9 Best Hotels in The Inland Empire, California

This boutique inn on a corner opposite the College Heights Lemon Packing House entertainment and shopping complex is the most attractive lodging option in Claremont Village. The lounge here hosts a European-style breakfast buffet in the morning and a lively tapas bar in the evening (live music in summer). In fine weather, that same lounge expands into a courtyard with fountains, fire pits, and dining areas. Rooms, done in a simple mid-century modern style, are spacious. Some have glorious soaking tubs, and all have outdoor seating or private balconies.

This lakeside lodge offers water or forest views from private patios or balconies, and there's a warm and comfy atmosphere throughout thanks to the many fireplaces and birchwood decor. Rooms have down comforters, marble counter tops, and flat-screen TVs. The Spa of the Pines offers facials, massages, and other body treatments. The restaurant Bin189, with its granite-and-pine decor and private wine-tasting room, serves international and American specialties.

A National Historic Landmark, this property grew from a modest adobe lodge in 1876 to the current grand Spanish Revival–style inn—one where each guest room has plush amenities, unique design touches, and priceless antiques. From the late 1800s to 1935, owner Frank Miller enlarged and embellished the property with decorative items such as Tiffany glass, an antique Asian bell collection, and fine paintings. In 1992, after a long period of decline, the inn was purchased and renovated by Duane Roberts, who preserved its grand archways, flying buttresses, secluded gardens, and inspirational chapels. Elite guests over the years have included 10 U.S. presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan among them. The walls of the bar feature photos of Barbra Streisand, Betty White, and members of multiple generations of the Bush family. The popular Mission Inn Restaurant and Duane's are where locals go for special occasions. Hand-painted frescoes, Venetian chandeliers, and barrel-vaulted ceilings are regal features of the Tuscan-style Kelly's Spa, which has 12 treatment rooms and two private villas with outdoor teak rain showers, marble-encased aromatherapy baths, and flat-screen TVs. Both spa patrons and hotel guests have access to a gorgeous swimming pool. 

Big Bear lodging went up a big notch with the opening of this property, which is laid out like a microvillage with a main road draped in market lights and eight, uniquely themed, superbly decorated (with mid-century and other vintage touches) two-story cabins. Most accommodate two to four people, and all have a stocked kitchenette, queen beds, and a cozy living room with a fireplace and 50-inch TV. Private patios with barbecues, cedar soaking tubs, and beach cruisers are other amenities that make you feel right at home. The keyless entry and lack of a lobby add an element of privacy and freedom. Although there's no on-site restaurant, Big Bear Village is about a mile away.

One of the few lodging options in Oak Glen, this bed-and-breakfast in a historic stone home features mountain views, 1920s decor, and plenty of charm. If you book the entire house, you have kitchen access; single-room stays include a hot breakfast in the formal dining room; and all bookings have access to the living room, game room, wet bar, and gardens. Rooms (two of which share a bathroom) have antique touches like four-poster beds, crystal doorknobs, and creaky floorboards. The sprawling grounds include a fenced-in yard, a firepit, a barbecue area, and lawn games.

This bright pink inn on the way to the ski lifts feels remote and peaceful, thanks to the surrounding pines and sprawling back gardens. The colorful rooms have names such as Golden Delicious, Pippin, and McIntosh; all have gas fireplaces, floral wallpaper, and four have Jacuzzis. Some family rooms are available. A common room has a wood-burning stove, game table, and library loft. Included in the rate is a full breakfast—ranging from blueberry French toast to strawberry crêpes—which is served at 9 am at a communal table. 

The hotel of choice for parents visiting children attending local colleges has spacious rooms clustered in three mission-style buildings that surround a flower-decked central courtyard. The best rooms have landscaped terraces or inviting balconies where you can enjoy an afternoon cocktail overlooking the pool and garden. Decor and appointments are simple, and the grounds are clean and well maintained. Extra bonuses include the market, gym, pool, business center, piano bar, and free breakfast for club members.

With limited accommodations in Oak Glen proper, consider staying in neighboring Cherry Valley at this 15-acre estate, where a three-story mansion has eight bedrooms—each with a private bath and access to the library, dining area, kitchen, and bar—and the grounds have four private cottages with kitchenettes, all of which can be booked if the entire estate isn’t reserved for a wedding or other private event. On-site amenities include tennis courts, a catch-and-release fishing pond, a barbecue area, a swimming pool, and a horse ranch.

This property sprawls over 360 acres, and rooms have private patios or balconies that overlook the resort's championship golf course. Renovated rooms are decorated in resort-lodge style, with soothing earth tones and plush furniture, while upper campus rooms are slightly more affordable; among these it's worth splurging for a corner premium suite with a wraparound balcony and mountain views or for privacy and space, request the three-bedroom Creek House. The restaurant, Cork Fire Kitchen, which serves California farm-to-table cuisine, has an inviting outdoor seating area and garden from which ingredients are harvested daily.

Guests can take advantage of three different level tracks at Temecula Creek Inn’s 27-hole golf course.