WEEKEND ESCAPE | SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
At Indian Wells, a family resorts to desert luxury
One night at the renovated Hyatt Grand Champions brings two days of splashing, exploring and wildlife watching a short drive away.
We don't get out much.
We have a 2-year-old.
When I recently proposed an overnight trip to Indian Wells, half an hour east of Palm Springs, my husband arched his eyebrows. But he was game.
Our idea was to pamper ourselves with a one-night splurge at a luxury resort. Mark and I immediately started fantasizing: We'd lounge poolside. We'd get kneaded by masseuses. And, oh yes, we'd have a great toddler-friendly adventure for our daughter, Zia.
Friends mentioned romantic bed-and-breakfasts. But because our getaway was meant for three, we figured the amenities of a larger facility would be more suitable. Hey, would you want to be the only couple in a hushed, candlelit dining room with a child banging her fork on the table?
We chose the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort & Spa, long considered one of Coachella Valley's best resorts. The Hyatt recently underwent a $65-million renovation, adding more than 100 rooms, installing one pool and creating a 30,000-square-foot spa. Was the spiffed-up resort worth the steep rates? And could a family find respite in a one-night getaway?
We booked at the last minute, and the least expensive room available was $269 a night plus tax and a $10 resort fee. A reservations agent agreed to throw in coupons for free breakfast when I asked about a AAA discount. (I did not tell them I was a journalist.)
Although the check-in time is officially 4 p.m., the hotel staff said we could get our room at 11 a.m. Translation: poolside by noon.
We set out on a Saturday morning earlier this month after loading our car with Zia's favorite tunes, a red tote bag containing the essential eight stuffed animals and a bag with snacks. Zia was delighted by the windmills we passed along Interstate 10 near Cabazon.
Our spacious room held a king bed and a sunken sitting area that opened onto a small balcony. The décor was bland — or exactly what you might expect from a large chain. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the obligatory coffeepot came with coffee as well as herbal and caffeinated tea. Two terry robes hung in the closet. And the staff hadn't blinked at our request for a crib.
Zia was smitten with the mini-bar, which I'd opened to refrigerate her milk. Imagine being a toddler and discovering that somewhere in the world there was a refrigerator not only scaled to your size but also placed at your eye level. This small fridge had all sorts of tiny bottles, seemingly designed for tiny hands. So as we waited for our luggage, Zia rearranged the mini-bar. (At checkout, we learned it operates with motion sensors, so we had some explaining to do.)
Our promised "garden view" turned out to be of the hotel entrance and palm-lined driveway. But we did have a nifty view of a classic red Jaguar.
Some services proved disappointing. The bellman showed up empty-handed and explained that he thought we were departing, not arriving. That evening, there was no turndown service. And breakfast took ages to arrive. In our little world, none of this mattered. But as my husband pointed out, when you pay top dollar, you expect more.
We jumped into our swimsuits and sought refuge at the hotel's six pools. We went directly to the 1-foot-deep wading pool. For a toddler, life doesn't get better than this. Zia splashed to her heart's content while Mom and Dad sprawled in chaise longues. The weather was perfect — warm sun cooled by mild breezes.
We ate lunch (hot dog, French fries and Big Daddy burger) by the wading pool and set out to explore. Adjacent to the toddler pool sits another pool, which was popular with the 4- to 12-year-old crowd. This 3 1/2-foot-deep pool had a one-story corkscrew slide, slick with warm water. Intrepid youngsters reported that lying down ensured the fastest ride. Zia was happy to watch. She went down the slide once with her father, but that was as much excitement as she wanted.
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