california dreaming: luxury is a 4-poster bed overlooking the pacific

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luxury in california is any hotel with real, oceanside views — from the albion river inn, you can wake to the waves from a four-poster bed.

we’ve written before that this inn is our favorite hotel, for romance along the pacific coast.

that was before we tried the four-poster.

this inn is our favorite, because of the spectacular views and guaranteed privacy.

there are many luxury hotels, but no amount of money spent on decor and high-thread-count sheets can capture what the albion river inn offers:  a place of quiet and romance overlooking the pacific ocean.

we’ve spent entire afternoons just sitting on “our” private deck, in big adirondack chairs, watching osprey soar over the bluffs, and hummingbirds dart among the flowers.

gardens here are full of hummer-friendly blooms, and edible blossoms chef stephen smith adds to elegant meals.

hummingbirds are so plentiful, they keep diners entertained for hours at the restaurant overlooking the ocean.

there are nikon binoculars in each room to watch them too, along with finches and hawks.

in fall and winter, we appreciate the albion river inn’s fireplaces.

a big, gas fireplace is a focal point in the art-filled restaurant.

and guest rooms still have wood-burning fireplaces, with expertly-stacked kindling and logs every day.

there’s a woodsmoke fragrance in albion river inn rooms, and cosy chairs by the fireplace too.  wine and chocolates come with every room, for apres-dinner luxury.

at night, the low moan of a foghorn reminds guests that they’re sleeping next to the ocean.

and in the morning, the best way to relax is to just watch the waves — from the four-poster or deck — and marvel at how the turquoise water of the coves deepens to green, then the sapphire blue of the open ocean.