Things to do / Travel Guide
What can we say about Palm Springs? That city, as well as all of Coachella Valley, has been called “Playground of the Stars” for the singers, actors, and other celebrities that lived and partied there from the 1920s-1970s. It lies at the foot of Mt. San Jacinto, providing one of the most spectacular mountain vistas in all of California. And with its 200 golf courses - many scenic, many sitting within the communities like a favorite couch in a living room - it's a golfer's paradise.
The whole strip of cities, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, and La Quinta, were mostly built up from the 1940s-1960s. That means most of the architecture is mid-century Bauhaus, or with wide eaves and floor-to-ceiling windows - all the more perfect for desert oasis architecture. Landing in Palm Springs International Airport will afford you a look at one of the best examples of the Palm Springs style.
As for the best and most luxurious golf courses in the region - we are talking luxury, aren't we? - you have to at least include a few rounds at the La Quinta Hotel Golf Club - Mountain Course. This baby's carved right into the mountain, for spectacular views and requiring superior course management. Other greats include PGA West's Stadium Course, and Bob Hope's Classic Course.
Luxurious Accommodations in the California Desert
Regarding where to stay in the area, it's a difficult choice for so many great, luxurious options. The landscape is littered with resorts, most (but not all) of them golf-oriented. If your desire is for luxury and some deserved pampering, consider staying at one of these excellent resorts.
Consider Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs, a resort the way they used to make them - in the 1950s. Everything in the resorts, save for the modern amenities found in every room and in the fitness room and spa, has the feel of early-1970s living room chic. You'll find sheepskin rugs, Bauhaus lamps, bold flower print tablecloths, and more. Takes you back! But the beds are comfy, the service is impeccable, and the grounds are awesome. Be sure to spend some time at the spa, and great golf courses nearby (Indian Canyons and Tahquitz Creek).
Probably Coachella Valley's best lodging, and hence the best in the California Desert region, is the Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn. This is a classical Southwest-style luxury inn, with more than a little Mediterranean charm, filled with antiques, and its halls whistling with character. The Willows is the direct opposite of Le Parker Meridien, which, to its credit, relishes the fine line it dances between kitsch and good taste. The latter contains over 150 visitor quarters, while the former contains just nine. But these nine are gems: hardwood floors, a piano, a claw-foot tub in the bathroom, a pedestal sink, a silver chandelier. These grace the rooms, and more surprises.
The best of the Willows' lot, if you're planning to host friends or family as well, is the O'Donnell House. This fantastic ranch overlooks Tahquitz Canyon, perched halfway up a mountain and with its own private entrance and parking. There are four bedrooms, each with a fireplace, plus a Great Room with plenty of restored 1920s-era antiques. A gourmet kitchen is prepared for heavy use, though a full breakfast and afternoon hors d' oeuvres and wine are provided. You sleep and live at the nether-reaches of the Palm Springs oasis.
Luxurious Dining in the California Desert
The restaurants in the strip of cities making up the Coachella Valley haven't faded one bit since the 1950s. Palm Springs residents keep coming back to Europa, on the premises of the Villa Royale Inn, itself an excellent small inn you'll love to stay at. Europa's ambiance will take you back to a Tuscan countryside villa, with white stucco walls, wooden beams, and arched entranceways and windows. The entrées are classically European and Mediterranean, such as the Mediterranean rack of lamb with a tapenade of dates, pine nuts, shallots, and Kalamata olives, or the Andalusia loin of pork. Europa's also a great place for its wine list, featuring plenty of California's best offerings.
More great wine, and some of the country's best steaks, can be had at LG's Prime Steakhouse. It's another Coachella Valley favorite, with branches in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and La Quinta; and taste is clearly the reason. Try their bone-in rib eye or their Jewel in the Crown, a dry-aged prime porterhouse. For dessert, one option among the many is the lush vanilla or cappuccino ice cream or raspberry sorbet, all made by McConnell's of Santa Barbara. For the uninitiated, McConnell's is reputed by many to be the ice cream to beat, worldwide. No small claim!
The luxurious dining doesn't end in Palm Springs. Palm Desert boasts an excellent French eatery named Cafe Des Beaux-arts. It's unpretentious - you can eat outside if you wish - but the food is excellent and presentation is taken seriously with good results. One of their signature dishes is the Bouillabaisse, with snapper, sea bass, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, and potatoes, all in a fish broth. It's enough to make a seafood-lover swoon.
The California Desert, especially Coachella Valley, with all its resorts, upscale neighborhoods, and fine restaurants, is a region made for those who know how to enjoy life. With 200 unique golf courses, some the most famous in the States, you're bound to find a dozen or two to fall in love with. The region's attractions can be summed up in three words - luxury, desert, golf.
Luxury Vacation Ideas in Palm Springs, Death Valley and the California Desert
Luxury-Vacations
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