinoki and cedar soaking tubs in the guest rooms, from the traditional woodblock prints and fans hung throughout the mansion to the (optional) tatami-style sleeping mats in some rooms. Keep reading. -Shoshi Parks
// 1415 Foothill Blvd. (Calistoga), okaericalistoga.comFarmhouse Inn, Forestville
(Adam Potts Photography)
Farmhouse Inn is the place to stay in Forestville—and really, it should be on your list even if Forestville isn’t your only destination. Just seven minutes from the River Road exit off 101, this boutique hotel has deep Sonoma County ties and is a joy to relax into. Select some local soap from the bath bar and say hello to the property cat at check-in, then head to one of 25 luxurious farm-chic rooms. There are two historic farmhouse rooms above the restaurant, one-bedroom suites in the barn, and, since April 2022, 550-square-foot “cottage petite” suites. Keep reading. -Amber Turpin
// 7871 River Rd. (Forestville), farmhouseinn.comAppellation Lodi: Wine & Roses Resort and Spa, Lodi
(Courtesy of Appellation)
The seven-acre Appellation Lodi: Wine & Roses Resort and Spa has added culinary gardens, hands-on programming, and signature food and wine options celebrating Lodi’s local makers. All 66 rooms have been renovated—including historic inn rooms, tranquil spa rooms, private garden rooms (each with a terrace or patio), and spacious suites (some with fireplaces)—and offer modern decor and airy spaces with light oak furnishings and handcrafted textures. Keep reading. -Amanda Kuehn Carroll
// 2505 W. Turner Rd., appellationhotels.com
Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo
(Shoshi Parks)
If there’s one hotel that should be on the bucket list of every West Coaster, this is it. The Madonna Inn opened in San Luis Obispo in the late 1950s with a unique combination of alpine flair, bubblegum pink decor, Western accents, and distinctly themed rooms. There are now 110 of them, many incorporating giant boulders from the nearby hills in their architecture, with names like “Bridal Falls” (an Oscar the Grouch-colored suite with a Yosemite-inspired stained glass window and a stone waterfall shower) and the “Caveman Room” (a Flintstones-esque flurry of animal print).
The kitsch spills out into the hotel’s bars, dining areas, and pool deck, too. The main attraction is the ridiculously over-the-top, Barbie-fied steakhouse, serving solid oak-pit barbecued steak, seafood, and chicken. The Silver Bar Cocktail & Lounge next door is decked out with intricate, hand-carved wood accents, stained glass, tufted wingback chairs, pinker-than-pink barstools, and a huge dance floor for swinging to the sounds of live music on the weekends. Keep reading. -Shoshi Parks
// 100 Madonna Rd. (San Luis Obispo), madonnainn.com
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, Sonoma
(Courtesy of Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa)
Built in 1927, Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa knows a thing or two about attracting guests to Wine Country—the property’s hot springs and the dose of zen they provide are legendary. Fairmont’s new All-Inclusive Escape package includes a plethora of sought-after perks—something like a one-stop shop for Wine Country’s greatest hits. Each day, you can choose between a 60-minute spa treatment, such as a Pure Relaxation Massage or Caudalie Grand Facial, or 18 holes of golf at Sonoma Golf Club. Keep reading. -Dana Rebmann
// 100 Boyes Blvd. (Sonoma), fairmont.com/sonoma
