Carmel Valley Ranch - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

"Carmel Valley Ranch is a perfect sanctuary nestled at the bottom of a valley about 25 minutes from Monterey Bay. The 500-acre expanse resembles the shire from Lord of the Rings, but the real magic is in the activities that the resort offers: top-tier tennis instructors, a Pete Dye–designed bentgrass golf course, and several hiking trails of various difficulty levels that originate from the resort. We’re pleased to report a kid-friendly activity calendar that's actually fun with an awesome kids’ pool, a beekeeping experience, and geocaching lessons. At the end of the day, you can grab a bite at Valley Kitchen, where the meals are locally sourced and they serve up goat cheese and wine made right on the premises."

"You can smell Carmel Valley Ranch before you can see it—and that’s a good thing, when it’s the wafting scent of lavender greeting you. Dropped deep in the verdant crook of a valley about 25 minutes inland of Monterey Bay, there’s not much lacking here for parents or kids: Service is top-notch, with golf cart escorts at your disposal (when there’s so much grassy knoll it looks like the shire, that’s a decidedly good thing) and a pet friendly policy to ease your travel woes. But what you really come here for—aside from the gorgeous backdrop, of course—is the recreation. Top-tier tennis instructors from PBI International (that’s Peter Burwash, for all you novices) will instruct you in sharpening that backhand, and the ‘Extraordinary Golf’ program works wonders if you’re trying to impress your hard-nosed boss come tee time. We’re also sweet on the kid-friendly activity calendar—with standards like a killer kids pool, to crazier pursuits, like beekeeping and geo-caching lessons, they’ll come up for air from their mobile devices all on their own. Book a Hilltop Garland suite—a fan favorite for its premium views and extra leg room—and if you can cull enough favor, one on a top floor, at that, and grab a bite at the fresh-faced Valley Kitchen, powered by the resort’s own organic produce."

"Carmel Valley Ranch provides sleep-focused treatments with a hypnotherapist, including one-on-one classes on self-hypnosis techniques and recorded sessions for home use." - Bailey Berg

"A resort hosting pickleball drill workshops and intro courses."

"Among other things, Carmel Valley Ranch offers contactless check-in via the Hyatt app (you can even get a cardless key)." - Aislyn Greene