La Bahia Hotel & Spa

This Under-the-Radar U.S. Region Has Surfing, Ancient Redwoods, Mountains, and a Rustic Charm | Vogue

"Set against the picturesque backdrop of the Santa Cruz shoreline, the just-opened La Bahia Hotel & Spa is one of the first five-star hotels to open in the region. The 155-room hotel is the ultimate coastal retreat, blending barefoot California luxury with Spanish coastal architecture. Guests can unwind in the grand Moorish spa, with its indoor and outdoor treatment rooms and a sauna overlooking Monterey Bay. The oceanfront escape was once Neptune’s Casino and Casa Del Rey—both glitterati getaways for the California elite in the early 1900s. Architectural details, like a bell tower with a gilded mermaid on top, remain." - Kate Dingwall