52 weekend getaways: Hotels and resorts

Paris-born designer Philippe Starck’s signature touches abound in the whimsical décor of the 297-room SLS. A horse sculpture balances a lamp on its head. The 177 chairs and 20 not-so-serious chandeliers are delightfully mismatched. Undulating curtains divide public spaces into cozy nooks. I loved the outdoor living room with its illuminated Plexiglas deer head.

My room ($395) had a nice terrace opening onto an interior courtyard. It was contemporary and so sleek that the bellman had to tell me that the Sony flat-screen TV was hidden inside a wall of smoky mirror. The king bed had Porthault linens, and tucked behind its glass headboard was a desk. The room, which had a tufted leather settee and table in one corner, was nicely arranged.

-- Beverly Beyette

Read more: Southern California‘s new luxury hotels are ready to pamper

Planning your trip:

SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills
465 South La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 247-0315
www.slshotels.com
  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

Pelican Hill aims to set itself apart in a crowded luxury field with a mix of California-casual lifestyle and exquisite service. That was largely my experience, anyway. When was the last time a room service waiter pointed out the tip was included?

The 128 villas offer two to four bedrooms, up to 3,678 square feet -- at up to $4,200 a night, no minimum stay. They have their own clubhouse and pool.

-- Beverly Beyette

Read more: Southern California‘s new luxury hotels are ready to pamper

Planning your trip:

The Resort at Pelican Hill
22701 Pelican Hill Road South
Newport Coast, CA 92657
(800) 916-8550
www.pelicanhill.com
  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

The 201-room Montage, a sister hotel to Montage Laguna Beach, was built to evoke Hollywood‘s Golden Age. Room décor in this $200-million edifice is traditional, with dark woods and a gold and white palette.

My spacious king-bedded room ($395) had a pleasant interior courtyard view, a small terrace and a sitting area with a diva-worthy fringed chaise longue.

-- Beverly Beyette

Read more: Southern California‘s new luxury hotels are ready to pamper

Planning your trip:

Montage Beverly Hills
225 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 860-7800
www.montagebeverlyhills.com/
  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

My friend Darby revels in the good life when he travels: Egyptian cotton bed linens, gourmet meals whipped up by the chef, a workout with a private trainer or a day of in-room massage and grooming.

Happily, some of Southern California‘s finest hotels leap at the chance to accommodate his penchant for luxury. They greet him with open arms, tell him how handsome he is, then give him the run of the place.

Never mind that Darby speaks only in monosyllables, doesn’t carry a credit card and ambles across the lobby on four legs instead of two. He is treated as an honored guest. Hotels that once shunned nonhuman guests are now rolling out the grass carpet. And we’re not just talking about Motel 6, which has allowed guests to bunk with man’s best friend since its founding in 1962. AAA estimates the number of dog-friendly high-end hotels has doubled since 2006.

-- Rosemary McClure

Read more: Sit! Stay! Five dog-friendly California hotels

Planning your trip:

Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa: 27984 Highway 189, Lake Arrowhead; (800) 800-6792, www.laresort.com.

Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey: 4375 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey; (800) 542-8680, www.ritzcarlton.

Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort: 21100 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach; (800) 445-8667, www.hilton.com.

San Giuliano: 375 W. Arenas, Palm Springs; (877) 897-7100; www.sangiulianohotel.com.

Cambria Pines Lodge: 2905 Burton Drive, Cambria; (800) 445-6868, www.cambriapineslodge.com.  (Rosemary McClure / For the Times)