What are the best golf resorts in Palm Springs?

Introduction

In this blog post we’re going to take a look at a selection of the best golf resorts in Palm Springs, California.

Palm Springs is an EPIC location for a golf vacation. There are plenty of top class golf courses designed by some of the most recognised architects out there.

You have the weather, the ease of access, the choice of golf all supported by some pretty awesome golf resorts. We have all the big names here. Marriott, Hyatt, Omni, Westin, all of which have some impressive options.

In this article, we’ll explore all the areas of Greater Palm Springs. Palm Springs at the top, Palm Desert half way down, and La Quinta even further south.

See also: What are the best golf courses in Palm Springs?

The best golf resorts in Palm Springs

The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa

There are a number of hotel brands which just personify class and luxury. Well Westin Mission Hills is definitely one of them and their offering in Rancho Mirage is up there with the best.

So much so, this resort was ranked by Golf Digest as one of the Top 50 Golf Resorts in North America. No mean feat considering the vast number of resorts on offer.

For starters, The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa is perfectly located. It is just 15 minutes drive from the Palm Springs International Airport and 20 minutes drive from downtown. 

The resort is sprawled out across 360-acres of Palm Springs desert although you wouldn’t know it. Palm trees, manicured grass and an abundance of foliage greet you on arrival. 

The vibe is relaxed and this continues through into the accommodation options. Westin rooms are always cozy, but guests are always raving about the comfort of the Westin’s signature Heavenly beds!

Yes you’re just 9 miles from downtown Palm Springs, but if you do fancy staying onsite, try Pinzimini. It is the main restaurant and serves staple Italian food throughout the day. The atmosphere is light and you can get all sorts of pastas, pizzas, salads and more.

The Fireside Lounge is good fun, offering tapas and cocktails with views of the golf course. Another fun option which is a bit more lively, is the Pinz & Pints, essentially a pub with a good choice of beers on tap, arcades and even four lanes of duckpin bowling. 

The Westin Wellness Spa is tucked away within the resort and offers a range of treatments to relax and rejuvenate. There is a fitness studio although when you come off the course, this might not be your first port of call!

And so on to the golf. Let’s be frank, there are some pretty epic resort courses in this list. But this Pete Dye layout just about manages to hold its own. Over the years Dye has created some brutal layouts, but this plays far more like a resort course.

The fairways are generous and not overly penal, although the greens can be challenging. Water is present on a handful of holes, but generally this is relaxed golf in great surroundings.

Best Golf Resorts in Palm Desert

Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa

Also known as the Indian Wells Golf Resort, this is one of the most popular golf resorts in Palm Springs. OK, Greater Palm Springs, whilst officially Palm Desert. 

That said, the resort is pretty central. Yes, it is a good half hour’s drive from both downtown Palm Springs and the international airport, but it is close to many of the best golf courses in the region. 

You’re also in a perfect position to explore many of the great golf courses around La Quinta which is 15 minutes away.

Anyway, back to the hotel which to be honest, has enough happening onsite. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to, or need to leave.

The resort works as well for families as it does golfing groups or couples. It is a vast complex and you can’t help but notice the amount of outside space much of which is dominated by pools and large water slides. 

The property has a mind-boggling 530 rooms, with a choice of villas for groups, suites and standard rooms. Yet when I say standard rooms, these are anything but. Each of the guest rooms is a minimum of 550-square feet making them some of, if not the largest ‘standard’ guest rooms in Greater Palm Springs.

The main restaurant is the Agave Sunset bar and lounge which features indoor and outdoor seating. This is light fare with a focus on quick and easy bites like pizzas, sandwiches, salads etc. 

There are a couple of other options for food during the day (count the Roadrunner Cafe and Citrus Marketplace), but one option is the fantastic Vue Grille and Bar. It is just a few minutes walk over to the golf clubhouse and serves award-winning cuisine with an extensive wine list.

To entertain yourself and unwind, aside from the seven outdoor pools, the Agua Serena Spa is the place to go. The private patio garden is just bliss and offers a comprehensive range of spa treatments.

And lastly, on to the golf where you can enjoy 36-holes of top class resort golf. You have the Clive Clark designed Celebrity course, which opened in November 2006. And alongside this, is the impressive John Fought-designed Players course which opened a year later. 

There is a decent choice for public golf courses in Palm Springs, yet both the Celebrity and certainly the Players are up there as some of the best. 

JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa

Sometimes you know a resort is going to be impressive just from the drive up there. If there was a ranking for the ‘best entrance drives’, JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa would be right up there!

About a 400 meter, 2-lane road with three rows of palm trees, beautifully manicured hedges and flowers with a huge lake and fountains flanking it. This is a welcome in style.

This luxury resort is right in the heart of the ‘golf belt’ in Palm Desert. Regardless of which direction you drive in, you’ll immediately come across another golf complex. Needless to say, you’re close to everything here.

A multi-million dollar renovation was completed not too long ago and this has helped elevate the resort. Particularly the accommodation areas which feature modern decor, hardwood floors and mountain inspired murals. There is an elegance which might have once been missing.

The resort claims ten dining outlets although these can be distilled into a handful of the most popular, including the Rockwood Grill. The American-inspired restaurant has a prime position; a vast patio area which overlooks the pools and the distant San Jacinto mountains.

The outstanding Mikado Japanese Steakhouse is sophisticated and authentic and simply can’t be missed! Likewise, Fisherman’s Landing is another popular choice serving freshly-caught seafood and local produce. 

A state-of-the-art gym accompanies the Spa which is just to the side of the hotel. Expect the usual menu of treatments as well as a 75-foot saltwater lap pool. 

Last but not least, is the Desert Springs Golf Club which surrounds the resort. There are two championship-level courses, the Palm and the Valley, both designed by Ted Robinson. Expect rolling greens and plenty of water.

Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa

Like a mini-oasis in the dry Coachella Valley, the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa is one of the most popular hotel choices in Rancho Mirage. 

Where some of the other resorts in this list are modern luxury, the Omni Rancho Las Palmas is more informal, has a relaxed vibe and is unpretentious. This comes across unambiguously in the laid back comfy decor and heavily planted outdoor areas.

The 444 Spanish colonial-style guest rooms ooze character and style. If you’re celebrating something special, choose from one of 22 luxury suites. Every single guest room has French doors which open to your private patio or balcony, overlooking the luscious grounds.

There are really two choices when it comes to dining. First up is Bluember, where the chefs have put an inventive spin on California New American cuisine using locally sourced ingredients. You can either settle in the dining room which has a more sophisticated feel, or relax on the casual outdoor patio.

The other option is Palms Café located in the central courtyard plaza. Here you have a choice of salads, brick-oven pizzas, sandwiches…essentially more informal dishes. 

The Spa is one of the best you’ll find in Palm Springs. As soon as you enter the locker rooms you are confronted by a steam room, sauna and hot tub. There is a choice of over 50 different treatments all inspired by the native Californian desert blending healing flowers, herbs and plants. 

The informal and laid back vibe is definitely an appeal for families and this is aided by the fact there are plenty of activities for the kids. Add to this the awesome Splashtopia Water Park, which has a lazy river, slides, mini-beach, cliff-side hot tub, you name it. 

One of the resort highlights are the 23 tennis courts. The quality of which was recognised by Tennis magazine, even going as far as to name Omni Rancho Las Palmas one of the Top 50 Tennis Resorts in the USA.

But clearly, we’re here for one thing and that is the golf. There are 27-holes on-site designed by Ted Robinson. The North, South and West courses wind through palm tree-lined fairways with amazing views of the San Jacinto mountains. There are six lakes which make things interesting and large sculpted bunkers, something Ted Robinson is infamous for.

Best Golf Resorts in La Quinta

La Quinta Resort & Club

At the base of Santa Rosa mountains, far-removed from the desert’s high traffic areas, is La Quinta Resort & Club. This is one of the oldest resort-style hotels in Greater Palm Springs having been built in the 1920s. 

45 acres of lush and vibrant landscaping welcome guests to this historic resort, which simply oozes charm. 

Indeed, much of the original character has been preserved since its early days. But don’t be put off in thinking the resort is dated. Quite the opposite. Whilst it has maintained its classic look-and-feel, everything else has been modernized to ensure the ultimate in guest comfort.

The accommodation is made up of hacienda-style casitas and suites with Spanish inspired architecture (typical roof tiles, white-washed walls etc). There are around 600 guestrooms and 100 villas dotted throughout the resort.

The resort caters for all vacation types and this is reflected in the dining options. The three main restaurants range from casual dining to fine dining, with also a grab and go style option. 

The casual dining option is the Adobe Grill which offers authentic Mexican dining alongside signature craft cocktails. 

For fine dining, venture to La Quinta’s signature dining venue, Morgan’s In The Desert. With locally sourced ingredients, the restaurant specializes in contemporary American cuisine and again, handcrafted cocktails. With live music five nights a week, dinner here simply can’t be missed.

Equally impressive is the wealth of on-site amenities including first and foremost, the Spa. Again, one of the finest in the desert, the Spa prides itself on offering a full range of treatments. 

Alongside this comes a variety of mindfulness activities such as yoga and meditation. And don’t forget the state-of-the-art fitness center, 23 tennis courts and hiking routes.

To say there is some decent golf here is a slight understatement. Nicknamed ‘The Western Home of Golf in America’, there are five golf courses to enjoy. A cast of stellar designers were called upon to create these luminary layouts.

The Dunes, Stadium and Mountain Courses were all designed by Pete Dye, with the latter two both ranked on the best public golf courses in Palm Springs list. Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus also laid their markers here with two iconic courses.

This is a special place which bucks the trend of the typical resort on this list. Where big and impressive might wow some people, La Quinta charms guests with its quaintness and character alongside first-class service. 

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino

There have been some strong options on this list of recommended golf resorts in Palm Springs. Many have followed a similar formula; impressive central hotel, vast pool area with slides, family-friendly activities, luxury accommodation…

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino treads its own path and proudly so. The resort is centered around an award-winning casino which is home to 1,800 slot machines, video poker and 40 table games.

It is also one of the hottest destinations in southern California for live events, with boxing, live music, tribute acts and much more. Without stating the obvious, this is probably less of your family getaway and more of a blokes or couples trip. 

The hotel has 250 luxurious rooms, many with spectacular mountain views. But let’s be honest, you’re not going to be in your room for very long with all the entertainment on-site.

The resort offers some fabulous dining options of which a couple of favorites include Joy Asian Cuisine, specializing in East Asian recipes. Also The Bistro, which serves contemporary seafood and sushi is a hit. For something more simple, the Pizza Kitchen or Fresh Grill Buffet are other choices.

There are nearly as many bars as there are restaurants. Needless to say, whether you want to watch the latest game on TV, enjoy hand-crafted cocktails, or even take part in some bowling whilst drinking local Pale Ales, you’ll have somewhere different to go.

The golf course affiliated to the hotel is one of the newest in Palm Springs. Designed by Clive Clark of Indian Wells fame, it is a ball to play. It was ranked as one of the best public golf courses in Palm Springs and features elevated tiers and greens, sculpted bunkers and large undulating fairways. 

And lastly, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is located closer to Indio and Coachella than La Quinta, just off the freeway.

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