A Waldorf Astoria Resort, and PGA West

Originally opened by Walter H. Morgan in 1926 as a desert hideaway for such Hollywood luminaries as Frank Capra and Greta Garbo, La Quinta Resort & Club has blossomed into an expansive yet welcoming retreat with a plethora of recreational, culinary, and relaxation experiences.

The luxurious Waldorf Astoria property now features five golf courses — including three at PGA West, where the Jack Nicklaus and Stadium courses host the PGA’s Desert Classic every January. Other amenities include seven restaurants, eight pickleball courts, 21 tennis courts, 41 climate-controlled swimming pools, and 800 casitas, villas, and suites. (The splurgeworthy, 2,000-squarefoot El Presidente is one of five suites with a private pool, hot tub, and yard.)

Despite its generous offerings, La Quinta Resort & Club maintains the feeling of an intimate, tranquil oasis with picturesque Spanishstyle architecture and lushly landscaped gardens, punctuated by gorgeous water features in the shadow of the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains.

A full-service fitness center with a yoga studio offers more than 50 complimentary classes a week, while Spa La Quinta delivers sensational services ranging from the Glistening Agave Body Glaze to the Wine Down Massage, where vino tasting, aromatherapy, and massage blend.

Before dinner at Morgan’s in the Desert or Adobe Grill, slink away to the adultsonly pool Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays for Après Swim, a sophisticated happy hour sojourn where glasses of Veuve Clicquot and bespoke champagne cocktails are paired with snacks and live music. (Try the mouthwateringly refreshing Cactus Flower, which marries local prickly pear with Veuve Clicquot Rich Rosé over ice.)