Author: lindsay

  • Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa

    Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa

    My favorite part about this hotel is its wide array of culinary options, with everything from pizza to burgers to tacos to sushi available via four onsite eateries. My family (a disparate bunch when it comes to food) stayed here a few years back and would grab nightly takeout from whichever restaurant struck our fancy before meeting in the central cocktail lounge, The Place, to dine together. We spent three nights at the hotel and were never bored with our food choices once! Additional amenities (all of which are bar none!) include a coffee bar, a spa, a pool with a sandy beach, two tennis courts, a gym, and a family game center complete with an escape room.

    ★★★

  • Hotel Paseo

    Hotel Paseo

    A newer and thoroughly welcome addition to the desert scene, Hotel Paseo is situated in one of the best locations in the area, just steps from the tony El Paseo shopping district. But there is plenty more to be had! Featuring thoroughly modern and whimsical décor, the property is hip and trendy in all the right ways, with amenities including the stellar onsite eatery Larkspur Grill (which also made my dinner list), a fitness center, a putting green, a café, a pool, daily outdoor yoga, and comfortable rooms.

    ★★★

  • Jw Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa

    Jw Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa

    Surrounded by huge lakes, which guests can tour via manned gondolas, the JW Marriott provides a resort experience like no other. Boasting an incredible 450 acres, the lodging is unbelievably massive, with 884 rooms, seven restaurants, two golf courses, three pools, a Starbucks, a putting green and a myriad of shops. It’s like Disneyland in the desert! Even if you don’t book a stay, the hotel is a must-see for its grand scale and overall spectacle alone – especially during the holidays. Each Christmas, the property truly comes alive with a smorgasbord of activities for children such as story time with Santa, cookie decorating and games galore. Bonus – the hotel is also a filming location! It was here that Jesse Spano’s dad got married on “Saved by the Bell.”

    ★★★★

  • The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage

    The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage

    The Ritz is one of the desert’s premier properties! Situated atop a 650-foot bluff, the views of the surrounding area are unparalleled – as are the amenities, which include four restaurants, a gym, multiple pools and a truly luxe spa. The customer service is also wholly singular. They say you get what you pay for, and a stay here is definitely an exclusive experience. As such, the place has welcomed quite a few celebrities like Katharine McPhee, Robert Herjavec, and Justin Bieber. Most famously, the hotel hosted the much-watched nuptials of OG Bachelorette Trista Rehn and her pick, Ryan Sutter, back in 2003.

    ★★★★★

  • Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa

    Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa

    Planning a desert getaway with children? Omni Rancho Las Palmas is the spot I’d book. Boasting a two-acre Splashtopia water park complete with a lazy river, a pool, two waterslides and a man-made beach, this lodging is kid-friendly in all the best ways. The sprawling 240-acre resort has plenty for adults to enjoy, as well, including a golf course, a spa, four restaurants, a bar, two additional pools, stunning grounds, a fabulous gift shop and one very memorable “Beverly Hills, 90210” connection.

    ★★★★

  • Two Bunch Palms

    Two Bunch Palms

    A bit removed from most Coachella Valley attractions, this 77-acre, wellness-inspired, adults-only retreat is known for being an exclusive haven. Legend has it the place served as a hideaway for Al Capone in the 1920s, but today, you’re more likely to find a bevy of A-listers on the premises. With upscale amenities like prime spa services, a stellar vegetable-forward eatery, a gym, two healing mineral pools, a lap pool, a grotto, a yoga dome, a lagoon and a multitude of tranquil tucked-away corners, Two Bunch Palms offers a desert experience like no other.

    ★★★★

  • The Velvet Rope

    The Velvet Rope

    Teeming with Old Hollywood glamour, this newly reimagined adults-only boutique lodging was masterfully designed by David Rios, who was also behind the iconic Trixie Motel. Featuring nine suites, each with its own distinct Tinseltown personality, The Velvet Rope is stylish, sexy and utterly chic. Offering highly personalized service, a plethora of elevated touches, and the glittering onsite Bar Valerie, a stay here is truly luxe!

    ★★★

  • Triada Palm Springs

    Triada Palm Springs

    Oozing Hollywood history, this spot started life as a private home before becoming the Ambassador Apartment Hotel in 1939 and welcoming such guests as Lana Turner, Elizabeth Taylor and Tyrone Power. In 2014, it was revamped by Marriott into the Mediterranean wonderland it is today. While chock full of amenities, including three pools, two bars, a restaurant, and a gym, the place remains intimate with a boutique feel. One of my family’s favorite staycation spots, we’ve spent many a weekend at Triada, enjoying the plush rooms and gorgeous grounds.

    ★★★

  • Casa Cody

    Casa Cody

    This hotel has history in spades! Initially established in the 1920s by Harriet Cody (cousin of Buffalo Bill), Casa Cody is Palm Springs’ oldest operating lodging! Intimate, serene, and stunningly gorgeous, with amenities including two pools, a hot tub, grassy expanses, gardens, an onsite bar/restaurant, and the most charming rooms and suites, the property is an absolute gem! Be sure to ask for a tour during your stay for an up-close-and-personal glimpse of its many notable sites, including one of the original Olympic cottages from the 1932 games!

    ★★★★

  • Korakia Pensione

    Korakia Pensione

    It is hard to describe this Morrocan-inspired boutique lodging in words other than to say it is absolutely magical. My husband and I once checked in for a brief two-day staycation and wound up extending our reservation to a full week as we just couldn’t bear to check out. The Korakia has that effect. Stunning, peaceful, with grounds begging to be explored and not a TV nor phone in sight, at Korakia you can check in and truly check out. Be sure not to miss the classic movies shown each evening al fresco in the tranquil courtyard.

    ★★★★