A block from the harbor, this vintage motel turned boutique hotel has kept its spirit with classic cocktails and Wednesday night movies year-round by the kidney-shaped saltwater pool.
Everything is neat as a pin in this budget-priced European-style gem, where breakfast is served at antique wooden tables overlooking Puget Sound, and rooms are appointed with antiques and crisp white linens.
A traditional 1930s roadside motel along what was once Route 66, the El Rey is a 5-acre tangle of gardens, courtyards, and patio nooks. The 86 rooms are filled with paintings, carved headboards, and armoires by local artists.
Go for "The Works," a traditional mud bath with facial mask, aromatic mineral whirlpool bath, steam room, massage, and blanket wrap at the Calistoga classic.
Established as a dairy ranch in the 1850s, the renovated bunkhouses and barn today offer quaint, period-style rooms south of downtown Carmel. Don't miss their Sunday brunch, featuring performances by local jazz musicians.