Bring The Kids … Or Not
There’s no mistaking the point at which you cross from Cathedral City to Rancho Mirage. As if the abundance of country clubs, upscale hotels and fancy riverside shopping complexes weren’t enough to tip you off, the names of the streets will do the trick — Frank Sinatra Dr., Bob Hope Dr., Gerald Ford Dr., Dinah Shore Dr.
Yeah, we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.
Just up from the intersection of Hope and Palm Canyon, practically at the valley’s precise center, is the all-new RANCHO LAS PALMAS RESORT & SPA (866-423-1195, www.rancholaspalmas.com), the valley’s “coolest” resort. We say “cool” not just for the Rat Pack vibe that permeates the resort’s trendy R Bar and Palms Café, nor just for the 27-hole, Ted Robinson-designed course. Those are cool, but at Rancho Las Palmas, they take the word more literally, with a 425-foot lazy river, 100-foot waterslides, cliff-side Jacuzzi, sandy beach and several large swimming pools.
In total, the swimming pool complex — part of the Resort’s $35 million renovation, completed in the spring of 2008 — covers more than two acres. When combined with the proximity of Rancho Mirage’s cutting-edge outdoor mall, The River, located directly across the street, Rancho Las Palmas is truly the No. 1 option for the golfer bringing the whole family on their Palm Springs adventure.
But it’s not just about the kids. The resort is located on a split property (including two adults-only pool areas for those looking to avoid the splash-and-shout set), so it’s easy for vacationers to spend weeks at Rancho Las Palmas and never trip over a tot.
“The way the property is designed, guests are able to enjoy as much — or as little — of the resort as they want,” says Josh Herman, Rancho Las Palmas’ director of marketing communications. “If you’re just here for golf, you can go straight from your room to the course without ever having to see the pool or retail areas. Likewise, if those are features you’re interested in, they are easily accessible for you. It’s truly the best of both worlds.”
By all accounts, Rancho Las Palmas’ $35 million was well spent. Granite countertops, dark-wood furniture and 42-inch plasma televisions in all the guest rooms ooze Hollywood luxury, while the aforementioned bar, café and signature restaurant have quickly become popular after-hours hangouts for the city’s uber-chic.
Even the golf course is the best of both worlds, with a shorter layout that brings it within reach of both older and younger golfers, yet sacrifices nothing to La Quinta, PGA West or the longer resort courses in terms of quality. Eighty bunkers and six lakes wait to collect errant shots, creating a layout that rewards consistency and shotmaking over pure distance.
In further positioning itself as an alternative to the more PGA-oriented resorts to the east, Rancho Las Palmas has also set its price points lower than most, and instituted stay-and-play, twilight and off-peak packages that make the resort attractive to visitors and locals alike. Through early January, $199 earns a guest one night at the resort plus unlimited golf — which, in the context of world-class resort prices, practically means free golf. Other packages designed for couples, families, even groups of girlfriends, are available online.
“We understood from the start that to set ourselves apart, we had to give people a tremendous value for their money,” Herman says. “With the rates we’ve set and the packages we’ve created, we’ve done that.”