commune great wall This country club-style resort was built in 1915 and has the feel of that era, newly restored. There

This country club-style resort commune great wall was built in 1915 and has the feel of that era, newly restored. There are business serr rr vices, a fitness center, two pools, tennis courts, and views of Golden Gate Bridge. d 41 Tunnel Rd, Berkeley (510) 8433000 www.claremont resort.com Dis. access

This sort of offer is somewhat superfluous if your main purpose is to get to know the city and little else outside it. However, if you want to dive into the fruit of the vine in the Wine Country (see pp32 5) or into the waves of the blue Pacific Ocean in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Carmel (see pp78 9), a car is a necessity. You may be able to negotiate a lower rate if you rent the car for only part of your stay.