What to expect: Housed in a cedar-shingled building with copper gabled roof and dormer windows, this English Colonial-style hotel features garden courtyards, a book-lined library, and lobby fireplace. It's a great choice for an upscale stay near Stanford. The hotel is a half-mile from Stanford University and the Stanford Medical Center, and across the street from the Stanford Shopping Center.

Amenity highlights: A 50-foot lap pool and a spa tub surrounded by gardens top the Stanford Park's comprehensive range of amenities. California cuisine is the star attraction at the acclaimed Duck Club restaurant. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available throughout the hotel.

Insider tip: Located on the Stanford campus, the 285-foot-high observation desk atop Hoover Tower boasts stellar views of Stanford, the Silicon Valley, and the Bay Area. The tower also includes a carillon of 48 bells cast in Belgium.