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Located 10 minutes north of La Jolla proper, this triumphant trompe l'oeil creation at the edge of the Torrey Pines Golf Course is the fantasy of local hotelier Bill Evans (of the Catamaran), who took his appreciation for Craftsman-style homes and amplified it into a 175-room upscale hotel. The Lodge brims with clinker-brick masonry, art glass windows and doors, Stickley furniture, and exquisite pottery. Most rooms fall into two main categories. The least expensive are an unstinting 520 square feet and lavished with Tiffany-style lamps, period wallpaper, framed Hiroshige prints, and lots of wood accents; views face a courtyard carefully landscaped to mimic the rare coastal environment that exists just beyond the hotel grounds. More expensive rooms overlook the golf course and the sea in the distance; most of these have balconies, fireplaces, and giant bathrooms with separate tub and shower.

The 9,500-square-foot spa specializes in treatments utilizing coastal sage and other local plants, and there's an elegant pool. An excellent restaurant named after painter A. R. Valentien features superb seasonal vegetables; Valentien's wildflower watercolors line the walls and his personal effects and medals are found in glass bookcases. As a San Diegan, I find the embrace of local artists and the native natural environment to be absolutely inspired. My only caveat is that in polishing and augmenting Arts and Crafts style for the masses, something is lost: the soul and warmth of a true family home. But the Lodge is unsurpassed as San Diego's ultimate luxury destination, with every whim catered to by a mindful staff.

© 2005, Wiley Publishing, Inc.