Santa Fe's Inn of the Five Graces features beautiful Native American and Spanish décor. — Witold Skrypczak/Alamy

Inn of the Five Graces,
Santa Fe, N.M.
This adobe complex in Santa Fe's historic district is a brew of local Native American and Spanish influences (mud walls, colorful textiles, mosaic tile) and exotic Asian antiques and rugs. The 24 suites are rustic but luxurious and filled with art. You're treated as if you were the only guest, and, despite the area's beckoning opera, art galleries, museums and ancient cliff dwellings, you'll be hard-pressed to find a reason to leave. Rates from $340.

Mountain Home Lodge, Leavenworth, Wash.
Being snowbound is more perk than peril at this lofty aerie. With just 12 rooms and two cabins, it becomes your private winter playground from the minute you arrive aboard the property's snowcat. Commanding magnificent Cascade Mountain views from its alpine meadow, the lodge offers cozy rooms with handmade quilts, binoculars and Mission-style furniture. Hiking and mountain biking are the big draws in summer. Rates from $140.

Chateau du Sureau, Oakhurst, Calif.
This 12-room chateau was built in 1991 to accommodate visitors streaming to the owner's Elderberry House restaurant. Although you're just 16 miles from Yosemite National Park, the whole place makes you feel as if you're in a European fairy-tale castle. Antiques, tapestries and 19th-century art enhance the Old World illusion, as do chambermaids and valets appearing at the touch of a bell. Scattered playthings such as a bocce court and a giant chessboard adorn the grounds. Rates from $250.

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