It’s no small feat to crack Condé Nast Traveler’s yearly ranking of the world’s 50 best hotels, but a boutique lodge north of SF has gone so far as to nab the top position! The Lodge at Bodega Bay is a small luxury getaway about an hour and a half from San Francisco, and it just ranked #1 following over half a million votes in CN Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards survey. The 83-room coastal lodge beat out heavy hitters including Ritz-Carltons in Doha and Kyoto, a Viceroy in D.C., and some lavish resorts down in Palm Springs.
“As an independent, family-owned and operated hotel, this recognition is incredibly meaningful to us,” wrote the hotel on Instagram. “…this award is a testament to the authentic hospitality we strive to provide each and every day.”
The Lodge at Bodega Bay offers a cozy retreat on NorCal‘s characteristic craggy coastline, affording serene views of the Pacific Ocean over Doran Beach. It’s outfitted with dozens of intimate guest rooms and suites, many with fireplaces, private patios, and ocean views.
The on-site gourmet restaurant highlights expertly prepared local seafood, and the welcoming fireside lounge is a great place to enjoy California wines and craft beers after a day of sightseeing.
CN Traveler also shouts out the lodge’s in-house spa, proximity to secluded beaches, luxurious furnishings, and attention to detail — notably, the pair of binoculars thoughtfully placed on every room’s windowsill.
Bay Area residents will be familiar with Bodega Bay as the primary filming location for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film The Birds. The area was chosen for its sleepy unobstructed coastal views, which have remained largely unchanged in the decades since. The Tides Wharf Restaurant, the site of the famous gas station attack scene, is a less than five-minute drive from the Lodge at Bodega Bay. You can learn more in our full guide to the movie’s filming locations.
CN Traveler’s ranking honored a few other California hotels, too. Berkeley‘s eye-catching Claremont Hotel came in at #23, a well-earned recognition for the Bay Area icon. And two Palm Springs hotels cracked the top ten: the “ultra-luxury” Hermann Bungalows ranked #3, and the laid-back Colony Palms Hotel took #7.
You can learn more about the Lodge at Bodega Bay by visiting their website.