La Quinta Resort & Club, Curio Collection

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to La Quinta Resort & Club on Eisenhower Drive, I wasn’t expecting much. The name had me thinking budget motel chain, you know? But then you actually drive through those gates and realize this place has been tucked away in the Coachella Valley since the 1920s, sprawling across what feels like half of La Quinta with those classic Spanish colonial buildings and mountain views that’ll make you forget you’re technically in the desert.

The thing about this resort is it’s got that old-school Palm Springs vibe without the Palm Springs crowds – which honestly makes sense since you’re about 20 minutes southeast of there, closer to Indian Wells and all those golf courses. Speaking of golf, they’ve got multiple courses right on property, and I mean right there. You’ll hear the occasional golf cart puttering by if you’re staying in one of the casitas near the fairways, but it’s actually kind of charming. The rooms themselves are spread out in these low-rise buildings connected by walkways lined with palm trees and bougainvillea, so it feels more like a little village than a hotel. Some of the casitas come with fireplaces (which you’ll actually want on those surprisingly cool desert nights), and the bathrooms are bigger than most people’s bedrooms back home.

What really sold me on this place was stumbling onto their main pool area around sunset – there are actually five pools scattered around the property, but the main one sits right up against the Santa Rosa Mountains, and when that golden hour light hits those peaks, well… let’s just say I understood why Hollywood types used to escape here back in the day. The resort definitely shows its age in spots (I mean, some of the furnishings could use updating, and the Wi-Fi can be spotty), but there’s something refreshing about a place that isn’t trying to be the newest, shiniest thing in the valley. The staff genuinely seems to know the area too – they steered me toward some great hiking trails in the Indian Canyons that I never would have found otherwise. And here’s a practical tip: if you’re planning to explore the valley, you’re perfectly positioned. You can hit the Living Desert Zoo, the aerial tramway, or even make a day trip to Joshua Tree without dealing with the traffic nightmare that is Highway 111 through downtown Palm Springs.