Category: Hotels

  • The Chateau At Lake La Quinta

    The Chateau At Lake La Quinta

    78120 CALEO BAY DRIVE
    LA QUINTA

    This hidden gem (most locals don’t even know it’s there!) sits perched overlooking the 25-acre man-made Lake La Quinta. While small (the boutique lodging features 24 rooms, each with a lake view), the site is not short on amenities, which include an onsite restaurant (listed in my cocktails section), a sprawling lawn, a pool, a jacuzzi and a charming light-strung patio outfitted with a fire pit and plenty of spots for lounging. Thoroughly idyllic, the property, which was voted “Best of the Best” boutique hotel in La Quinta by Palm Springs Life magazine, is often booked out for weddings, so stays should be reserved far in advance.

    ★★★★

    Website

  • La Quinta Resort & Club

    La Quinta Resort & Club

    49-499 EISENHOWER DRIVE
    LA QUINTA

    Easily my favorite Coachella Valley hotel, the La Quinta Resort was built in 1926 (before the city was incorporated!) and is teeming with history. A longtime playground for the rich and famous (Frank Capra even wrote “It’s a Wonderful Life” on the premises!), the 45-acre property boasts 785 rooms, many of which are standalone casitas situated around lush courtyards, four restaurants, a café, 21 tennis courts, 8 pickleball courts, 42 pools, 53 hot tubs, six shops and five golf courses. Despite the grand size, the lodging feels intimate and private. With its undeniable ambiance, rich history, and endless charm, the La Quinta Resort remains a true desert treasure.

    ★★★★

    Website

  • Sands Hotel & Spa

    Sands Hotel & Spa

    44-985 PROVINCE WAY
    INDIAN WELLS

    Every square inch of this adults-only boutique hotel has been styled to within an inch of its life – but in the best way possible! A relative newcomer, the one-time timeshare was reimagined by designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard in 2018 into what is easily the Valley’s most Instagrammable hotel. Accented with romantic silver, green, and blush hues, the lodging is major #décorgoals! Amenities include The Pink Cabana restaurant (featured in my lunch section), bucolic grounds, an ethereal spa, 46 chic rooms and a pool lined with inviting daybeds. The neighboring Nest restaurant (a must-visit spot listed in my cocktails section) can get a little lively at night, so if you are seeking a quieter stay, ask to be placed on the opposite side of the property.

    ★★★

    Website

  • Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa

    Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa

    45000 INDIAN WELLS LANE
    INDIAN WELLS

    This spot, newly reimagined by the Tommy Bahama lifestyle brand, is, simply put, stunning! Sunsets are especially gorgeous on the sprawling central patio, which sits nestled under a canopy of lantern-strung olive trees overlooking the main pool. With dramatic mountain views, lush grassy expanses and towering palm trees at nearly every turn, it is easily one of the area’s most gorgeous lodgings. The resort also boasts two additional pools, an award-winning spa, the popular Grapefruit Basil restaurant, and multiple bars – all of them outfitted with Tommy Bahama’s signature island stylings.

    ★★★★

    Website

  • Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa

    Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa

    44400 INDIAN WELLS LANE
    INDIAN WELLS

    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.

    ★★★

    Website

  • Hotel Paseo

    Hotel Paseo

    45-400 LARKSPUR LANE
    PALM DESERT

    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.

    ★★★

    Website

  • Jw Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa

    Jw Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa

    74-855 COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE
    PALM DESERT

    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.”

    ★★★★

    Website

  • The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage

    The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage

    68900 FRANK SINATRA DRIVE
    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.

    ★★★★★

    Website

  • Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa

    Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa

    41000 BOB HOPE DRIVE
    RANCHO MIRAGE

    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.

    ★★★★

    Website

  • Two Bunch Palms

    Two Bunch Palms

    67425 TWO BUNCH PALMS TRAIL
    DESERT HOT SPRINGS

    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.

    ★★★★

    Website