La Quinta Resort: A History of Celebrity

LA QUINTA RESORT

A History of Celebrity

La Quinta Hotel circa 1940s, image courtesy of La Quinta Resort & Club and La Quinta Historical Society

La Quinta Resort and Club is the most renowned resort in the desert valley and one of only two California establishments to have a city named after it – the other being the Beverly Hills Hotel. Originally opened in 1926, the early La Quinta Hotel featured 20 charming guest casitas as well as one of the region’s first golf courses – and it quickly became a Hollywood hotspot. Fast forward almost a century, and the character and charm of the destination remains the same, as does its reputation for attracting celebrities, icons, and leaders to its historic California grounds.

La Quinta: a Spanish word for a type of hacienda or villa and also means "fifth" (as in the fifth stop on the mission trail).

Location, Location

La Quinta Resort is nestled into the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains, within easy driving distance of Palm Springs, Los Angeles, and dozens of beach cities. In 1921, Walter Morgan, of Morgan Oyster Company fame, moved to the desert and began plans for a secluded retreat in Marshall’s Cove, which later became La Quinta Cove. Story has it that Morgan chose the hotel’s name after hearing local ranchers describe La Quinta: a hacienda or estate with a large house surrounded by smaller casitas. Another version of the hotel’s name credits the destination as the fifth stop on the mission trail from Mexico up the coast of California.

Morgan hired renowned architect Gordon Kaufmann to build the hotel, and in December 1926 they opened the doors. From the very start, Morgan envisioned the resort as a getaway for Hollywood’s finest, by personally inviting businesspeople and icons from within the entertainment

“It is the kind of place everyone was looking for; it is a wonderful green oasis in the middle of the desert, and it is absolutely private.” – Frank Capra

industry. One major draw for this enclave was the resort’s location within the “two-hour studio rule.” Hollywood stars were permitted to vacation within two hours of Hollywood, in case a studio head, director, or producer needed them back at work. As word spread around Hollywood that La Quinta was the best destination within the travel bubble, increasing numbers of actors, writers, and performers made the resort their private escape.

Producer and writer Frank Capra, who was the creative force behind several major films of the 1930s and 1940s, adapted his script for “It Happened One Night” while at the resort, and the film went on to win numerous Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Hoping to recreate this success, Capra returned to the resort year after year to work on scripts for film classics such as “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town,” “You Can’t Take It With You,” and “Lost Horizon.” Capra’s fondness for the resort added to the buzz amongst Hollywood’s elite.

Frank Capra and Great Garbo, image courtesy of La Quinta Resort & Club and La Quinta Historical Society

The Highlight Reel

30s

Greta Garbo and actor John Gilbert visited the hotel often, eventually leasing La Casa, a private home built on resort property.

The hotel’s first tennis coach, Fred Renker, had regular training sessions with Gary Cooper, Lana Turner, and Jane Wyman.

Mari Dressler, Shirley Temple, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Robert Montgomery, and Erroll Flynn were all regular visitors at the hotel.

Industrialist Cornelius Vanderbilt IV frequented the hotel with friends and family.

Shirley Temple, image courtesy of La Quinta Resort & Club and La Quinta Historical Society

“If far from the maddening crowds you want to be, there’s no better place than the exclusive La Quinta Hotel.” – Cornelius Vanderbilt

40s

The Hotel closed in 1942, until the end of WWII.

John Balaban purchased the hotel in 1945 and installed an airstrip to ease the re-arrival of Hollywood’s elite.

50s

Ginger Rogers married Jacques Bergerac in front of the resort’s waterfall.

Dorothy Arzner, the first American female film director, owned a suite in the hotel, where she came to relax and work.

The hotel was sold to Chicago attorney Leonard Ettleson and all the buildings were painted pink, Ettleson’s wife’s favorite color.

Ettleson and his associates developed La Quinta Country Club golf course, which became a popular destination for celebrities and political figures, including President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

80s

The city of La Quinta was incorporated, named after the historic hotel and resort.

The former home of Dorothy Arzner was renovated, and The Frank Capra Banquet Room and The Eisenhower Suite were named after their former guests.

Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers filmed several scenes for the television show Hart to Hart at the resort.

Still the One

La Quinta continues to be a top destination for celebrities visiting the desert valley – from musicians performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to top tennis players competing at the BNP Paribas. Tennis legends such as Roger Federer and Andy Roddick have been spotted practicing on the pristine resort courts. Jane Fonda visited and participated in the TEDWomen conference. And stars like Matthew McConaughey, Bill Murray, and Samuel L. Jackson have played the resort’s world-renowned golf courses.

At the annual Desert Smash charity tennis event, celebs like Kevin Hart, Will Ferrell, and Justin Bieber hit La Quinta’s stadium court to raise funds in support of California charities. Entertainment icons are joined at the event by tennis legends such as Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and John and Mike Bryan.

Walter Morgan built the original La Quinta Hotel almost a century ago as a place for guests to unwind, enjoy, and get away from the chaos of everyday life. Today’s resort has come a long way from his original vision, currently offering almost 800 casitas, suites and villas; 41 pools; 5 championship golf courses; a state-of-the-art spa; and a variety of eateries. One of the desert’s finest dining establishments makes its home at the resort and pays tribute to its original founder: Morgan’s in the Desert. Whether you visit Morgan’s for a special meal, spend a day at the spa, or move in for a week-long vacation, you never know who you might rub shoulders with at La Quinta Resort – and that’s what has made it the desert’s top luxury hideaway for almost a century.

Starstruck

La Quinta Resort keeps close track of celebrities who have graced the historic destination.

Annette Benning Charlie Chaplin Joan Crawford Doris Day Oscar De La Renta Bette Davis William Devane Clint Eastwood Farrah Fawcett Harrison Ford Gene Hackman Katherine Hepburn Michael Jackson Diane Keaton Liberace George Lucas Al Pacino Don Rickles Ginger Rogers Mickey Rooney Britney Spears Sylvester Stallone Elizabeth Taylor Robert Wagner

Several presidents have also checked into the hotel over the years, including Gerald Ford, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan.