La Quinta Resort and Club ...Painted Desert
Written: Jun 10 '08 (Updated Jun 10 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Despite its size, the resort manages to feel very private, excellent rooms and suites
Cons: Could possibly be busy during the high season, rooms vary- choose accordingly
The Bottom Line: La Quinta bears no relation to the chain of the same name. A gracious and beautiful desert resort, La Quinta will take good care of you.
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| tombarnes's Full Review: La Quinta Resort And Club |
The prospect of losing a free ticket had me looking around for places to go following the Memorial Day weekend. Wanting a total change of scene from Washington, I settled upon Palm Springs. La Quinta, it is worth noting, is 19 miles south of Palm Springs in the desert. While there is a town of the same name, the resort predates the town by at least 50 years. The resort bears no relation to the motel chain.
A Brief History
Wealthy San Franciscan Walter Morgan built La Quinta as a small health resort in 1926, opening it to the public in early January 1927. It was an immediate hit with the glitterati of Hollywood who wished to be alone amongst their own in the desert. Morgan's extensive network of social connections ensured a constant influx of those in the know. Over the years, everyone from Frank Capra to Bob Hope made the arduous drive from Hollywood. Greta Garbo even lived on the property in a private house (now used for meetings). Soon, additional casitas were needed. Dwight Eisenhower, Ginger Rogers, Ronald Reagan and many others have called La Quinta their retreat. The resort expanded slowly, adopting the "resort" moniker only in the early 80's. Before 1980 the hotel had scarcely more than 70 rooms. .
Ambitious expansion plans (more like steroids for a hotel) in the 1980s and beyond would add over 700 new rooms and nearly twice the number again in the spa and golf villas. While the resort is decidedly large, a general sense of intimacy is maintained throughout the 41 acre spread.
Lobby
The lobby is really more of a series of spacious rooms. While grand enough, there is no particular reason to linger in the lobby as there are ample private places around the resort to spend your time. I had no difficulties with the desk staff, though my room was not ready when I arrived. I was happy enough to set of to explore the place while I waited. Having spoken with someone at the desk, I'd been promised an upgrade to the San Vicente Suite (or, to be more exact, one of them- there are two). Upon my return, I soon found that they'd changed their mind, but was given their assurance that I would be pleased.
Rooms and Suites
Pleased indeed. This was winning the upgrade lottery! They gave me one of the Hideaway Suites, a semi-detached villa secluded in the nether reaches of the property. To find your way back to your room, just leave a trail of breadcrumbs. Should you not like the idea of negotiating the property on your own, a legion of attendants is available to whisk you about in golf carts. It took me quite a while to get used to the eccentric layout of the property. They do give out maps, but be prepared to turn yours around a bit before finding your way. One bougainvillea covered casita looks just like the next one, but look carefully and you'll see subtle differences. In spite of the huge number of rooms, this isn't a cookie-cutter sort of place
The suite had a large living room with a large round dining table and an equally enormous bedroom beyond. If I had wanted to do my own cooking (Ha!), I could have been very happy in the completely stocked kitchen in the suite. Be aware that the contents of the refrigerator are not free, however convenient they may be- especially at 2:00 AM.
As if this weren't enough space, I could have held a conference in the bath. I even had a private walled in yard with its own burbling whirlpool. Had it not been May, I might have used the fireplaces (one served the bedroom and bath simultaneously). Flat panel televisions added a contemporary touch to the otherwise plush/rustic feel of the rooms. The furniture was good, solid and comfortable stuff without much pretension. Fresh flowers were replaced daily. Extra bedrooms are available if needed.
Bath
Talavera tiles and more fresh flowers brought distinction to even the bath. A large tub with whirlpool jets was supplemented by an excellent shower. Generous bottles of shampoo and real bars of soap are nice enough so that you might really want to take them home.
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The rooms here come in all shapes and sizes, the oldest of which are scattered about a large green lawn. A few have fireplaces or screened porches. There were a few rooms, perhaps from the early 1980s, whose appearance I didn't care for, but most are nestled quietly into the landscape. The place is forever being pruned and sculpted into near perfection by the nearly invisible army of staff. Bougainvillea creeps and crawls over most of the buildings, but it's tamed in a way that really pleases the eye.
Dining
As I visited during the slow summer season, the more formal restaurant, Azur, was closed. Pity, because it is the domain of a chef from New York's Le Bernardin. This restaurant occupies what was, for a time, the main dining room of the resort. Lofty ceilings and soft white stucco soar above the widely spaced tables to create the most inviting dining room at the resort. Still, the others are hard to dismiss.
I usually went to Adobe, their Mexican grill in the Plaza. While the main room of the restaurant is a bit bland in feeling, the balcony offers tables overlooking the plaza below. The food, while not astounding, was competently executed and almost reasonable in price. The adjoining bar offered happy hour specials which drew in a decent crowd. It is a good idea to be specific about your order, or the bartender might assume you actually intended to order that $16.00 margarita.
The new restaurant on property is the Twenty Six, a more modern effort in a place otherwise given over to the strenuous effort of seeming timeless. In short, I didn't care for its appearance- too brash and out of character with its surroundings. One big plus in its favor was a seductive courtyard outside. Never mind that breakfast is at least $30.00 any way you look at it. Lunch was not bad either, but it was not memorable for anything beyond its setting and its cost.
Spa
At a resort with over forty swimming pools and at least fifty outdoor whirlpools, why would you need a spa? I went in anyway, coaxed into the place with the promise of a mustard bath. The spa attendants were uniformly gracious and I had the run of the place all day. The mustard bath itself was something of a letdown. The attendant sprinkled a few grains of dry mustard in the (none too spacious) outdoor bath and turned on the jets. While relaxing, it was ephemeral at best. Use of the spa will cost you $25.00 per day, but if you sign up for any spa treatment it will be included in your bill. The mustard bath was $44.00 +tip. I've seen much worse gouging before.
Having the run of the place for the day, however, I returned later to use the steam room- 117 degrees of spitfire ensured that I didn't stay in there for long. During the winter season, the spa could truly serve as a retreat from the rest of the resort, but in the quiet of a May afternoon, its pleasures were stolen ones.
Other Activities
The resort is known for its tennis courts and for its golf courses as well. I did neither on this visit, but if you want to play either game, it's all there for you. The main pool is also attractive, but almost pointless in a place where throwing a cat will will get you a wet cat in on time at all. Bicycles are available (for a fee) as well.
Cost
I visited during the slow season at a time when the temperature might have well been over 100 degrees. As it happened, I enjoyed temperatures in the high 70s. The price of the rooms during this period was more than fair. I paid only $149.00 for a "deluxe casita" of which there are many. I could have paid as little as $129.00 for a smaller room. During the high season, you could expect to pay two or three times as much. The rack rate of my suite was $3500.00. I think I got a good deal.
Service
The staff are well trained and unobtrusive. I never lacked for anything and most staffers I encountered were eager to please. The few bits of evidence that Hilton had taken over (the resort is part of the Waldorf=Astoria Collection) were limited to the presence of piped music in the restaurants and other hardly noticeable things. For the most part, one would hardly know of its affiliation.
Getting There
I was a bit disappointed that the resort did not provide shuttle service from the Palm Springs Airport. I made my own arrangements for about $95.00 round trip. Had the hotel arranged a taxi for me it would have been $70.00 one way. There is no public transportation.
Overall
La Quinta may not be the secluded desert retreat it once was, but you can be comfortable here if you have chosen the right room. Take time to explore the grounds. if privacy is important to you, book well away from the center of the resort.
La Quinta Resort and Club
49-499 Eisenhower Drive
La Quinta, California 92253
Tel: 760-564-4111
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tombarnes
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 - Top 200 |
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Member: Thomas Barnes
Location: Fort Lauderdale & Washington, DC
Reviews written: 688
Trusted by: 444 members
About Me:
With Barbara in Miami, 2004
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