If you are seeking an all around classic Palm Springs vacation the Omni Rancho Las Palmas in the heart of Rancho Mirage would be an excellent choice. With 27 holes of golf, a newly remodeled spa, good dining options, an adult pool as well as a children’s oriented waterpark, a large tennis center, and very nice rooms… this place has you covered.
Golf
Rancho Las Palmas Country Club features 27 holes of golf designed by architect Ted Robinson. While not a long course by today’s standards it is a challenging layout none the less. The course is laid out on gentle rolling terrain and plays in and around six lakes, a desert wash and 1,500 palm trees that line the fairways. While many of the holes are reasonably wide and forgiving, many more are quite narrow off the tee putting a premium on accuracy not distance. This makes it a very fun course for players of all skill levels.
The course was in very good condition with winter overseeding keeping nearly the entire layout looking very green and very playable. The greens themselves were very nice and many were quite undulating serving up another way that this classic course uses to defend par. The toughest holes for me were the shortest and the tightest. These were often lined on both sides by homes as the holes wound through portions of the property. This made the ability to shape your shot off the tee more important than distance when trying to keep it in the fairway. For settling bets after golf or just a place to reminisce there is a very nice clubhouse with excellent food and drink and a wonderful view of the challenging finishing holes.
The Resort
The Omni Rancho Las Palmas is set on 240 acres and it has wonderfully landscaped grounds, soaring palm trees and glistening lakes. There are 444 guestrooms and 22 suites clustered in small buildings around the property. The rooms are very generous in size and each has either a patio or balcony. They feature large flat screen TV’s, free WiFi, nice bathrooms and a sense of privacy as they are not in one large building. I liked being in Building 3 as it was close to the main complex which houses the spa. bar, restaurants and adult pool.
For relaxation there is a newly remodeled (2013) 20,000 square foot spa with 26 treatment rooms. It features body treatments, facials and its own amenities including a peaceful courtyard and private pool. In addition, there is the adult Azure pool just off the main plaza and overlooking two of the golf courses signature holes. For families and the more active among you there are many ways to get your exercise in. For kids and the young at heart there is Splastopia. This water wonderland land features two 100 foot slides, a lazy river and a sand beach. In addition, there is a fabulous 25 court tennis complex as well as walking paths throughout the resort grounds.
There are many dining options on site to suit all your needs. The signature restaurant is bluEmber. This lovely spot is right on the main plaza, serves three meals a day and offers both indoor and outside dining as well as live music a few days a week. Other choices include Palms Café for coffee, pizzas and light fare, R Bar for for drinks and the poolside Splash Grill. If you feel the need to dine off site, directly across the street is The River. This is a beautiful upscale area well known throughout the valley and features a wide array of shops, restaurants and entertainment.
All in all the Omni Rancho Las Palmas will provide you with a classic desert vacation experience. With its prime location, abundance of activities and pleasant customer service it is hard to go wrong.