With a marble-and-glass lobby and luxurious rooms, this hotel across from the Capitol and adjacent to the convention center is arguably Sacramento's finest. The multitiered, glass-dominated hotel has a striking Mediterranean design. The best rooms have Capitol Park views. The service and attention to detail are outstanding. Governor Schwarzenegger, whose family still resides in Southern California, camps out here several nights a week. www.hyatt.com. 500 rooms, 24 suites. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, bar, pool, gym, concierge, laundry service, parking (fee). AE, D, DC, MC, V.

The whimsically decorated mock-Victorian rooms at this 1879 hotel give a modern twist to the excesses of the era. Antique furnishings include iron-and-brass beds, gingerbread flourishes, and, in one room, art-deco appointments. The two front rooms, which can be noisy, have balconies. The menu at the hotel's fine restaurant ($$$-$$$$) changes quarterly and ranges from country hearty to contemporary eclectic. You can eat in the bright dining room or on the patio, but not on Monday or Tuesday and for lunch only on weekends, when the hotel has a two-night minimum stay. www.imperialamador.com. 6 rooms. In-hotel: restaurant, bar. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Full breakfast.

Pine paneling, historical photos, and old mining tools recall Mariposa's heritage at this modern B&B. A suite that sleeps five people includes a full kitchen. All rooms have private entrances, baths, and decks. The large grounds include a creek where you can pan for gold. www.littlevalley.com. 4 rooms, 1 suite, 1 cabin. In-room: refrigerator. In-hotel: no-smoking rooms. AE, MC, V. Full breakfast.

Thoroughly modern and tastefully landscaped, the Mariposa is a solid option for those who want to stay within 30 mi of Yosemite National Park without spending a fortune. www.mariposalodge.com. 45 rooms. In-hotel: pool, no-smoking rooms. AE, MC, V.

Remoteness is one of McCaffrey's appeals -- it's about 20 mi east of Jamestown on Highway 108 in the mountain community of Twain Harte. Its other draws are lovely furnishings and friendly innkeepers. Each room has a private bath, a black-iron fire stove, and bed quilts that were made in Pennsylvania Amish country. Coffee, tea and snacks are served in the afternoon. www.mccaffreyhouse.com. 8 rooms. In-room: VCR, Wi-Fi. AE, MC, V. Full breakfast.

This 1855 stone hotel, whose register has seen the signatures of Mark Twain and the bandit Black Bart, figured in Bret Harte's short story "A Night at Wingdam." Accommodations are in the hotel and a modern motel-style addition. The older rooms are furnished with antiques, many of them large and hand carved. The hotel has a convivial old-time restaurant ($-$$$) and saloon, which can be noisy into the wee hours. www.murphyshotel.com. 29 rooms, 20 with bath. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

The National has been in business since 1859, and the furnishings -- brass beds, regal comforters, and lace curtains -- are authentic but not overly embellished. The saloon, which still has its original redwood bar, is a great place to linger. The popular restaurant ($-$$$) serves big lunches: hamburgers and fries, salads, and Italian entrées. More upscale continental cuisine is prepared for dinner (reservations essential). www.national-hotel.com. 9 rooms. In-room: VCR, dial-up. In-hotel: restaurant, bar. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Continental breakfast.

Most accommodations at this bright creekside inn are typical motel units, but there are eight two-story chalets and eight rustic cottages with efficiency kitchens and gas-log fireplaces in a secluded wooded area. For a fee, you can ride on the hotel's narrow-gauge railroad, which offers excursions through Maidu Indian homelands and a Chinese cemetery from gold-rush days. www.northernqueeninn.com. 70 rooms, 16 suites. In-room: kitchen (some), refrigerator. In-hotel: restaurant, pool. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Mediterranean-style two-story buildings cluster around a large artificial lake on an 18-acre landscaped site a few miles northeast of downtown. Rooms are enlivened with art-deco appointments and furnishings; many have a patio or balcony. The Radisson is more resortlike than other Sacramento-area hotels. www.radisson.com/sacramentoca. 307 rooms, 22 suites. In-hotel: 2 restaurants, room service, bar, pool, gym, bicycles. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

This hotel, less than a block from the campus, is named for the University of California at Davis "Aggies," the school's team name. Rooms are clean and basic; convenience is what this place is about. www.stayanight.com. 25 rooms, 9 suites. In-room: kitchen (some). In-hotel: laundry service. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Continental breakfast.

This B&B adjacent to the Deaver Vineyards tasting room occupies a bucolic lakeside spot in the Shenandoah Valley. A contemporary Cape Cod-style structure has homey guest rooms with private baths. Public areas include a living room with fireplace and a music room with a view of the lake. www.amadorharvestinn.com. 4 rooms. In-room: no TV. AE, MC, V. Full breakfast.

This B&B near the Capitol encompasses two homes. The original house, the Poet's Refuge, is a Craftsman-style home with five bedrooms named for famous writers. The second is an 1897 Dutch colonial-revival home named Musician's Manor. Baths are tiled in Italian marble; some rooms have skylights, fireplaces, patios, and two-person spa tubs, or a combination of some of those features. www.amberhouse.com. 10 rooms. In-room: VCR, dial-up, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: concierge, no-smoking rooms. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Full breakfast.

This inn is perfect for a romantic getaway. Its elegant Victorian rooms vary in size, but all are furnished with period pieces. The three antiques-filled parlors carry on the Victorian theme. A bakery on the property provides the fresh pastries at breakfast. www.barrettagardens.com. 5 rooms. AE, MC, V. Continental breakfast.

Convenience and price are the main attractions of this two-story motel just off the highway. Many rooms have gas fireplaces. If you want an in-room refrigerator and microwave, you'll need to pay $5 extra. www.bestwestern.com. 118 rooms. In-hotel: restaurant, pool, laundry service. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

This motel's serviceable rooms are decorated in the chain's trademark pastels. The pool comes in handy during hot summer months. www.bestwestern.com. 105 rooms. In-hotel: pool, parking (no fee). AE, D, DC, MC, V.

The standard motel-issue rooms at this East Sonora establishment are clean and roomy; the larger ones have outdoor sitting areas. Suites have fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and tranquil hillside views. Because the motel is right off Highway 108, the front rooms can be noisy. www.bestwestern.com. 96 rooms, 4 suites. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, pool. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

The rooms in this restored 1856 hostelry are furnished with period antiques. Two have balconies overlooking Main Street, and six rooms open onto a second-floor parlor. All the accommodations have private half baths, with showers nearby; robes and slippers are provided. The restaurant ($-$$$; closed Monday), one of the Gold Country's best, serves French-accented California cuisine complemented by a large selection of the state's respected wines. The What Cheer Saloon is right out of a western movie. Combined lodging, dinner, and theater packages are available. www.cityhotel.com. 10 rooms. In-hotel: restaurant, bar. AE, D, MC, V. Continental breakfast.

Four of the rooms at this B&B on 2½ acres in the state historic park are inside a restored 1852 Victorian. Two suites, with kitchenettes, are in the carriage house. Appointments include antique double and queen-size beds, handmade quilts, stenciled friezes, and fresh flowers. The owners can direct you to tour operators leading rafting trips on the American River. www.colomacountryinn.com. 4 rooms, 2 suites. In-room: kitchen. No credit cards. Full breakfast.

A state landmark, this 1857 Gothic-revival mansion stands on a forested hillside overlooking Nevada City, and is a special place for those who appreciate the finer points of Victorian interior design. Its brick exterior is trimmed with white-icicle woodwork. A steep private pathway leads down through the terraced gardens into town. Handsome antique furnishings and Oriental rugs decorate the rooms. Red Castle features an opulent afternoon tea and morning breakfast buffet that is unparalleled among Gold Country B&Bs. www.historic-lodgings.com. 4 rooms, 3 suites. MC, V. Full breakfast.

This 1885 Victorian mansion has a grand mahogany staircase, a stained-glass atrium, frescoed ceilings, and carved and tiled fireplaces. Dormitory rooms and bedrooms suitable for singles, couples, and families are available, as is a communal kitchen. www.norcalhostels.org. 70 beds. In-room: kitchen, no TV. MC, V.

A 10-minute walk from downtown, one of Placerville's oldest homes has been transformed into a lovely and relaxing oasis. The main house, cottages, and gardens are filled with paintings and sculptures. Privacy is treasured here. A suite with a sitting room and stained-glass windows occupies the main house's top floor. One cottage has a little white-picket fence around its own minigarden; another has a two-person shower. www.theseasons.net. 3 rooms, 1 suite. In-hotel: no-smoking rooms. MC, V. Full breakfast.

This gleaming-white Victorian mansion three blocks from the Capitol has rose-color guest rooms with handsome furniture, including four-poster or canopy beds. Bathrooms are tiled in Italian marble and have Jacuzzi tubs. Restaurant Chanterelle ($-$$$) serves contemporary continental cuisine in its candlelighted dining room and pleasant patio area. www.sterlinghotel.com. 17 rooms, 2 suites. In-room: dial-up. In-hotel: restaurant, room service, bar, laundry service, parking (fee), no-smoking rooms. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

If you're touring the Gold Country on a budget, this hotel is a good choice. The rooms contain coffeemakers, and most have queen-size beds; four rooms are wheelchair accessible. 52 rooms. D, MC, V. Continental breakfast.

The contemporary-style rooms at this well-maintained property are softened with teal and pastel colors. Though it's close to the freeway, the motel is fairly quiet. The expanded continental breakfast includes many choices of baked goods, cereals, fruits, and juices. 77 rooms, 2 suites. In-room: dial-up. In-hotel: pool, gym, spa, laundry facilities, no-smoking rooms. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Continental breakfast.

The main veranda of this 1860 Queen Anne Victorian overlooks a huge lawn that rolls past a rose-covered arbor to the creek below. You can play croquet on the lawn or pan for gold in the creek. All rooms have king- or queen-size beds; some rooms have two-person tubs. Wine service and a full breakfast are included. www.deercreekinn.com. 5 rooms. AE, MC, V. Full breakfast.