14 of Southern California’s Swankiest Hotels and Resorts
1. Hotel Del Coronado (Coronado)
Welcome to the Hotel California. The
2. The Grand Del Mar (San Diego)
The
3. Le Parker Meridien (Palm Springs)
There was a day when Palm Springs played the part of desert Wonderland, where Joan Didion and other sentinels of high class went to sip martinis and get away from it all. It’s become more accessible these days, but
4. Montage Laguna Beach (Laguna Beach)
Remember back in the mid-aughts, when the world was enthralled with the lives of privileged teens (real and fake) living in Orange County? Their antics were fun to follow, but the initial draw was the backdrop to their life — the juxtaposition of swank and beach climate that is Laguna Beach. The
5. The Resort at Pelican Hill (Newport)
When it comes to conveying luxury, there’s no better symbol than building a literal ivory tower at your hotel. But that’s the main structure at the
6. Monarch Beach Resort (Dana Point)
Speaking of weddings, the
7. Chateau Marmont (West Hollywood)
Half the people who come to Los Angeles do so wondering where they’ll see a celebrity. The ones who leave successful in that endeavor usually have a story from the
8. Sunset Tower Hotel (West Hollywood)
Sure, the Chateau Marmont is about as private as a Hollywood icon can get, but people know it’s there, and they know what they’ll find inside. It’s like any well-trod attraction — there’s a parallel unknown just around the corner. Or just down the road, as luck would have it. The
9. Beverly Hills Hotel (Los Angeles)
There are certain neighborhoods that don’t need an explanation for their inclusion on a list about swank. Beverly Hills is bar-none the most famous postcode in America, and it didn’t achieve that by skimping on the visitor accommodation. The Beverly Hills Hotel is everything you’d expect it to be: secluded, well-appointed bungalows; acres of on-site gardens; and private plunge pools.
10. Sunset Marquis (West Hollywood)
The
11. Hotel Bel-Air (Los Angeles)
Bel Air is another neighborhood so fancy they made a television show about it. The
12. Belmond El Encanto (Santa Barbara)
Everything old is new again.
13. The Biltmore (Santa Barbara)
While usually just called “the Biltmore,” this old hotel was purchased and renamed officially as “The Four Seasons Resort – The Biltmore Santa Barbara.” Regardless of the change of hands, the
14. Bacara Resort and Spa (Santa Barbara)
One word: Oprah. You may have heard that she has “favorite things,” and one of those favorite things right now is the
