Dreamy Bathtubs for a Warm Winter Soak
Luxuriating in a long, warm bath can relieve muscle tension, ease the mind, and elevate our spirits. After the year we’ve had, there may be no better elixir than slipping into the comfort of a warm, relaxing bath. We’ve picked some of the most indulgent bathtub settings at inns around the state to dream about for a future soak.
Gaige House + Ryokan
In Sonoma wine country, the deep, granite, Japanese-style soaking tubs for two are one of the signature features of Gaige House + Ryokan’s creekside and garden Ryokan Zen Suites. The thick, chiseled exterior walls of the tubs show the granite in its natural form, but the inside is polished smooth to a glossy black finish. Their ample size allow couples to enjoy a steaming soak together. Each of the suites’ granite tubs face large sliding windows that open to a private, Japanese rock garden. The modern, Asian-inspired suites also feature a separate tiled shower for two, king-size platform beds, a fireplace with a sitting area, and yukata robes with obi sashes and Japanese slippers.
Eden Vale Inn
Hidden amid lush, tranquil gardens in the Sierra Foothills, Eden Vale Inn’s seven suites each feature deep outdoor soaking tubs for two on private patios or decks. The tubs have wood-slatted privacy shades that can be rolled open to enjoy the view of the gardens and the birds flitting between the trees. The tubs also happen be to fairly high-tech. A computer-controlled system allows guests to select the temperature and fill their tub with the touch of a button. The water shuts off automatically just a few inches below the rim. The same computerized system also enables guests to control the suites’ lighting ambiance and gas fireplace. In addition to the outdoor soaking tubs, the luxurious suites all feature sophisticated décor, spa baths, and cozy robes.
Tallman Hotel
The lower garden rooms at the historic Tallman Hotel in rural Upper Lake feature teak ofuro soaking tubs on private outdoor decks. The water temperature in the deep, wooden Japanese tubs is kept around 101 °F (38°C) year round using the hotel’s sustainable, geothermal heating and cooling system. The tubs’ teak wood combined with the warm water releases a soothing aroma. In addition to the soaking tubs, the tranquil private decks also feature outdoor showers, chaise lounge chairs, patio umbrellas, and succulent planters. The room interiors evoke a romantic, bygone era with exacting period details and refined décor. All of the rooms feature Eastlake style furnishings, hand painted lighting, luxurious linens, and plush bathrobes.
Gingerbread Mansion
The Gingerbread Mansion in Ferndale is a meticulously restored Victorian with lavish guest rooms and baths furnished with period antiques that evoke scenes from a fairytale. The glamorous Fountain Suite has the most unique bath setting, featuring twin claw foot tubs placed side-by-side in front of a mirrored wall next to a fireplace with antique, hand-painted tiles, and a Victorian fainting couch. In another room, the Veneto, a claw foot tub is perched on a pedestal surrounded by hand painted murals reminiscent of Italy. In other rooms, like the Empire Suite and Rose Suite, guests can recline in claw foot tubs next to glowing fireplaces. All of the guest rooms include luxurious bath products, embroidered bath robes, and plush slippers to take home.
McCloud Mercantile Hotel
The guest rooms at the McCloud Mercantile Hotel are inspired by different aspects of McCloud’s rich history, and the assorted vintage and spa bathtubs in each room reflect that history. But the most luxurious is the sunken spa tub for two in the Shasta Wintu Suite. Honoring a local Native American tribe, the spacious suite is decorated with Native American art, rugs, and historic photography. An enormous log platform bed draped with white faux fur sits beneath one of two gabled windows with views of Mount Shasta. A few steps up from the bed, the suite’s oversized jetted tub is nestled in a corner covered in smooth black pebbled tile with heated floors. To fill the tub, water streams from a central spout in the wall of pebbles.
Benbow Historic Inn
The romantic baths of the Benbow Historic Inn’s new Founders’ Rooms evoke a bygone era. The spacious bathrooms feature vintage copper soaking tubs or claw foot tubs paired with wood-framed windows and woven black-and-white tile floors. Some of the tubs offer views of redwoods and the historic stone bridge arching over the Eel River. A variety of artisan bath bombs, bubble bath, and soaps are available at the gift shop for the ultimate soaking experience. The new rooms honor each of the Benbow siblings who originally built the English Tudor-style inn and include displays of their personal effects. While the new rooms are steeped in Old World charm, many of the amenities are decidedly modern, including remote-controlled gas fireplaces, flat screen televisions, and electrical outlets with USB ports.
Inn at Playa del Rey
Soak by a soothing fire under the moonlight in the oversized Jacuzzi tub for two at the Inn at Playa del Rey. Nestled in an alcove with windows on two sides, the inviting tubs overlook the 600-acre Ballona Wetlands nature preserve and bird sanctuary just blocks from the ocean. Window coverings are provided for guests who don’t want the egrets and herons peeking in on their bath. A romantic, double-sided gas fireplace sits at the foot of the Jacuzzi tub, separating the bath from the guest bedroom. Just five minutes from Los Angeles International Airport, yet a world away from the city, the inn is a peaceful respite with seaside cottage style and distant views of sailboats drifting out to sea with the setting sun.
Santa Ynez Inn
In Santa Barbara wine country, the intimate Santa Ynez Inn offers an atmosphere of understated, unspoiled luxury coupled with warm hospitality and beautifully appointed rooms in a tranquil setting. Many of the rooms have jetted whirlpool tubs; the suites boast oversize marble baths with steam showers and heated tile floors. But room 207 has the most inviting setting for a bath. Framed in the alcove of a large bay window, the deep soaking tub is the focal point of this luxurious guest room. The vintage-style, double-ended pedestal tub with centered vintage fixtures is a jetted whirlpool tub in disguise. The bathroom for 207 also features two vanities and a steam shower.
McCloud Hotel
The spacious Copper Suite at the historic McCloud Hotel exudes Art and Crafts style with five-panel doors, Stickley-inspired armchairs, mission lamps, and rich fabrics befitting of the period. But the suite’s true show-stopper is the freestanding double-sided copper soaking tub in the corner of the room. The shimmering tub is set against a wall of slate tile and features dark bronze fixtures. The tub begs to be filled with warm water, providing a luxurious soak for two. After a soak, guests step out onto a plush black rug and can wrap themselves in a cocoon of cozy towels and robes. The suite also features a king-size four-poster bed with luxurious linens, a slate tiled bath with a separate shower, and a semi-private balcony with a peek of Mount Shasta.
Kenwood Inn & Spa
Reminiscent of a Mediterranean village, the Kenwood Inn & Spa in Sonoma wine country offers 29 accommodations, each with a separate entrance, cozy fireplace, television, featherbed, and custom Italian furnishings. The newly-renovated Sonoma Suite offers the dreamiest bathtub setting at the inn. A modern, elegant, freestanding jetted tub with brushed bronze fixtures serves as a focal point to the suite. A three-sided fireplace stands at the foot of the tub and separates the spacious bath from the California King featherbed. The bath also includes a glass-enclosed walk-in shower, dual vanities, cozy robes, and luxurious bath products. A second fireplace warms a separate sitting room with a half bath.
Albion River Inn
At the Albion River Inn in Mendocino, 22 spacious cottages line the coastal bluff above a protected cove where the Albion River flows languidly into the sea. A number of the cottages offer jetted spa tubs or soaking tubs for two, all with mesmerizing views of the cove’s turquoise blue waters, grassy headlands, rocky islets, and the wooden trestle bridge spanning the river. In the winter, the cottages provide an incredible perch for storm watching. The cottages feature wide glass doors that open to private decks, fireplaces with leather armchairs for cozying up to the fire, and binoculars upon request. All-natural bath products and cozy robes are also included.