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As my hometown of Los Angeles suffered under a novel coronavirus spike this year, my husband and I took a very conservative approach to recreation.
Our first trip out of the county wasn't until summer, to an Airbnb in our happy place of Palm Springs where we didn't leave the private rental at all, except for groceries.
Weeks later, with cases finally dipping, we stepped out of our comfort zone for our first hotel staycation at the Four Seasons Westlake Village. We were so impressed and reassured by their COVID protocols, that we felt empowered to take our kids back to the desert to the La Quinta Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, about 25 miles from Palm Springs, for Labor Day weekend.
We've long enjoyed this property with its sprawling grounds and historic charm. It was built in 1926 on 1,400 acres with 20 original guest casitas, and it's where Frank Capra wrote "It's a Wonderful Life."
Now, it's a Waldorf Astoria under Hilton Hotels and the longest-running resort in the Palm Springs desert area. It sits on 45 acres with nearly 800 casitas, suites, and villas, and tons of outdoor space for social distancing. Plus, the property boasts 41 swimming pools (yes, that's right: 41), so I figured we'd be able to avoid crowds.
After a long closure during the pandemic (while it served as the closed-set location to film the TV show, "The Bachelorette"), it recently reopened.
Entry-level Resort Casita rooms begin at around $200, I booked a mid-tier Starlight Casita for one night for $322 with my AAA discount (plus a $35 resort fee) to enjoy a bit more space for my family of four.
After booking, an auto-generated email prompted me to "bid" for a standby upgrade, were it to be available at check-in. The idea was appealing given the pandemic, since, if accepted, I'd be upgraded to a massive villa that was larger than my own home with an entirely private pool.
The bid cost $359, which, yes, would double the price of our room for one night. But it was still a far cry from the $1,300 or so it might have cost to book outright. I went for it, and to our surprise, received the upgrade.
The splurge paid off. Not only did I find strong value in the room, but more importantly, it guaranteed safe social distancing when the hotel turned out to be more crowded than expected. Here's what it was like, and why I'd gladly return, so long as I have enough personal space.
Keep reading to see why I was so impressed by the La Quinta Resort & Club.