A Restorative Getaway in the Desert
For my 40th, all I wanted was to go to a place where I could relax and recharge. I didn't want to waste time traveling, so the destination needed to be close to Los Angeles, allowing me to maximize my five-day trip with my oldest girlfriends. I had heard good things about Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs and decided to try it for my birthday getaway. It was just a little over two hours away with no traffic, adults only, and seemed filled with wellness and restorative offerings that could help me fill my cup once again.
Upon arrival, you can immediately feel how special the sacred grounds are. A desert oasis with lithium-infused mineral-soaking tubs, the healing water is pulled from an aquifer deep in the earth below. In addition to the soaking tubs, there are two large pools on the property, and you can get incredible treatments like massages, body scrubs, reiki, and cleansing facials. You can also sign up for classes each day like yoga, tarot card reading, and sage cleansing, most of which are complimentary. These are the things that make this an extraordinary place. It's about soaking in the tubs for hours, eating frozen grapes and drinking coconut water, getting a deep tissue massage, and catching up on a good book by the pool. The quiet and peaceful ambiance is refreshing, the kind of place you can go to with a group of girlfriends or on your own if you want to escape the city for a few days.
We had planned on going to a new restaurant for dinner each night but ended up staying at the hotel once we settled in. Two Bunch Palms is that kind of place. Even though Palm Springs is only 20 minutes away, it's just so relaxing; you don't want to do anything that takes you from this newfound tranquility. It's also a bonus that the hotel has healthy, delicious food, not just burgers and fries. We enjoyed delicious date smoothies, acai fruit bowls, and griddled brioche toast in the mornings. For lunch, cold soba noodle salads and crunchy jicama tacos were perfect while sunbathing by the pool. And for dinner, we would pick up roast chicken, saffron rice, and salads from the restaurant to eat in our room while watching rom-coms. Literal heaven!
That said, some things about the hotel could have been better, mainly the accommodations and customer service. The rooms need a major renovation, especially with the price tag of $600+ a night. This was the weakest link of the entire experience. When you're outside, it's beautiful, but inside it all feels dated and rundown. In addition to the room's lackluster quality, we had to ask someone to remove trash and dirty dishes, make the bed, get towels, and fix our tv multiple times during a five-night stay. And while the manager was lovely and apologetic, the hotel needs to get a handle on making that part of the experience just as memorable as soaking in the mineral tubs or getting a massage.
Overall, I am grateful I got to get away, recharge and reconnect with old friends, all while soaking in hot tubs, sipping on wine, and laughing more than I have in a long time. x
