Our wedding anniversary falls on November 2nd, which always seems to prove difficult as far as planning a weekend trip to celebrate. It's a very busy time of the year and the weather doesn't always cooperate.
This year, we had originally planned a weekend at a resort in Huntington Beach to celebrate our 4th anniversary. However, as it grew closer to the date, the weather was looking increasingly bleak. I love the beach, but I often find California beaches to be too cold to enjoy, even in the summer.
On the Friday evening on the weekend before we were set to stay in Huntington Beach, we switched things up. We booked a last minute casita at the La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Desert. The weather was set to be in the nineties, which is pool perfect for us.
We took backroads and arrived shortly before eleven. Celebratory drinks were in order, so we had bell services hold our luggage as we headed to the outdoor patio bar at the Adobe Grill. We sat under the stars and pretty patio lights, while sharing a pitcher of Sangria. The night air was warm and it was a perfect start to our weekend.
Happy 4th anniversary to us!
Golf carts are a preferred method of getting around the La Quinta Resort & Club. We were told that any time we wanted a golf cart ride, we could just call up the front desk and someone would be over to shuttle us around the resort.
After our sangria binge, we decided that it would be best to take them up on the golf cart offer. The resort is huge and our rather harrowing journey to our casita made it seem even more confusing. Our golf cart driver peeled out like he was racing in NASCAR and we narrowly escaped being lacerated by tree branches. He was nice enough, but we declined any further golf cart rides. In the light of day, we realized that our casita was just a short walk to the main lobby and restaurants. We were also able to retrieve our car from the valet and park it behind our casita, which was convenient on the morning that we checked-out.
The La Quinta Resort & Club was built in the 1920's and many of the buildings are from the era. It was a popular place for celebrities and we stayed in the Ginger Rogers section. We didn't stay in Ginger Roger's casita, but we did swim in her pool! The La Quinta Resort & Club has forty-one pools. Isn't that heavenly?
Here are the pictures of our casita, which was spacious. It has a cozy fireplace and a soaking tub. This was my first time staying at a Waldorf Astoria property and I noticed the swanky touches like Salvatore Ferragamo bath products. The hotel magazine included advertisements for companies that build private yachts. I think yachts are the customary fifth anniversary present. Boats have wood. #goals
After sleeping in, we headed out in the sunshine and enjoyed the breakfast buffet at Twenty6, the resort's casual bistro located near the front desk. This was definitely an above average breakfast buffet experience, with attentive service and an awesome omelet station. They even brought us a surprise smoothie taster in a shot glass. Yum!
Here are a few pictures we took of the resort as we walked to breakfast.
After breakfast, it was time to hit the Ginger Roger's pool, which was located directly outside of our casita. I'm talking steps, a handful of feet.
The weather couldn't have been more perfect. We spent a majority of Saturday poolside and on Sunday, we were granted a late check-out, allowing us to be at the pool until noon. We had the pool completely to ourselves for about 80% of the time. It was so calm and peaceful, that I was using the hot tub and a curious road runner came right up to me. It stuck around for about ten minutes and came so close, that I could have touched it.
The Ginger Roger's pool didn't have a bar service. However, we were only a five minute walk from a bigger pool that did have a bar. We also could have ordered room service or brought our own drinks/snacks and stored them in the fridge in our room. We started basking in the sun and couldn't be bothered to go procure snacks or drinks. Our room had plenty of free bottles of water, important for staying hydrated in the desert.
Golf and Tennis are two major activities at the La Quinta Resort & Club. We don't play either, but this may have been a reason why the pool was so quiet. We truly had a magical anniversary getaway and we can't wait to return. The La Quinta Resort & Club is a gem in the desert with old Hollywood glamour and a serene landscape.