Great report, thanks! Having stayed in or knowing people who have stayed in all of those (we live in SoCal), we completely agree with your assessments.

We are going to Amangiri next year and can't wait. Your review makes us salivate even more--as it reinforces all that we've expected from everything we've read and heard.

For those who love the Bel Air but might like a bit more central location to LA shopping/nightlife, we might recommend the Peninsula Beverly Hills, but both are wonderful (and better IMO than the FS Beverly Hills). Shutters to us is so overrated/overpriced, as well, but some just want to be at the beach.

Carmel is incredibly dog-friendly, so if you don't like it you should avoid most properties in the area--as most permit dogs. The Carmel Valley Ranch is likely the most luxe of all in the vicinity of town, but it isn't in the same league as a FS, Pen, or MO, understandably. (We'll be there again, with our dog, in the fall for a wedding.)

The FS SF is hit or miss in our book. If you're in high season summer/early fall, it is often a miss--so we avoid it then. If you're in lower season or outside normal tourist seasons, it's much better service. We are SPG Plat, so we often stay at the St. Regis, W, or even Westin all in SOMA (all within a few blocks of each other), and the Westin St. Francis is also nice--for much less than the St. Regis, FS, or W. The Westin Market St might be the best bet for value. There are many other more luxe properties in SF, too--so don't feel you need to stay at the FS, Ritz, or St. Regis. The MO is wonderful and our non-SPG favorite in the city, but it is usually pricier. If you're out of high season, you can often find a room type in a 4-5 star in SF that gives you a bit of a deal, and we often go that route when there for leisure.

And the MO is the best in Las Vegas for us, as well. True luxury without any casino. Better located than the FS. More luxury than the Wynn/Encore or Bellagio IF you like the Asian style luxury look--otherwise, the FS, Wynn/Encore, or Bellagio might better suit you. Aria isn't bad, either, especially their SkySuites.