Heaven in a Watery Argyll Haven

The hotel’s list of awards from organizations ranging from Michelin to the AA and the Scottish Tourist Board, fills at A4 page. A contributory factor to these awards has to be the attention to detail. The raspberry jam and even the muesli is home-made. The smoked salmon accompanying the scrambled egg is thick and flavoursome. The toiletries in the bathroom are of good quality.

Room Check
Mention the Mountain Home Inn, and most people even in its locality of Mill Valley won’t recognize the name. Roosting in the redwood wilderness of Mt. Tamalpais State Park, 25 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge, this modern chalet has developed a faithful following among cognoscenti of the outdoors.

First Impression: An inside that’s all about being outside. Wherever windows can fit, they do, looking out onto a vast view of redwoods and over San Francisco Bay. Hikers break for hisbiscus tea on the eagle-nest deck, watching the breeze cradle hawks. As long-time hiker R.F. “Dad” O’Rourke said, “With these hills and the friends I love–I ask no other heaven.”

Telling Details: Skylights, Redwood-trunk columns in the lobby. Doors left open year-round to catch the breezes. Wood accented guest rooms (many with balconies) pairing hickory-branch bedposts and regally striped wallpaper-perfect for sharing a bottle of reserve Sonoma Chardonnay and a fireplace campfire against a million far-off city lights.

50 Great Beach Hotels

“What does a 16th century-style English inn have to do with California’s Marin coast? A lot, it turns out. Sir Francis Drake beached his ship, the Pelican, nearby 400 years ago. If this inn had been around back then, Drake would have enjoyed the seven atmospheric bedrooms, all with canopy beds and Oriental carpets.”

Why Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Should Be at the Top of Your Travel List

“One of the more noticeable hotels in Jackson Hole’s Teton Village, the historic Alpenof Lodge is also one of the most beloved. The distinct architecture and cozy rooms temporarily transport guests to an enchanting Swiss ski resort, complete with complimentary fondue house parties in the winter months.”

Gold List 2012: The Best Hotel in Scotland

Set in a “calming location in the Scottish Highlands,” this ivy-covered Georgian country house has 40 acres of grounds and a walled garden, Public spaces have high ceilings and chandeliers.  Rooms, some with fireplaces, “are gorgeous and huge”, and “they have the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in”.  Garnering a perfect score, the “impeccable service” includes handwritten notes–“who does that anymore?” Choose from 200 malt whiskys at the Library Bar, or visit the dining room for an “outstanding menu” mixing Scottish and Continental fare. Outdoors, guests busy themselves with tennis, croquet, woodland walks and jogging on the property’s trails. “Everyone is treated as a friend, not a guest.  It’s such a joy.”  Overall score: 97.7