La Quinta Has New Spa Specials, Menus and Aprés Swim

Opened in 1926, the 45-acre Spanish inspired La Quinta Resort & Club, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, originally became famous as a hideout from paparazzi for Hollywood legends Katherine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, Frank Capra and Clark Gable.

This summer, the iconic resort has added a variety of new dining, swim and spa items for guests.

La Quinta has elevated their adult pool experience by launching an Apré Swim Happy Hour. The resort has teamed with champagne house Veuve Clicquot to offer special champagne cocktails, snacks and music during their new Apré Swim Happy Hour held at PLUNGE adult pool Thursday through Saturday from 3 to 6 pm.

I received a beautiful personalized large beach towel, Veuve Cliquot champagne, water and snacks upon arrival.

The PLUNGE adult pool cabanas feature comfy big lounge beds poolside.

This month, Morgan’s in the Desert restaurant will be serving a special peach themed menu including seared peach and cured King Salmon salad and Mexican tarragon infused white peaches. Three course meals are each priced at $79 per person with an option to add wine pairings for $39 per person.

The Spa is offering a special Wine Down massage which includes a flight of four wines paired with vinotherapy essential oils. Wines include a Sokol Blusser Pinot Gris from Oregon paired with a mandarin orange Zents essential oil; a David Bynum Pinot Noir from California paired with an Ore Zents essential oil with ylang ylang and orris; an Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon from California paired with an Earth Zents essential oil with a pine and sandalwood scent and a Giesen Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand paired with an oolong Zents essential oil with a lavender scent. Spa guests can choose their favorite aromatic essential oil for their massage and also receive a post-massage big pour of their wine of choice in the spa’s relaxing SAGE lounge.

Since my last visit, the iconic resort underwent a multi-million dollar renovation resulting in a fresh modern design that still reflects the property’s storied history and spectacular Santa Rosa Mountain setting. All guest casitas have been upgraded as well as a redesign of the villas, main lobby, public spaces and pool areas. Additionally, the lush landscaping has been enhanced with additional roses, citrus and Cyprus trees and bougainvilleas.

The guestrooms and villas reflect the resort’s colorful desert environment. Set in an earthern palatte of terracotta, ivory and chocolate, guestrooms feature custom tile work and wrought iron elements, new furniture and carpet and two-toned blocked drapes. Citrus hued pillows and throws adorn Wingback style headboards and Victorian chairs. New amenities include big flat-screen televisions, mini fridges, charging stations with dual USB ports, Keurig coffee makers and upgraded fireplaces.

Popular Starlight casitas now house patio fire features and furniture and suites are surrounded by updated landscaping, new furniture and renovated decks around private pools and spas.

All pool areas have fresh new decking, contemporary shade structures and water temperature regulators. Guests can also enjoy 53 hot spas throughout the property as well as the 21+ adult PLUNGE pool.

The huge lobby has also been reimagined into a bright open space with easier to navigate check-in services and an airy comfortable lounge with a beautiful fireplace for guests to relax after arriving or while awaiting checkout.

The resort’s flagship hacienda-style restaurant, Morgan’s in the Desert is named after Walter H. Morgan, a California businessman who founded the property in 1926. Morgan’s houses the original arched wood ceiling and huge fireplace. The space is divided into a large U-shaped bar offering live music and small plates, an outdoor patio area and a large main dining room.

Morgan’s offers a variety of vintage cocktails including the Heat of Mexico with Patron Reposado Tequila, agave, habaneros and pineapple and lime juice; The Last Word with gin, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime juice and an Aperol Cooler with vodka, aperol lime and pineapple. They also offer delicious appetizers including a beautifully plated Dungeness crab salad with avocado, cucumber, lemon and field greens; a watermelon and melon salad; white truffle and mushroom risotto; scallops with asparagus in a Meyer lemon emulsion; filet mignon with a special blue cheese or porcini crust and baby vegetables; pork chops with roasted cabbage and dates or Ahi tuna with local fennel and beets. Desserts include a chocolate bombe with chocolate mousse, vanilla panna cotta and orange confit with crème Chantilly; lemon sorbet with rasperries, mascarpone and graham cracker crumb; puff pastry with lemon mousse, berries and passion fruit sauce and housemade ice creams and sorbets.

The Adobe Grill is the resort’s Mexican restaurant featuring a large outdoor patio, guacamole made tableside, an indoor double-sided fireplace and award winning tamales and margaritas. Below the Grill is Twenty6, the resorts art-deco inspired American bistro. Guests can indulge in a variety of specialty benedicts and Bacon’d Bloddy Marys for breakfast and a variety of pastas, burgers, steaks and salads for lunch and dinner.

The 23,000 square foot spa houses 38 treatment rooms including steam and inhalation rooms, whirlpool baths and a peaceful outdoor courtyard. The adjacent 4,000 square foot fitness center has state-of-the-art exercise equipment and offers a variety of classes.

La Quinta Resort & Club also offers five award winning golf courses and four private courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Greg Norman, Arnold Palmer and Tom Weiskopt. Tennis lovers can enjoy playing on 21 courts in hard and clay surfaces.

Perfect for families, a group vacation or a romantic weekend trip, La Quinta Resort & Club is a short drive away to an inclusive relaxing getaway.