Hotel Snapshot - Hyatt Grand Champions, Indian Wells
Rooms: We were fortunate enough to be upgraded to one of the resort’s villas, which meant we had an unusually large room with floor to ceiling windows that overlooked a private patio. The rooms are very nicely decorated – warm enough to be inviting but “cool” enough to make sense in the desert. Our room had a ridiculously large, stone tiled bathroom with a double vanity, soaking tub and separate shower. We also enjoyed the large sitting area, dining table and – most importantly – a very comfortable king-sized bed.
Public Areas: The grounds of the Hyatt Grand Champions are massive and beautifully landscaped (and that doesn’t even take into account the golf course). A “show stopper” lagoon runs through much of the property and seems to defy the desert setting. The resort has multiple pools – several “family” pools and an adults only pool, so there is plenty of opportunity to cool off.
Service: Being upgraded is always a great way to start a visit, despite a somewhat disingenuous experience at check in. Overall, the service was good – we had a positive experience. However, in a property with so much to rave about, we would say that this is one area where there is room for improvement.
Amenities: This is a true resort. The onsite spa / fitness area is gorgeous and spacious. The workout facility is very modern, offering a full suite of equipment. There are even yoga and fitness classes included in the resort fee. While we didn’t enjoy the spa or “wet areas,” (+ $20.00) a quick tour allowed us to see that both are a notch above.
Other Points of Interest:
ACT YOUR AGE: On our visit, we found the “family” pool to be much more quiet and relaxing than the rather “scene-y” and crowded adult pool.
DON’T GO THERE: We were excited to see that the resort fee included use of bicycles… That is until we were told that you could only ride them for an hour and couldn’t take them off property.
DO YOU NEED A RIDE: When we checked in, we were told that we would likely need a golf cart to get to our room. While the villas are (nicely) removed from the main building, they are certainly not on the edge of town.
Please see the accompanying blog post for more information on our visit to Palm Springs.
