World's Best The Best Resort Hotels in California in 2016 By John Scarpinato John Scarpinato Twitter John Scarpinato is a content strategist based in Chicago. He was previously an assistant editor at Travel + Leisure. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on July 6, 2016 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Courtesy of Farmhouse Inn The Golden State has a lot to offer travelers: towering redwoods, 840 miles of coastline, the country’s most famous wine region, and 10 national parks, for starters. If you need a place to stay while enjoying California’s natural bounty, the choices are nearly as wonderful and varied, from oceanfront resorts to vineyard inns. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated hotels on their rooms and facilities, location, service, food and drink, and overall value. Properties were categorized as city or resort based on their locations. Perhaps unsurprisingly, wine-country properties proved tough to beat. You may be able to smell the ocean from the terrace of Montage Laguna Beach, which ranked seventh on our list. The Brewery Gulch Inn, an upscale-rustic property perched on a bluff on the Mendocino coast, made it to No. 5. And three of the top 10 resort hotels in California are in Napa and Sonoma counties. MeadowoodNapa Valley, in St. Helena, offers an impressive range of activities, including golf, tennis, and croquet, while Bardessono, in the middle of the Napa Valley town of Yountville, offers personalized wine tours and in-room spa treatments. “Very luxurious without being stuffy,” was how one T+L reader described the hotel. “The rooms are state of the art, and the outdoor shower can't be beat.” Read on for the full list. 01 of 10 No. 10: Bernardus Lodge & Spa, Carmel Valley Courtesy of Bernardus Lodge and Spa Score: 94.18 02 of 10 No. 9: Meadowood Napa Valley, St. Helena Courtesy of Meadowood Napa Valley Score: 94.20 03 of 10 No. 8: Bardessono, Yountville Courtesy of Bardessono Score: 94.24 04 of 10 No. 7: Montage Laguna Beach Courtesy of Montage Laguna Beach Score: 94.31 05 of 10 No. 6: Inn Above Tide, Sausalito Courtesy of Inn Above Tide Score: 94.62 06 of 10 No. 5: Brewery Gulch Inn, Mendocino Courtesy of Brewery Gulch Inn Score: 95.59 07 of 10 No. 4: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, Rancho Santa Fe Courtesy of Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa Score: 95.69 08 of 10 No. 3: Rosewood Sand Hill, Menlo Park Courtesy of Rosewood Sand Hill Score: 96 09 of 10 No. 2: Château du Sureau, Oakhurst Courtesy of Château du Sureau Score: 96.77 10 of 10 No. 1: Farmhouse Inn, Forestville Courtesy of Farmhouse Inn Score: 97.07 In Sonoma County, Farmhouse Inn is surrounded by more than 400 wineries and features a world-class spa and Michelin-starred restaurant. It has just 25 rooms and suites, done in a modern-country style — and an extraordinary guest-to-staff ratio, including six concierges and four bellmen. In the evening guests gather around a fire pit for s’mores made from house-made marshmallows and Valrhona chocolate. “This is a true hidden gem in the heart of west Sonoma County,” one survey respondent wrote. “The food is five-star quality and the service is equal to any big city hotel.” Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit