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The Westin Mission Hills Might Be The Least Clean Resident In Rancho Mirage

Where: 71333 Dinah Shore Drive [map], Rancho Mirage, CA, United States, 92270

The view from our first room, 525

As you may have noticed, we’ve been on a very pleasant mission the last few weeks of bulking up our portfolio of Palm Springs hotel stays. We’ve always preferred boutique in PS, but this past weekend we (ok our budget) opted for some chain resorts. Thus it was that $79 thrown in Hotwire's direction found us driving up the palm-lined pathway to the Westin Mission Hills Resort last Friday night. Here’s what we found.

Check in:
The carpark was a slight walk away from reception, but the charming valet team allowed us to leave our car up front as we checked in: gold star. We walked through a series of beautiful archways with sculptures and fountains to reception: gold star. Reception itself was stylish: gold star.

And then we were checked in by a lady who couldn’t have seemed less interested in us if she’d tried (no attempt at charm, no rundown of the resort fee, no enquiries as to our room preferences – but she was kinda intimidating so we didn’t dare voice our own). A gold star disappeared. Worse still, when it came to navigating to our room, we realised we were in the building beside the carpark. Another gold star disintegrated.

And the room itself – 525 – made us break out the negative gold stars. For a start, it was clearly one of the worst rooms on the property: ground floor, gloomy lighting and a view consisting of the carpark and, behind it, the main highway. There was a lengthy notice about the importance of safety and security on property left prominently in front of the TV, which put the wind up us, seeing as we were a) female and b) traveling alone. Oh, and it stank like it hadn’t been aired in a couple months. We returned to reception to see if they could do better.

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Hotel Contests / Hotel Pools / San Diego Hotels / KSL Hotels / → All Tags

Rancho Las Palmas and La Costa Reward Guests’ Childish Behavior

Where: 41000 Bob Hope Dr [map], Rancho Mirage, CA, United States, 92270

It’s time to relive all those adolescent afternoons spent wandering around Raging Waters to win some hotel prizes. Two of the KSL Group’s Southern California Properties, La Costa Resort & Spa and Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, have started a "Summer’s Sliders Cup Race" that offers hotel guests prizes for the fastest time down the resorts’ 100-foot water slides.

Sliders Cup races take place at each resort every Thursday and Saturday at 5:00pm, and run June 18-September 7. Prospective competitors will be separated into age groups: 7-10 years, 11-14, 15-19, and 20 and over. So all you college kids home for the summer, time to really shine and put your parents’ friends to shame.

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Hotel Technology / Green Hotels / California Hotels / → All Tags

Hi-Tech Lighting Makes Agua Caliente Resort Green, Too

Where: 32250 Bob Hope Drive [map], Rancho Mirage, CA, United States, 92270

It's no surprise to us that the Agua Caliente Resort Hotel, part of a casino complex in Rancho Mirage, California, has a bunch of dazzling lights. The surprising bit is that the whole lighting system in the new hotel is so high tech and at the same time, clean and green.

The fiddly details are that the hotel have used special LED cove lighting on 14 floors and this lighting has a bunch of advantages: it lasts longer, so they don't need to get staff up to change light bulbs, and it's easy to choose different light "colors" with this technology so you can get the atmosphere you're after.

On top of that the lights are also more energy saving than traditional light bulbs. Since we only usually notice hotel lighting if it's particularly bad, the Agua Caliente Resort probably has the kind of lighting we'll never notice, but we do notice that it's eco-friendly and tip our hats to that.

[Photo: bonesting69]

Ritz-Carlton Hotels / Hotel Hype / Hotel Spas / → All Tags

Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage Set for December 2007

Where: Rancho Mirage, CA, United States, 92270

The newest Ritz Carlton in Southern California is set to be the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage, near Coachella Valley which will open in December 2007.

Never mind that the real Clinique La Prairie has taken the Ritz-Carlton brand to court for opening what they say are knock-off La Prairie spas in their hotels, the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage will have its very own La Prairie spa.

Judging from the description, the spa will be pretty spectacular and it should be since the 24,000 sq.ft. spa cost $25 million to build:

The spa structure will be nestled into the hillside, tucked into the earth on multiple levels.  The entrance will be artfully screened by a low wall and vine-covered trellises, which create a quiet, private entry courtyard, subtly allowing guests to de-compress as they enter the spa.  Nearly two-thirds of the treatment rooms will have private terraces, with natural rock outcroppings and outdoor showers.

An outdoor pre- and post- treatment relaxation area, with natural rock and a plunge pool, will be set into the hillside, emphasizing a direct connection with the landscape.  The facility and surrounding area boasts several unique light, exterior and water elements that remain consistent with the area's inherent beauty and relaxing atmosphere.

The 244-room resort will open in December while the spa and the residence units will open in  May 2008. The hotel will start taking reservations in September but beware this Ritz-Carlton is asking for a $25 daily resort fee when you stay there.

Celebrity Scoop / → All Tags

Celebrity Scoop: The Lodge at Rancho Mirage

For fans of the ABC TV hit "The Bachelorette," Trista & Ryan's wedding was all the rage. For those of you who didn't tune in, the outdoor extravaganza was held at The Lodge at Rancho Mirage near Palm Desert.

Now you can "Live like a millionaire for a weekend at The Lodge at Rancho Mirage" with their Millionaire Fantasy Package.

Who wouldn't want three nights with unlimited use of a Ferrari F360 Modena or convertible Porsche 911 Carrera? Naturally, deluxe spa treatments and a catered, candlelight dinner in their secluded gazebo are par for the course. But if you've never had a rose petal bath or had to choose between Christal and Dom—then you haven't lived.

And that's not even their honeymoon special!

RockResorts is offering to kick in a five-day/four-night stay at any of the ten RockResort properties if you Host a RockResort wedding.