Los Angeles will host the opening of Mummies of the World, a new exhibition of a rather corporeal kind, this week, the first stop of a three-year US tour.
Whilst mummification may not be to everyone's tastes, with its sunny climate, beaches and world-famous attractions, California remains a global tourism behemoth - it receives more visitors every year than many countries, a total of 351 million domestic and international visitors in 2008.
One in five overseas visitors to the US will be visiting the state, helped no doubt in part by the appeal of walking in the footsteps of celebrities down Hollywood Boulevard, surfing the beaches of Orange County and experiencing the thrill of driving a convertible (or an SUV) along an open highway.
Mexicans account for the majority of international visitors to the state, followed by Canadians, the British, Japanese, Australians and French.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the biggest city in California and home to many of its most iconic tourist attractions. The clean, comfortable and "low profile" Elan Hotel topped the list, beating celebrity hideouts such as the Omni and Hotel Palomar.
1 Elan Hotel Los Angeles
2 Magic Castle Hotel
3 Omni Los Angeles at California Plaza
4 The Brentwood Inn
5 Hotel Palomar Los Angeles - Westwood
Average price of top five $232/€189
San Diego
The luxury Grand Del Mar topped the rankings from TripAdvisor users, sitting pretty ahead of properties by Marriott and Hilton. Guests praised the fantastic service, kind staff and spacious rooms.
1 The Grand Del Mar
2 Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Airport
3 Homewood Suites San Diego Airport
4 Homewood Suites San Diego-Del Mar
5 Pacific Terrace Hotel
Average price of top five $294/€240
San Jose
The capital of Silicon Valley boasts a good mix of business and leisure hotels, with the Moorpark Hotel the most popular.
1 Moorpark Hotel
2 Doubletree Hotel San Jose
3 Hotel Valencia - Santana Row
4 Hilton San Jose
5 The Sainte Claire, A Larkspur Collection Hotel
Average price of top five $184/€150
San Francisco
The home of Alcatraz island and the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco is a popular destination for tourists and California's fourth largest city. Fairmont's Ghirardelli Square hotel took top place ahead of Hotel Drisco, by Californian chain Joie de Vivre.
1 Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square
2 Hotel Drisco, a Joie de Vivre hotel
3 Omni San Francisco Hotel
4 The Donatello Hotel
5 The Orchard Hotel
Average price of top five $312/€254
Fresno
Fresno is the largest inland city in California, with the Garden Inn and Suites taking top spot among its hotels.
1 Garden Inn and Suites
2 La Quinta Inn & Suites Fresno Riverpark
3 Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
4 Homewood Suites Fresno
5 La Quinta Inn & Suites Fresno Northwest
Average price of top five $131/€107
Data is taken from millions of independent reviews and rankings surveyed at TripAdvisor taken on June 30, 2010.
Website: http://www.tripadvisor.com
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments