When was the last time you vacationed in Indian Wells? Just a two hour drive from Los Angeles, it's located between Palm Desert and La Quinta. Indian Wells is a high end desert destination that is touted as having the richest zip code in the Coachella Valley.
A newly renovated property in Indian Wells is the Mediterranean style Miramonte Resort and Spa. Located right across the street from the Hyatt Regency and Reniassance Indian Wells, the Miramonte is a smaller property that offers a more personal touch to guests, than the larger corporate properties in the area can offer.
One special activity for guests is to start the day with a morning hike with Mark Jeffrey, the General Manager of the Miramonte Resort. If his schedule is free, he will meet guests in the lobby with his friendly yellow labrador, Derby, and take guests on a narrative hike up the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto hills to witness the morning magenta sunrise silhouetting palm trees, as it splashes the skyline with bursts of purple, pink, orange and yellow hues.
If Jeffrey is unavailable, the front staff are happy to direct guests to explore the Coachella Valley with over 45 trails within a 40-mile radius. Of course this area is also famed for its golf and the resort is surrounded by world-class greens as well, should you want to work on your game.
The Miramonte Resort is nestled at the base of the Santa Rose mountains among acres of olive trees and citrus groves. With 215 rooms and suites its hard to believe that the Mediterranean inspired property was once a Polynesian-style resort built in 1963 as The Erawan Garden Hotel.
Staying in room #710, I was pleased with the large Venetian style outdoor terrace with two chairs and a round table overlooking a grassy lawn and main pool. The room was quite large with a king size bed with luxury linens. There was a sitting area and desk, complimentary wifi and data ports, NEST bath products, and a marble bathroom with large shower.
After hiking over 10,000 steps, a visit to The Well Spa is a great activity. Next to the main pool, the intimate stand alone Tuscan theme spa, has a boutique, relaxation lounge with flavored water, separate mens and womens locker room with a eucalyptus sauna, two showers, lockers and a dressing room.
The Well Spa has been named ‘Best Spa’ by readers of Desert Magazine and ‘Top 100 Resort Spas’ by Condé Nast Traveler. Upstairs there are 13 treatment rooms for massage and facial treatments. Outside on the co-ed courtyard, are comfortable lounge chairs, and two semi-private salt water pools. One is hot with whirlpool jets and the other is a bit cooler.
Stories have been told that The Well Spa is named after a natural well discovered hundreds of years ago in the Coachella Valley. The water was known to relax and rejuvenate locals and travelers. Lunch can be delivered from the hotel's Grove Artisan Kitchen to the Spa or back to your room if you want to continue relaxing in your plush robe.
The Executive Chef Paul Hancock prepares dishes with ingredients from many local Coachella farms. The hotel planted four raised vegetable and herb boxes near a bubbling fountain for the chef to harvest and snip ‘home grown’ fresh herbs. Cocktails created in the Vineyard Lounge are enhanced with citrus growing on the property. This is the social hub of the property offering an impressive wine selection, hand-crafted cocktails, and live music. Locals and resort guests sit inside or out at one of the heated circular fire pits scattered around the grounds.
Another activity provided by the resort is complimentary cruiser bikes. Guests can ride on paved bike paths into Palm Desert and the El Paseo for shopping. Along the way stop into Indian Wells Coffee Co. to order one of their unique warm honey, cinnamon latte's with almond milk. The coffee is organic and roasted locally in nearby Joshua Tree.
The boutique Miramonte Resort is an ideal resort to stay during the Palm Desert Fashion Week and Food & Wine Festival, BNP Paribas Tennis Open, and Coachella Valley Music Festival. It's a luxury boutique property offering impeccable service, upscale dining and picturesque grounds that will inspire you to unplug, slow down and take in the exquisite sunrises and sunsets.
