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s 68 | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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DREAMING
Imagine you’re half submerged in a sparkling blue plunge pool with views of sky-scraping palm trees and the rocky Santa Rosa Mountains. The pop of a Champagne bottle opening behind you chimes in with the remixes of 90s hits infiltrating the atmosphere of the Veuve Clicquot plunge pool area at La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs. Your friends are lounging on piles of pink and orange pillows in the Veuve themed cabanas lining one side of the adults-only pool. Flanking the bar area, fellow guests are playing branded lawn games like giant Jenga and croquet, après-swim cocktails in hand. The vibe is sophisticated yet fun and the rosé is never-ending. My kind of start to the weekend. The only thing getting me to leave this poolside paradise? The setting sun queuing me to head to my room and change into something more suitable for tonight’s Veuve Clicquot dinner. The pathway back to my room is lined with citrus trees, Spanish style architecture and more pools. With 41 pools and sprawling lawns, the resort is a remarkably prodigal use of land, but that’s part of what makes it special. It is spread out yet feels intimate all at once. Most guest rooms are grouped around the pools, creating a boutique hotel feel and allowing you to have the jacuzzi to yourself. (And if a pool scene is your thing, there’s always Coachella.) All this charm while still featuring the amenities of a Waldorf Astoria Resort, like 21 tennis courts, boutiques, bike rentals, a spa, and several on-property restaurants. Rooms are spacious, modern, and comfortable with impeccable tiled bathrooms. Cactus flower paintings adorning the walls are the only thing reminding us we’re in the desert, not Santa Barbara. Arriving at the Santa Rosa Room just off the lobby,
CHAMPAGNE
SB LIFE & STYLE travel
Written by Ottocina Ryan
