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Sitting in lush farming land, replete with manicured golf courses, condominiums and millionaires, PALM SPRINGS does not conform to any typical image of the desert, embodying a strange mix of Spanish Colonial and mid-century modern styling. The massive bulk of Mount San Jacinto looms over its low-slung buildings, casting a welcome shadow over the town in the late afternoon. Ever since Hollywood stars first came here in the 1930s, laying claim to ranch-style estates and holing up in elite hotels, the clean dry air and sunshine, just 120 miles east of LA, have made Palm Springs irresistible. For years, high-school kids arrived in their thousands for Spring Break, until civic zeal ran them out of town, while others come specifically to sober up: the Betty Ford Center in nearby Rancho Mirage draws a star-studded patient list to its booze- and drug-free environment, attempting to undo a lifetime's worth of behavioral disorders in an $11,000 28-day stay.
Palm Springs wasn't always like this. Once it was the domain of the Cahuillan Indians ; they were allocated this land in the 1890s, but exact zoning wasn't settled until the 1940s, by which time the development of hotels and leisure complexes was well under way. Under an odd checkerboard system, every other square mile of Palm Springs forms part of the Agua Caliente (Spanish for "hot water") Indian Reservation , and high rents have made this the second richest tribe in America, worth more than $2 billion wealth that's been increasing with the new Casino Morongo, right in the heart of town.
HYATT GRAND CHAMPIONS RESORT, VILLAS & SPA
Nestled among towering palm trees beneath the dramatic Eisenhower Peak
of the Santa Rosa Mountains, this 479-room resort, includes a 30,000
square-foot spa, surrounded by a sparkling lake, with 18 indoor and
outdoor treatment rooms, salon, fitness center, plunge pools and
aerobics area. An additional pool was added to the already 6 pools at
the resort, with state-of-the-art cabanas, ceiling fans, internet
access, color TV's and redesigned lush landscaping. A 50,000
square-foot conference facility has pre-function space overlooking the
18th hole of the Golf Resort at Indian Wells.
THE RITZ-CARLTON, RANCHO MIRAGE
Located on a 650-foot bluff overlooking world-famous Palm Springs, the
Coachella Valley and the 10,000-foot San Jacinto Mountain range, this
property offers a true luxury desert experience. Elements of natural
stone, wood, and fire reflecting the local landscape and color combine
with legendary service to create a world class mountain-top resort. The
resort offers a true luxury desert experience in an unparalleled
location, yet still provides convenient access to world class shopping,
dining, and a pristine mountaintop setting.
DESERT SPRINGS JW MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA
Spectacular 400-acre resort featuring a European-style spa, (2) 18-hole
championship golf courses, a lawn and tennis club, 13 specialty
restaurants, high-energy nightclub, sparkling pools, shopping and more.
LA QUINTA RESORT & CLUB
A legendary hideaway and meeting destination, renowned since 1926 for
its charm and serenity. Features 90 holes of some of the country's best
golf. A World-class Spa offers resort guests a variety of unique indoor
and outdoor treatments. Guests also enjoy 23 tennis courts, 42 pools,
52 hot tubs, 5 restaurants and 800 guest rooms tucked away in charming
Spanish-style casitas.
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