Classic independent inns

Tucked along Arnold Drive in the crossroads hamlet of Glen Ellen, this Sonoma Valley lodge takes its name from the writer who once roamed these hills. Rooms are furnished with antiques and come with free Wi-Fi, while the grounds hold a swimming pool for slow afternoons between vineyard visits. Downstairs, an old-fashioned saloon and a rustic restaurant mean dinner is only a staircase away — a setup that has earned it a 4.4 rating across nearly 300 reviews.

A 19th-century holdout on West Spain Street in the heart of Sonoma, The Swiss Hotel keeps its rooms small and plain in the old way \u2014 quaint quarters above a restaurant and bar that draw as many locals as guests. Meals spill onto outdoor seating, and the ground floor stays lively well past dinner. Nearly 500 reviewers have settled on a 4.5, which says something about a place that has never needed to reinvent itself.

Planted at 1 Dock Square, in the thick of Kennebunkport's walkable village center, this classic inn trades on the quiet confidence of a well-kept New England address. Rooms are done in a sophisticated register, and mornings begin with complimentary breakfast before the day unfolds at the inn's own restaurant and pub. Guests give it a steady 4.3 across nearly 300 reviews "— the mark of a place that knows its rhythms.