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California |
Here are a few trip reports submitted by
some of our clients. |
| Sept. 2011 - VG (Desert
Sun Resort) |
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My husband and I spent 4 nights at the
Desert Sun Resort. The hotel is located just a few blocks from downtown and we
found we could walk to several restaurants and shops. When we arrived we were
taken for a tour by Brady the Manager who was very accommodating the entire
stay, as were the office and bar/restaurant staff. Check-in information is all
computerized and the process was extremely quick.
The grounds of this
resort are beautifully landscaped and extremely well maintained. There are
fountains and waterfalls and shade trees. There are two large comfortable,
clean seating areas with fire pits for cool nights. There are 3 pools to choose
from, all very nicely maintained. There were plenty available chairs around all
three pools, although a limited number of umbrellas. The towels provided were
skimpy but I noticed some guests had more than one, so they were not stingy
with them. There were plenty of floats and noodles to use, lots of tables for
your drinks and a nice Satellite radio station playing at just the activity
pool. Volleyball was played for quite a while on Saturday, but no games took
place on other days. There are two designated smoking areas a good distance
from the pools and rooms. There is a ban on cell phone and laptop usage in some
areas.
There is a hot tub which is has a roof cover over it, with
chairs around it and plenty of seating. There are misters attached to this roof
for those that want to sit near it and be cool.
The restaurant was open
for meals, mostly on weekends. We did not eat there as there are so many good
restaurants downtown we prefer to go out. We would probably choose to eat there
for dinner more likely if the lunch menu or lighter choices were available for
dinner. The bar was open, and drinks were served to you by the Activity pool or
you could go into the bar and get your own. Prices we thought were reasonable
for a resort, $5 for a beer, $8 for a slushy drink, and you could bring your
own to the pool if you preferred. There was also a meet and greet on Friday
night with 1/2 price beer and wine and complimentary snacks, nachos and
popcorn. There were also water fountains by the ice machine which was a nice
addition.
We stayed on the first floor in the Chaparral Hotel located
right near the activity pool. Our room was designated non-smoking which we
liked. The room was very nice, fresh and clean, although small. The lighting
was good, not great, the bathroom definitely could have benefited from brighter
bulbs. The bathroom looked new and had a beautifully tiled glass enclosure
shower, no tub, and small vanity. The towels were behind the toilet which meant
dripping water across it to dry your hands, and no shelving to put any
personals down, but the vanity was empty with lots of space for things. There
were only two bath towels, we prefer four but did not bother to request more
due to shortage of storage space for them. The water pressure was not great but
there was plenty of hot water. Air conditioner was good but loud. The biggest
inconvenience was the refrigerator which is not a refrigerator at all but an
empty mini-bar. We were able to put a bottle of wine, one bottle of tonic, some
limes and a container of salsa. There is no way you would fit a 6 pack of beer
in there. It also had no controls and did not feel very cold but my husband
suggested leaving the door of the cabinet that enclosed it open in the day and
the temperature did feel colder. The bed was very comfortable with the mattress
topper and nice smooth sheets, pillows were okay. There were plenty of outlets
for charging your electronics. The room was made up promptly before noon, most
days before 10 am.
There is a small discount per night for AANR
members. If you leave the hotel, you need to ring the intercom system to be let
in. Although the office staff was extremely prompt and even recognized us (on
camera) after the first day, we would prefer to have a key or code to the front
door. We felt bad having to inconvenience someone just to run out to the
car.
The guests were mostly quiet and kept to themselves unless we
initiated a conversation. About half the clientele appeared to be younger than
us, but we had absolutely no issue with day visitors or loud people, everyone
was very nice and we met a few couples that we will definitely keep in touch
with. Desert Sun is a real RESORT, just what you wish for on vacation. We
wouldn't hesitate to go there again and are already looking at our calendar to
plan our next visit.
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| Sept. 2011 - VG (Includes
new Terra Cotta info from the owner) |
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We just returned from a few days stay at
the Terra Cotta Inn. We love Palm Springs and enjoy the small community
environment that the Terra Cotta offers. But the last reviewer said it
best...like a favorite Aunt in the same faded house dress. Tom, MaryClare, and
Patty are wonderful and can't do enough for their guests. We have stayed there
at least four times, but each time we arrive we have to fill out a guest card
with all of our information again, like a motel in the 60's. Is this part of
the nostalgia? Time for a computer system.
The pool and pool area are
very nice, landscaping is well maintained, plenty of chairs, not enough
umbrellas. The misters are a great feature to keep cool. The pool towels were
new and there were plenty of floats and noodles to use. The music station was
mixed with static in the mornings but seem to be corrected as the morning
progressed. There is also smoking allowed outside the rooms which are very
close to the pool area. Not sure if there are restrictions, but this can be
bothersome to those non-smokers.
The hot tub is clean, but only a few
jets work and the filtration system is so loud it is difficult to carry on a
conversation. The design of the tub is old and the seats are so deep that the
water level is up to my nose, (I'm 5'2") if I sit, so I must sit on the narrow
steps and block the entrance or stand.
Breakfast is store bought
pastries, muffins, bagels, hard boiled eggs, fruit, cereal, yogurt. Certainly
sufficient and a nice touch since most prefer not to leave the grounds. The
wine and snacks at 4PM, including fresh strawberries are a nice break in the
day and Tom usually puts on his bow tie to serve it, stepping in the pool
without any hesitation. Lunch is brought in daily at an additional cost if you
choose that option.
The rooms are old and need updating. They need
paint. They need more electrical outlets. The carpet and chair cushions are
stained, the bathroom fixtures are mostly old, the ones that have been replaced
are of poor quality. The bed is not comfortable, the sheets scratchy and the
pillows are the worst I have ever slept with, lumpy and small. Lighting is poor
except for the bathroom. Bath towels are of good quality and the water pressure
is good. The air conditioning works well but is quite loud, there are new flat
screen TVs in the rooms also. It is nice that all rooms have a small
refrigerator and microwave. Tom and MaryClare provide paper plates and plastic
ware if you need them. The rooms are not made up the same time each day, some
days it was late afternoon before this was done.
We've met quite a few
guests that have been coming to the Terra Cotta Inn for many years and stay in
touch with a few. Most seem to be our age or older. We found all the guests
were friendly and had nothing but kind words for the accommodations. Many new
comers said they would definitely return. Still not sure if we will....see my
review for the Desert Sun Resort. Stayed September 2011, traveled as a
couple
Click here to
read the response from Tom Mulhall, the owner of Terra Cotta. It includes a lot
of information on upates to the resort... etc...
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