Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts

Hollywood's Playground - Palm Springs, USA


Resort: La Quinta Resort and Club, Palm Springs
Rating: 5*
Cost: £££
Website: http://www.laquintaresort.com/

On a recent visit to California, I stopped for six days in Palm Springs. My home for those six days would be the huge La Quinta Resort and Club, a hotel renowned for it's spa facilities, championship golf courses and for being a hang-out for the rich and famous (Paul McCartney had been staying the week before I arrived). This resort is also a member of Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts. (The full blog for my visit to Palm Springs can be found here).

After driving through the main gates and up the long driveway, you are immediately struck by the fact that most of this resort is relatively flat i.e. not many floors. I made my way to the white reception building, happy to take a break from the blazing sun and checked in with the receptionist.

Area outside Main Reception

After check-in, I was asked "what number series of room are you in?" I was slightly confused - despite hundreds of nights spent in hotels across the world, this was a question I had never been asked. Looking frantically through what I had been handed by the receptionist (room keys, resort information, resort map), I found my number. "I'm in the 200's," I replied. I was advised to wait rather than going looking for my room and I soon knew why.

A member of staff riding a buggy (presumably taking a break from use on the golf course) appeared, put my case on the back and drove me (yes, drove) to my room. Clearly I hadn't understood the size of this resort (which I later found out was 45 acres). Due to the size of the resort, it is said to be a popular retreat for celebrities who enjoy the private nature of a premium resort, yet still have the freedom to walk around large grounds.

Moon and Mountains at La Quinta


The resort offers two main types of accommodation: Casitas (either Resort, Deluxe, Starlight or Hideaway) and Suites/Private Residences. There are 42 swimming pools in the resort, with around 10-15 apartments conglomerating around each pool.

Around the resort


The resort features five Championship golf courses:

  • Greg Norman Course at PGA West
  • La Quinta Resort Dunes Course
  • The Stadium Course at PGA West
  • La Quinta Resort Mountain Course
  • Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West
which are all set under the impressive backdrop of mountains, palm trees and sunshine.

Aside from golf, there are a full range of activities within the resort from tennis courts, to fitness suites, spa facilities, yoga classes, routes to hike, as well as plenty of places to shop (everything from Tennis and Golf equipment, to clothes, jewellery and souvenirs).

Poolside


I had the opportunity during my visit to test many of the dining facilities within the resort. Morgan's in the Desert prides itself on showcasing local ingredients to deliver stunning cuisine (during our reading of the menu, the head chef came out to discuss with us his choices for best dishes) and we had an incredible meal here. Twenty6 offers a twist on American-bistro style food and a great selection of local beers. There is also Adobe Grill, a Mexican restaurant. Finally close to the golf courses there is also Ernie's, MD Grill and Wallaby's West options, and the Centre Court Café at the tennis area.

La Quinta by night

After my stay at La Quinta, it was time to head for San Francisco (blog coming later).

Pondering Along Review Amenities: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Rooms: 4/5
Cleanliness: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4.25/5

Final Comments:
A grand resort perfectly located beneath the surrounding mountains and palm trees. While the rooms were clean and generous (especially with a pool outside the front door) I feel some of the décor (particularly bathrooms) could do with a refresh. Great food options, but not as many as some other resorts and as neither a golfer or tennis player, I felt a lot of the amenities catered towards them. Excellent service (including much needed map during check in) and a very pleasant stay.

Don't Miss: Morgan's in the Desert



Resort Review - La Quinta Resort and Club, Palm Springs, USA


I found myself on a recent trip to Colorado Springs, the second largest city in Colorado, USA (behind Denver). The "City of Millionaires," so-called after the discovery of gold on the Pikes Peak mountain, one of the largest gold finds in U.S. history, was reached after a 10-hour flight from London to Denver and a 1.5 hour coach ride, with the -7 hour time difference from the UK taking some getting used to.

I would be staying at The Broadmoor, a stunning resort of accommodation, fine-dining, and activities that could boast a Five-Star rating for over 50 years. (I've written a blog specifically about the resort, which can be found here.)

Early morning at The Broadmoor Resort


Despite the name, there are actually no springs to be found in Colorado Springs (there are however, springs in nearby Manitou Springs). Rather, I would find myself involved in various activities, visiting nearby towns and sights and sampling much of the local food and drink.

Firstly, a quick note about the weather. I travelled here in late October and for the most part, it was quite chilly. Colorado Springs is found over 1-mile above sea level and the effects of altitude were something I had been warned about before travelling. Not only does the altitude affect the temperature (the mornings are very cold, and even by afternoon it was still jacket-weather), but it was also easier to be caught short of breath, particularly after a long walk or climb.

Early Morning Walks along the Cheyenne River 


For eating, good food wasn't hard to find. From the strange (popcorn covered with cheese), to the traditional (fish and chips in traditional English-Style pub The Golden Bee) to the interesting (Bison Steaks at MacKenzie's Chop House) I never went hungry for long.

Alongside the eating, there were plenty enjoyable drinking experiences too. Visiting Colorado Springs gave the beer-drinker in me a chance to sample some locally brewed beers. From finding one of my personal favourites on draft for the first time (Odell IPA) to sampling beers from local brewers Bristol Brewing Company (Laughing Lab Scottish Ale and Red Rocket IPA) I had many pleasant drinks here.

Sampling the local beer from Odell & Bristol Brewers

From the hotel, I was able to take a trip to a few nearby sites. The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Centre allows you to hike around huge red sandstone formations once thought to be held sacred by local tribes. Climbing higher within the park, the view soon opens out to the surrounding towns and mountains (including one of America's most famous mountains, Pikes Peak, which makes up part of the Rocky Mountains.


Breathtaking views in the Garden of the Gods Park

The following day I made my way up part of Pikes Peak to the zip-lining area. This involves donning a hard-had and safety harness and one last bathroom stop (if the fear has set in) before an extremely bumpy jeep ride uphill. Before I knew it, I was throwing myself from the side of the mountain, flying upside down across huge valleys trying my best not to scream too loudly.

Flying High at Pikes Peak Ziplining

Before making my way back to the U.K., I opted for one last trip to nearby Manitou Springs. After a long lunch on a terrace (at the Stagecoach Inn) I passed an afternoon wandering about this gold-rush town and speaking to the locals. I asked a local shopkeeper about the "Emma Crawford Races" I had seen advertised on posters throughout the town.This is a local 'coffin' race and parade where many locals design cart-like buggies and race them on a specially designed track. Emma Crawford was a young woman who came to Manitou to seek a cure for an illness from the local springs but she sadly died and was buried. However, she had been buried too shallow and after a period of heavy rain, her coffin was washed downhill, frightening the locals and convincing them that she was haunting them. Or so the story goes.


Advertising the Emma Crawford Races in Manitou

Other activities in the surrounding area that I unfortunately didn't have time to visit are the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (the only mountainside zoo in the U.S.), the United States Air Force Academy, The Olympic Training Centre and the Pikes Peak Cog Railway.

Finally it was time to make my way back home. Another coach journey to Denver International Airport - an airport rife with theories of hauntings, and a huge red-eyed horse statue to greet you at the entrance - and a flight back through Heathrow, to Glasgow.

Where I Stayed





City of Millionaires - Colorado Springs, USA

Resort Review - The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, USA

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