Geo Travel Blog

Looking to plan that special getaway? Choosing to stay at a West Coast inn, bed and breakfast or boutique hotel is a time-tested recipe for romance. You and your sweetheart are sure to feel pampered and refreshed after a few days of unparalleled hospitality.

Popular travel writer Karen Brown has explored both California and the Pacific Northwest and found some of the best and romantic inns and B&Bs in these two areas. Her website, Karen Brown’s World of Travel, is filled with helpful information about the West Coast, as well as exciting destinations around the world. You’ll find detailed trip itineraries, maps, and listings for hundreds of exceptions inns and hotels.

If California and the Pacific Northwest seem like a wonderful romantic destination, the following information will be most helpful. Karen Brown readers have voted these lodging choices as the “Most Romantic” and best “Splendid Splurges” in this locale:

The Tickle Pink Inn, located just south of Carmel, an unbelievably beautiful seaside village on California’s Central Coast, was voted “Most Romantic” in California by Karen Brown readersand for good reason. With access to excellent shopping, unique gourmet restaurants and world-class golf courses, this charming inn is loaded with amenities. Near the edge of Big Sur, The Tickle Pink Inn is intimate, private and elegant. Enjoy a luxurious continental breakfast in the early mornings and a fantastic evening reception with classical music playing softly in the background while you taste local wines, fresh fruits and fantastic cheeses. The rooms are well-appointed and present quaint balconies from which to enjoy the seaside view, and most are equipped with wood burning fireplaces as well. The most elegant suites boast whirlpool tubs and the luxurious king beds are graced with Egyptian cotton and down comforters.

The Karen Brown Readers’ Choice Award for the best “Splendid Splurge” in California goes to The Inn Above Tide in Sausalito. Every room has excellent views of the panoramic San Francisco Bay and offers unbelievably plush accommodations. Most of the rooms contain fireplaces and private decks, affording exquisite vistas of the night lights in the city. Enjoy the oversized tubs, flat screen TVs, luxurious linens, soft robes and Bvlgari bath products. Continental breakfasts are fabulous, and the evening wine and cheese reception is not to be missed. The Inn Above Tide also offers the Penthouse Suite with a glass-enclosed whirlpool tub overlooking the bay as well as a romantic fireplace and private deck.

The recipient of the Karen Brown Readers’ Choice Award for “Most Romantic” lodging in the Pacific Northwest is the Channel House. Located on an oceanfront bluff in Depoe, Oregon, the inn offers privacy and unparalleled beauty with ocean views and stunning countryside vistas. This charming inn exudes comfort and elegance and offers tastefully decorated rooms with hot tubs and fireplaces. Start your day with a marvelous continental breakfast before heading out to do a bit of whale watching. Or, check with the helpful staff to assist you in planning your daily adventure.

The Sooke Harbour House in Canada’s glorious province of British Columbia is a fanciful destination. Located on the Whiffen Spit Beach in the village of Sooke, this boutique hotel offers some truly unique accommodations. Each of the rooms offers a view of mountains, gardens or the sea and all have a fireplace and private balcony or terrace. The dcor is what truly sets this place apart from other coastal inns. For example, the Passion Flower room includes a bed with a headboard that resembles wooden doors opening onto a mural of a garden path. The Kitchen’s Garden room includes a shower surrounded on three sides by stained glass. Original artwork and unique furnishings decorate the other guest rooms, and each has a different theme. The hotel also has a full-service spa and a gourmet restaurant. Sooke Harbour House won the Karen Brown Readers’ Choice Award for best “Splendid Splurge” in the Pacific Northwest.