The Pool at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara

"With three swimming pools, a 220-seat screening room, the nearby Sandpiper golf course, and hiking trails galore in the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains, it's tempting to stay put rather than head into town"

"There are three infinity-edge pools on the grounds with 26 private cabanas"

"This is a retreat as grand as the landscape; in the span of a single day you can explore a wild beach, kick back in the 42,000-square-foot spa, relax in the three saltwater pools and take in a flick in the 211-seat screening room"

"Avoid the less expensive rooms at the back of the property, where trains and cars rumble by, and request the more expensive quieter rooms overlooking the pools and ocean"

"The resort offers a ton of on-site activities, from kayaking to mountain biking to catching sun next to one of the three outdoor pools"