Sometimes you just want to get away, settle in a nice spot and not worry about things for a couple of days. Other times, you find a place that's so nice you don't want to leave.
For stressed-out times or cozy romantic getaways, we've compiled a list of the best places for "nesting." Most have spas and restaurants on premises or nearby, all have beautiful views and comfortable rooms. Some have pools and other amenities. Don't blame us if you don't want to come home at the end of your stay.
Sit down beside the beautiful swimming pool and contemplate the rolling vineyards and mountains beyond. Get a spa treatment. Have a meal in the on-premises restaurant, or in nearby Boon Fly Cafe or FARM restaurant. Lie back on the chaise on your private patio and count the stars.
My friends sent their parents to the Inn on Mt. Ada for their wedding anniversary a few years ago. After a short trip to town, they reported that they went back to the hotel and never left it again until it was time to go home. The innkeepers here are so friendly and attentive the last time we visited that we almost moved in permanently.
The Elk Cove Inn has its own small-but-cozy spa and excellent ZEBO restaurant. There's a private path down to the beach, and you can watch the sunset from the cliffside gazebo. Rooms have fireplaces, comfortable beds and some have panoramic ocean views.
If you want to stay put at the Villa delle Stelle, you'll have to cook you own dinner, but even that can be a pleasure in their gorgeous, apartment-style accommodations, with a fully-equipped kitchen. Drive over to the
Los Angeles Farmers Market for goodies and a nice bottle of wine, settle in and pretend you live there.
You might want to take a short drive to nearby Osmosis Spa, but otherwise, you can relax in your room or on the veranda, walk a block to town for dinner and hang out without running around.
The Lodge at Torrey Pines' on-premises restaurant A.R. Valentien is one of the best we've experienced in California, the hotel has a nice spa and the Torrey Pines Golf Course is in the front yard. If you're nesting here, we recommend the rooms facing the golf course, especially the ones with their own patio.
One of my favorite places for Sunday brunch is also a great spot to chill out for a few days. Located just outside of downtown Carmel on property that was once a dairy farm, Mission Ranch is a cozy place. Some of their rooms offer private patios and views of the ocean, and their grounds are beautifully landscaped, yet with a natural feel. I've seen friends get so relaxed here that I thought I might have to borrow a cart just to get them to the car.
One of the country's best-rated bed and breakfast inns, Simpson House is right in the middle of Santa Barbara, where there's plenty to do, but you'll have a very hard time tearing yourself away to do any of it, this place is so comfortable.
San Ysidro Ranch has been famous for its upscale hospitality ever since John and Jackie Kennedy honeymooned there in 1953. Their cottages are so comfortable and relaxing that you may forget to go home.
