Dolphin Bay Hotel Shell Beach travel guide

Location. A member of the exclusive "Small Luxury Hotels of the World," Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa is located in Shell Beach, Calif., on bluffs that overlook the Pacific Ocean. Pismo Beach is within three miles. Shops and wineries are within five miles of the resort. Pismo Beach State Golf Course is six miles away. The hotel's concierge can arrange tours, trips, rentals and activities.

Hotel Features. The hotel's Lido Restaurant features California cuisine and an extensive local wine list. Indulgent treatments are offered at La Bonne Vie Spa, where massages include warm basalt stones drizzled in oil, facials include an antioxidant cocktail of linseed, wheat germ and sunflower, and pedicures that exfoliate with thyme, pepper and rice. The spa leads out to an infinity pool and spa tub. A children's pool and an adults' lounge area are featured.

Guestrooms. Guestrooms include one- and two-bedroom suites that boast private terraces and walk-in closets. Gourmet kitchens with granite countertops are offered. Rooms include high-speed wired and wireless Internet access, flat-panel plasma televisions with surround sound systems and DVD players.

Expert Tip. The Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa is known for its unique events. Each summer, guests gather on the first and third Wednesdays throughout the summer for Cinema Under the Stars, and every Friday and Saturday evening for Fireside Grill, where Lido Restaurant spices things up with a backyard barbecue. All year, guests can participate in Tuesday wine tastings, complemented by tasty hors d'oeuvres and panoramic Pacific Ocean views.