Forbes Travel Guide's six elite five-star venues

(Photo: <span class="credit">Montage Laguna Beach)</span>

Montage, Laguna Beach, Calif.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in true luxury fashion, Montage Laguna Beach earned its first Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating this year. The 248-room Craftsman-style resort features a classic wood-and-stone exterior with a shingle-style roof that complements its rugged cliff-top location. You can spend your time soaking up the Southern California sun on the beach or by one of the three swimming pools.

Chef Craig Strong heads up the kitchen in this Craftsman-style restaurant overlooking the Pacific Ocean. With a wine cellar stocked with more than 2,500 labels and an ever-changing contemporary French menu incorporating ingredients from local purveyors, Studio received its first Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award in 2009. Opt for a table outside for a fantastic view—watching the sunset beyond the Laguna Beach cliffs is a must.

This 20,000-square-foot oceanfront spa makes the most of its Southern California location—the exercise studio has floor-to-ceiling, open-air windows and expansive views of the Pacific. Spa Montage Laguna Beach, which gained its Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating in 2005, takes a holistic, get-back-to-nature approach to its wide range of treatments.

Full List: The 55th Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards