6 Reasons Why the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage

Should be Your Next Luxury Escape

July 20, 2016

While we travel with our kiddos 95% of the time, once in a while we just have to sneak off without them.  Recently we had the chance to do just that!  With my husband’s birthday to celebrate and relatives available to watch the boys, we snuck off to the Palm Springs area for some relaxation and luxury.  We chose the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage for a few reasons.  We wanted to check it out since it recently re-opened after being closed for nearly 10 years.  It’s also the only 5-star resort in the valley.  But in addition to those fun details, we scored a great deal!  It pays to travel in the off-season.  Even though it was hotter than Hades, we enjoyed a nice Bed & Breakfast package that included our room, resort fee, overnight valet parking and a scrumptious breakfast. Special seasonal offers begin at $299 per night.
So what are you waiting for?  If you’re one of the 22 million people who call Southern California home, then you’re not far from this mountain-top luxury retreat.

1. A 5-Star Check-In
From the moment we pulled into the valet car park, to the efficient and friendly check-in at the reception, to stepping inside our spacious guest room, we felt like we were given a royal welcome.   The common areas are modern and spacious, with plenty of areas that invite you to take a seat and relax. 

2. Elegant Guest Rooms
The guest rooms are spacious and well-appointed.  We had a private balcony with an amazing view looking out toward the valley.  Not only did we have a flat panel television in the main bedroom, but we also had a television in the bathroom vanity should we desire to watch TV while getting ready or taking a bath.  Mini-refrigerator, Individual heating and air-conditioning controls, Frette luxury bed linens, plush bathrobes, and luxurious Asprey bath amenities were also part of our guest room.

3. Adult-only Pool
Since we usually travel with our boys we seldom frequent the adult-only pools.  While the family pool looked like fun, the adult-only pool seemed to be the place for us.  We enjoyed a quiet afternoon of reading, resting, floating and sipping.  I highly recommend the Pomegranate Paloma – a refreshing combination of Patron Silver, Pomegranate Liquor, Lime Juice, Grapefruit Juice and Lemon-Lime Soda.  If you’re looking for a party pool, this isn’t it.  But if you’re looking for a quiet and sophisticated place to relax the afternoon away, then you'll find it here.

4. The Edge Steakhouse
We found an excellent dinner, spectacular view and hard-to-match service at the Edge Steakhouse.  Perched cliff-side 650 feet above the valley floor, this was the special birthday dinner location we were hoping for.  We made our reservation through Open Table about 5 days in advance.  The place was sold out for the night and so we were glad we had.  Upon arriving and being seated, we were greeted not by one, but two servers who took care of us through our meal.  We figured we’d have steak since we were in a steakhouse, and while we saw many guests enjoying various steak selections including the famous Tomahawk, we chose the Swordfish and Mary’s Chicken with savory mushroom bread pudding, and we were glad we had.  Our meals were exquisite.  The after-dinner cordial cart was a fun surprise and then we ended with a shared crème brulee complete with a “happy birthday” sign made of chocolate.

5. The Spa
Our grand finale with our Ritz-Carlton stay was a visit to The Spa.  Since it was my husband’s birthday, I opted to book him an hour-long massage and I took advantage of the day use pass they offer.  There were men-only and women-only areas complete with lockers, showers, steam rooms, dry sauna, and inside/outside lounging spaces.  There was also a co-ed area with lounge and outside spa.  The common areas have plush chairs for relaxing, nuts and dried fruit for munching, hot tea, and coconut-infused water.  My favorite was the eucalyptus steam room and shower.  The day pass was $35 and I thoroughly enjoyed the time to relax and visit each area that was offered. 

6. Breakfast Buffet at State Fare & Kitchen
Included in our Bed & Breakfast package was our choice of a room service breakfast or dining at the State Fare & Kitchen.  We opted for State Fare & Kitchen since they had an elaborate breakfast buffet served until 12 noon and we were heading that way after our spa visit.  The buffet include an omelet bar, savory dishes like California inspired eggs Benedict and apple sausage to sweet treats like almond croissants and panna cotta pancakes with fresh blueberry jam.  This farm-to-fork eatery is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The breakfast portion of our package allowed us to spend up to $70 and that easily covered the buffet for two.

And with that, our 24 hour getaway had come to an end.  But we felt like our quick trip had so many special moments that it felt much longer.  As we finished up our scrumptious breakfast, our server called the Valet to bring our car around and the Concierge to have our luggage taken out.  The Valet loaded our luggage, stocked our car with two ice-cold water bottles, and off we went.  Our stay at the Ritz-Carlton was a luxury retreat indeed!

All opinions expressed are my own.  I did not receive compensation of any kind from the Ritz-Carlton to write this review.