Hotel Cheval

Hotel Cheval offers a handsome equestrian-themed haven for corporate retreats and incentives in Paso Robles, a focal point of the burgeoning wine country scene on California's central coast. Just 16 luxury guest rooms surround the courtyard, which invites guests to gather at an outdoor fireplace. For business, the library seats up to 20 associates while the staff manages everything from audiovisual aids to catering.

The hotel, which opened in spring 2007, neighbors upscale shops, wine-tasting rooms, and a cinema. Golf and more than 170 local wineries wait within an easy drive. On weekends, Cheval's Belgian carriage horse, Chester, transports diners to nearby restaurants, including Villa Creek for Southwestern fare and Artisan for wine-country cuisine. On-site, the Pony Club Bar pours local vintages at a horseshoe-shaped zinc bar inspired by its counterparts in Paris.