As we bid adieu to 2025, let’s take a moment to recognize some of California’s most significant strides in hospitality. From the Golden State’s largest new build of all time to boutique properties that prove less is sometimes more, this year welcomed several new openings that are transforming travel for locals and visitors alike.

In addition to brand-new accommodations, a handful of timeless California properties also managed to complete multimillion-dollar renovations to keep up with the times. Laguna Beach’s Surf & Sand updated all 165 guestrooms, the oceanside pool deck, spa and restaurant, while Santa Barbara’s Ritz-Carlton Bacara celebrated its 25th anniversary with a property-wide transformation. This year also marked the completion of the Hotel del Coronado’s six-year, $550 million restoration project, preserving the hotel’s rich history for generations to come.

While we’ll always appreciate the iconic accommodations of California's past, we’ve also got a lot of exciting hotels on the horizon (just wait for 2026). Whether you’re looking for a modern bay-side stay in Newport Beach or a wine country escape in Healdsburg, these are California’s most noteworthy hotel openings of 2025.

Located in a refurbished surf motel from the 1960s, Bay Shores Peninsula Hotel is Newport’s newest boutique accommodation. With just 25 rooms, this charming property puts a modern California twist on mid-century bones. Expect clean and simple guestrooms with striped wallpaper, gingham upholstery and marble vanities. Pops of color appear in decorative furnishings, brass accents and checkered tiles in the shower. With the bay on one side and the beach on the other, guests can rent paddle boards and other water toys, or borrow a bike and cruise along the boardwalk. For a morning........

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