Nick's Cove, California, US: Bit of luxury on a laid-back getaway 90 minutes from San Francisco

It's a funny thing with travel – sometimes the best experiences are right under your nose without you ever realising it. Situated 80 kilometres north, up the coast from San Francisco, my wife and I had driven past Nick's Cove many times, its alluring row of waterfront cabins never failing to pique our interest, but we never acted on it.

Then one day, we acted on it.

It's late afternoon on a crisp winter Saturday when we pull up outside the property's Restaurant and Oyster Bar. The sun is fading and there's a certain magic in the air, people drinking wine and eating oysters on the front deck, the smell of smoke winding from the cabins' chimneys, an arrow-straight pier stretching across the water towards a wooden boat shed and jetty.

Most times, when I check-in to a hotel, I can't get my room key fast enough. All I want is to throw my suitcase down and flop on the bed to unwind from the palaver it took to get there. But here, the atmosphere is such that once we have our keys, we simply opt to join the crowd, grabbing a glass of wine and meandering down the pier to watch the sun descend over Tomales Bay.

Once in our cabin though, it's hard not to be a little giddy at the prospect of a couple of nights here. A pot-bellied stove in the far corner has been prepared with firewood and kindling so all I need do is strike a match. A balcony extends directly over gently lapping waters, there's a king-sized bed, a Chesterfield sofa, dark oak furnishings and a free-standing bathtub. It's something like alpine cabin meets an admiral's mess onboard a vintage clipper ship.

There's 12 cabins at Nick's Cove, each with a distinct personality and decor. Arguably the pick of the bunch are the five waterfront properties which range in size, but the other seven across the street all have water views and can generally accommodate a larger number of people.

With night approaching, a bottle of red on the go and the fire flickering, it's tempting to never leave our new home-away-from-home, but next door's Restaurant and Oyster Bar calls.