Sedgewick Lynch struck it rich during the California gold rush and built this Victorian house in 1877, overlooking the bay. The stately Lynch house, the first of its kind on the bluff above the beach, was preserved as a historical landmark and converted into a bed-and-breakfast in 2007. A manicured lawn and patios surround the tall white manor. Inside, the high ceilings give the dark hard-wood floors, rich fabrics, and spacious parlors room to breathe. A carpeted wooden stairway leads up to the rooms, with artwork adorning pastel-green walls.

West Cliff Inn sits above the bay on West Cliff Drive, which runs from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk south along the cliffs. Keep going and it's just three miles to a park and Natural Bridges State Beach. Behind the B&B is a mobile home park and to either side is residential housing. The hotel is within walking distance of downtown Santa Cruz, the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center, and the Municipal Wharf, with its shops and restaurants stretching out into the water. Santa Cruz itself is a community on Monterey Bay's north end, home to an eclectic mix of hippies, surfers, students, and music junkies. The city of San Jose is about a 40-minute drive north.

The intimate hotel has only 10 rooms, all on the small side with pastel tones and coastal, almost Mediterranean blue and white fabrics. All but one of the units have little gas fireplaces, with one or two sitting chairs. The king beds and wood armoires take up nearly all of the remaining floor space. However, the bathrooms are not as cramped, with marble floors, sinks, and roomy walk-in showers with marble benches. Some spaces also have separate hot tubs and one second-floor room has a private, outdoor hot tub. There's also a small one-room cottage separate from the main house in the back of the property. Each space has an iPod dock and Keurig coffeemaker, but no mini-fridge.

It's not right on the beach, but the hotel has views of Monterey Bay and the boardwalk from its perch on the bluff. The second-story porch wraps around the side of the mansion and has particularly lovely views of the wharf. Still, the main attraction is the inn's B&B service, starting with a hot buffet in the morning with selections like artichoke quiche, blueberry pancakes, and Grand Marnier French toast. Cookies are baked fresh every afternoon with wine and hors d'oeuvres served toward the end of the day. Coffee, tea, and water are available any time in the lobby. Staff members depart each evening, so there are no after-hour services unless specifically requested.