The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa

HOTEL OVERVIEW

You know what? The Westin La Paloma honestly surprised me – and I say that as someone who’s stayed at way too many desert resorts over the years. Tucked into the foothills on Sunrise Drive (which, if you know Tucson, is already putting you in prime territory), this place manages to feel both expansive and intimate at the same time. The first thing that hits you isn’t actually the lobby or the usual resort fanfare – it’s the view. I mean, you’re looking straight out at the Catalina Mountains, and depending on when you arrive, the light hitting those peaks is just… well, it’s the kind of thing that makes you stop mid-conversation.

The property itself sprawls across what feels like half the mountainside, but in a good way. There are multiple pools (honestly, I lost count), and each one has its own personality – some are family-central with kids doing cannonballs, others are tucked away where you can actually hear yourself think. The spa area is particularly well done, sort of nestled into the natural landscape so it doesn’t feel like an afterthought. What I really appreciated was how they handled the whole “resort experience” without making it feel like you’re trapped in a theme park. You can easily walk to some decent restaurants along Sunrise if you want to escape the resort dining scene, though their food is actually pretty solid. The Jack Nicklaus golf course is right there if that’s your thing – fair warning though, it gets busy during snowbird season (basically January through March when all the Midwest folks migrate down here).

Here’s what I wish someone had told me before I booked: the resort is big enough that you’ll want to pay attention to which building you’re in. Some rooms are a decent hike from the main facilities, which is fine if you don’t mind the walk but less ideal if you’re constantly shuttling back and forth. The parking situation is straightforward – no weird valet-only setups that some places spring on you. Check-in was smooth, though they do that thing where they try to upgrade you to a timeshare presentation, which you can politely decline without any drama. The 8.0 rating feels about right – it’s not going to blow your mind with cutting-edge luxury, but it delivers on what it promises. The rooms are comfortable (those Westin beds live up to the hype), and there’s something satisfying about having genuine desert landscape right outside your window instead of some manufactured resort bubble. If you’re coming during summer, just know that it’s genuinely hot – like, don’t-underestimate-the-desert hot – but the pools and air conditioning make it totally manageable.