Andrew Harper favorites:

INN AT SPANISH BAY - PEBBLE BEACH - Visually appealing sister resort of the nearby Lodge at Pebble Beach, set among pine groves, Scottish-inspired golf links and the sea. The rambling contemporary lodge contains 269 guest rooms with fireplaces and scenic patio/balcony views (request an “Ocean View” near the central lobby). In addition to Italian and “Hawaiian fusion” restaurants, the property offers an indoor/outdoor lounge and a sports bar. Augmenting the renowned golf: a classy eight-court tennis pavilion, heated outdoor pool and the Pebble Beach health spa, fitness center and beach club. Review Courtesy of Andrew Harper - Travel Partner with Wide World of Golf

LODGE AT PEBBLE BEACH - Distinguished resort with glorious views of Carmel Bay and the 18th green of the famed Pebble Beach Golf Links, a short drive from Carmel. Low-rise annexes contain 161 guest quarters with large baths, and most with fireplaces. Request an oceanview unit in “Sloat,” “Colton,” “Alvarado” or “Fremont” cottage. Five restaurants include award-winning Club XIX and atmospheric Tap Room adorned with a collection of golfing memorabilia. An extensive health/fitness spa, 12 tennis courts, beach club with large pool, riding stable and hiking trails complement the incomparable golf facilities. Review Courtesy of Andrew Harper - Travel Partner with Wide World of Golf

CORDEVALLE - SAN MARTIN - Exclusive golfing sanctuary in a secluded valley 20 miles south of San Jose, about an hour from the Monterey Peninsula and San Francisco. This is not a resort in the traditional sense, but rather a private club that makes its lodging and leisure facilities quietly available to nonmembers. Accommodations range from Fairway Rooms and bungalows, with private patios and jetted tubs, to 1,100-square-foot Villa Suites and four-bedroom Fairway Homes. Dining options include Il Vigneto for classic Italian cuisine, and One Iron Bar, offering local California fare. Review Courtesy of Andrew Harper - Travel Partner with Wide World of Gol

FOUR SEASONS BILTMORE - SANTA BARBARA - Cosmopolitan Mission-style resort, recently renovated at a cost of $240 million, on a lush 20-acre estate across the street from the public beach in Santa Barbara, 2½ hours north of Los Angeles. Red tile roofs, courtyard gardens and whitewashed cottages distinguish the 207-room enclave. A variety of lodgings includes many with private patios and fireplaces. Few offer views of the sea, the exceptions being Specialty Rooms such as #702 and #706, the coveted upper-floor corner room #703 with a panoramic wraparound balcony, and the fabulous Anacapa Suite. Relaxing hacienda-style lounges, cocktail terrace and two indoor/outdoor restaurants, including Bella Vista, serving California-Italian cuisine backed by an exceptional wine list. Amenities include a sophisticated spa, recently renovated beach club, fitness center, cabana-skirted outdoor pool and three lighted tennis courts. Golf is available nearby, and children’s programs can be arranged. Review Courtesy of Andrew Harper - Travel Partner with Wide World of Golf

LODGE AT TORREY PINES - LA JOLLA - Charming resort hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, adjacent to the famed Torrey Pines Golf Course and a 2,000-acre seaside nature reserve. The rambling sandstone lodge embodies an appealing and distinctive early 1900s California architectural style. Attention to historic detail carries over to the 170 spacious accommodations distinguished by Craftsman-style furnishings and basket-weave marble flooring; gas fireplaces enhance the recommended Palisade Rooms, which offer ocean views across the golf course. Cozy bar, superb A.R. Valentien restaurant and casual clubhouse grill. Amenities include a large outdoor heated pool and a lavish spa. Tee times can be reserved for Torrey Pines’ two legendary municipal links, the site for the annual PGA Buick Invitational and the 2008 U.S. Open. Review Courtesy of Andrew Harper - Travel Partner with Wide World of Golf

THE MISSION RANCH - CARMEL - Relaxing inn overlooking meadows and a rocky coastline, adjacent to Carmel Mission and just minutes from Carmel’s stylish shops and galleries. Owned by actor-director Clint Eastwood, the historic 1850 farmstead is complemented by 31 accommodations (no A/C) in several restored outbuildings and garden bungalows; Meadowview #19, #22 and #25 feature carved king beds, sitting areas, fireplaces and porches. A delightfully informal restaurant and a convivial piano bar both face windswept Point Lobos. Amenities include six tennis courts and an exercise room. Review Courtesy of Andrew Harper - Travel Partner with Wide World of Golf

RESORT AT PELICAN HILL - NEWPORT BEACH - Sequestered south of Los Angeles in the verdant hills between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, The Resort at Pelican Hill looks, from a distance, like a slice of Tuscany transplanted beside the Pacific. The hotel opened in November 2008, and its 504 acres of grounds have been landscaped with groves of olive, cypress and fig trees. Pelican Hill is actually two hotels in one. There are 204 Bungalow rooms and suites south of the main building, set at different levels to ensure privacy and memorable views. (The Pacific is visible from about half of the accommodations.) Then there are 128 Villas to the north, in two-, three-, or four-bedroom configurations with full kitchens and butler service, plus a dedicated pool and clubhouse. These are separately gated and have become popular with Hollywood notables in search of discreet getaways. They are also ideal for family stays, as there is a children’s area, Camp Pelican, with its own pool and daily activities. Villa guests have full access to all of the facilities of the resort. The bungalows come as single rooms (unusually spacious at 847 square feet) or as one- or two-bedroom suites with combined living and dining areas. Our single room proved airy and bright, with a gas fireplace set in a handsome limestone chimney, and a comfortable sitting area adjacent to an expansive terrace. In addition to the expected amenities, it provided a sophisticated Bose sound system and a wet bar. The spacious bath had vanities set in granite counters, a walk-in shower with a stone bench, and a soaking tub. Sumptuous materials have been employed in a pleasant, if rather bland, palette of light browns, creams and olives. The centerpiece of the resort is the stunning Coliseum Pool. A perfect circle 136 feet in diameter, it is claimed to be the largest such pool in the world, made all the more eye-catching by the 1 million hand-set blue glass tiles. Poolside cabanas come with refrigerators, flat-panel TVs and service from the adjacent Coliseum Grill. There, casual fare is complemented by more substantial dishes such as grilled Angus skirt steak and sesame-crusted ahi tuna. Pelican Hill’s formal restaurant is Andrea, in the main building, where the focus is on Northern Italian cuisine. The ingredients are pristine, the preparations delicious, and overall, the cooking is sophisticated yet unpretentious. Standout dishes from our dinner included a superb pasta of pumpkin ravioli with parsley pesto and a roasted pork loin with seasoned sliced potatoes. Tom Fazio designed the 36 holes at Pelican Hill’s two championship golf courses, as well as the 18-hole Oak Creek Golf Club nearby, which means golf heaven for enthusiasts. Also notable is the resort’s 20,000-squarefoot spa with 22 treatment rooms plus sauna, steam and a Roman-style whirlpool bath. Overall, Pelican Hill is a lavish, carefully planned and well-managed resort in a lovely setting. Review Courtesy of Andrew Harper - Travel Partner with Wide World of Golf