Mammoth Lakes’ first full-service, luxury hotel: The Westin Monache

California might be best known for its beaches, but its the popular ski resort of Mammoth Lakes where a new luxury hotel has just opened. The Westin Monache  is a 230-unit condo-hotel built by Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Intrawest, featuring a full-service restaurant, 24-hour room service, ski valet, rental shop and more. The first four units with another private residence club, called Talus, sits on the 10th fairway of the Sierra Golf Course in Mammoth Lakes with views toward Lincoln Mountain. An additional 19 units are planned. The resort also has  a new, high-speed chairlift, the Cloud Nine Express.