Golf Courses: There are two 18-hole golf courses, both designed by Ted Robinson, and an unusual 18-hole championship putting course.
The Palms: Built in 1987, these 18 holes wind around the resort’s waterways.
The Valley: This course shows such classic Ted Robinson features as effective water usage, multi-tiered greens framed by palm trees, and undulating fairways.
The Greens: Located adjacent to the lobby bar at the hotel, this 18-hole putting course stands out for its use of classic features of full-length courses, including sand bunkers, water hazards, strategically placed trees, and rolling “fairways,” all played with only a putter. Par 54, 1,435 feet.
Spa & Fitness Center: Located along the lake, a couple of hundred yards from the hotel lobby, the 38,000-square-foot Spa Desert Springs has adopted a “California casual” decor of split-face limestone and Brazilian ipe wood throughout its interior. Both the men’s and women’s areas have saunas, steam rooms, and hot and cold plunge pools, and outdoor whirlpools, the latter overlooking the resort’s Ted Robinson-designed golf course. A door from each leads to a Spa Bistro, which serves light snacks. New to both areas, however, is a Turkish hammam: a spacious steam chamber infused with essential oils and set at 105 degrees (which allows for a longer relaxation period than a traditional steam room). Digitally programmable Kohler Desert Rain showers with five heads let guests fully choreograph their shower experience. The men’s side also has a 50-inche flat-screen TV. Outside, there’s a saltwater pool with views of the golf course and homes lining the lake.
The spa treatments draw heavily on the healing ingredients and customs of the surrounding Sonoran Desert—including locally harvested citrus and dates, cactus flower, and aloe. However, it remains eclectic in also adopting European customs of using mud as a detoxifier, Ayurvedic warm oil and crushed herb treatments, Turkish sea salts, and more. There is also a new emphasis on “spa together,” in which couples and groups can enjoy treatments together. Finally, they have added a 600-square-foot Spa Sanctuary, a private suite destined to cater to VIPs and the Hollywood elite. It has a private entrance and butler.
Those wanting to workout have the Fitness Center, a complete workout center with lines of treadmills, exercycles (recumbent and upright), and elliptical and standard StairMasters plus a full suite off LifeFitness machines, free weights, and dumbbells. It’s is a partly mirrored room with windows on outside entrance. TVs hang from ceiling in front of workout machines and each of the cardio stations has its own television. There are also a variety of classes, including morning power walks (3.5 miles in about 45 minutes), spinning, yoga, and mat Pilates. There’s also a shop with spa products and workout gear, a salon and hallways leading to women’s locker in one direction, men’s in the other. These each have tile showers, sauna, steam, and menthol steam and hot and cold plunge pools. A door from each leads to the Bistro, which serves light snacks, and to an outdoor lap pool bordered by lounge chairs. There’s another small fitness center, with a handful of cardiovascular machines, at one corner of the tennis building where it has windows on the outside.
Children's programs: There is a wide variety of kid's recreation and programming available.
Dining: The main restaurant is the Rockwood Grill, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a garden terrace just off the lake. It is supplemented by the Mikado Japanese Steakhouse, seafood at Fishermen’s Landing, sushi in the Lobby Bar, a poolside grill, and a Starbucks.
485 Reviews on “JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa - Peter Burwash International”
Amazing program amazing pros. Our kids love their lessons, and we love ours!
This was an awesome tennis facility in every manner. Friendly coaches for all levels. Willing to help out with schedules. Very instructive lessons. The courts are wonderful. It is definitely one of the nicest tennis facilities we have seen.
Very comprehensive camp. The primary pro Jim Leupold was excellent.
The JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa hosted a large part of our 2017 ITA Fall National Tennis Championships. Jim Leupold and his tennis staff were splendid partners. The setting is fantastic, the courts terrific. The resort is first-rate. College tennis was treated to an amazing experience which created stellar memories for student-athletes and coaches that will remain with them for a lifetime. MANY THANKS!
JW Marriott Desert Springs is an excellent destination. It has the amenities to please anyone. My husband played golf while I attended tennis drills with excellent instructors who remember me year after year. They make drills fun while teaching skills in an intuitive way. I wish I could train with them regularly! I went to the tennis center on my own, but met new tennis friends while I was there. What a great experience! Thank you to Jim, Dave & Ben!
A complete facility, clay, hard and grass courts. Family activities Saturday show that is educational and has a lot of humor. Front desk ( Dora ) is the best of any resort we visit. Friendly and works hard to arrange matches for all visitors. Jim has perfected his show on Saturdays and his new assistant knows how to entertain. Can’t think of one weakness.
Even though I am a seasoned veteran of tennis having played competitively for over 40 years, I still learned new things from Jim, the tennis pro. He didn’t try to change our strokes just improve them which I really appreciated. It was well worth the money and the time. And it was fun!
I had a lot of fun watching (and participating in) their weekly PBI tennis show. Our 4 kids loved watching the funny skits, and my wife and I both learned some important tips on what to do (and NOT to do) when playing on the court! Jim Leupold, Director of tennis, was really friendly and personally invited us to the show after interacting with us on the courts/in the tennis shop. We look forward to going back in the future for more tennis playing, likely lessons, and entertaining shows.
We have vacationed at the Marriott Desert Springs Resort annually for almost 20 years: four generations of Kelleys have played on their courts. While we have visited other tennis resorts over the years, none compares with Desert Springs and the family atmosphere you feel from the moment you arrive. It is likely that Jim Leupold’s longevity as Director has a lot to do with the consistently high quality of the tennis program over such a long period of time. You can play as much or as little as you want. A number of clinics on specific skills and/ or for beginners/ intermediate / advanced players are offered daily. (Over the years, our family’s participation in those clinics has included players at all three levels ) Our granddaughters are just reaching the age when they will be participating in the junior clinics – we are looking forward to that. The “Grand Slam Round Robins” provide a fun way to play on clay, grass and hard courts and to meet other players. The pro shop staff does an exceptional of arranging games, bringing in players from the community if there are not enough hotel/ villa guests at the appropriate USTA level. (You asked for a weakness and if I have to come up with one, it is something hard to control at any tennis resort. A few guests inflate their reported USTA ratings in order to be player-matched in games with higher level players. As a result, once in a while, you end up in a disappointing game. But this rarely occurs twice – the staff gets to know the players quickly and adjusts accordingly.) You can be confident that a private lesson with any pro will be time well spent and will be customized to meet your particular needs. We always start and end our visit with one of our favorite program features: “Play with a Pro.” Instead of a lesson, we sign up with Jim Leupold or one of the pros to be our fourth for a 60 or 90 minute family doubles game. The cost is very reasonable and you can’t beat the experience for how much fun you’ll have! The facility’s setting, with the grass courts as its centerpiece, and surrounded by palm trees and mountains, is breathtaking. There are a multitude of fitness and other activities available at the resort, and easy access to beautiful pools and golf courses onsite. Guests can stay at the Marriott hotel or in the Vacation Club studios, 1 or 2 bedroom villas. It is no surprise that we, along with a remarkable number of other players we have come to know since 1997, return without fail to this resort year after year.
I snuck away on a family vacation to do a few morning clinics at the JW. Each were enjoyable and very well managed. I’m disappointed I could not attend more.
Jim runs a great tennis program there. Everyone was very nice . I always wanted to play on grass and I got to do that . Good common sense lessons and drills . Had a great time hope to go back.
This is a great facility. I have been playing tennis for 50 years and learned lots of things just from taking 3 clinics here. The professional staff is excellent and the accommodation here is really really nice. I hope to return many times in the future. We were here in January 2018
Vacationed at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa under their Tennis package based on their high tennis rating here. Before I went I reached out to the Director, Jim Leupold, who answered my questions quickly, thoroughly and enthusiastically. Although it was an off-peak time to visit, the tennis staff made every effort to make my tennis experience a positive one even when I was a group of one. Instructors Dave, Ben, and Jim were knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Candy and Dora went above and beyond to find us a fabulous mixed doubles game and found a last-minute 4th when needed. The courts are in excellent condition with pitchers of water provided during classes. My only suggestion would be to adjust the afternoon clinic time around mid-December to 3:00-4:00 instead of 4:00-5:00 as the sun starts to set behind the mountains that much earlier so it was a bit more difficult to see the ball even with the courts lit.
WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE !!! Five ladies from Lafayette spent the weekend at the Marriott in Desert Springs. We all play tennis together at home and planned a birthday celebration weekend. The facilities were absolutely beautiful and the instruction was outstanding. We played tennis twice a day at times that were convenient for our group. The pros tailored the clinics each day to our preferences and EVERYONE learned something new. We advanced our games, had many laughs and got great exercise in a beautiful setting. I can’t recommend PBI Tennis in Palm Desert highly enough. It was absolutely terrific.
We had such a fabulous time in Palm Springs. The facilities were great and the coaching staff were really top-notch. We learned a huge amount but had fun at the same time. We also changed our schedules around and there was never an issue – they were extremely accommodating . We were there celebrating birthdays and our pro, Jim Leopold, even got us a birthday cake… now that’s going the extra mile!!
PBI clinics are always fun & purposeful. I have visited several of the resorts where they are located. I often choose the resorts because of the tennis programs. Thanks Dave & Jim.
My 13 year old son and I played three hours with Jim at the JW Marriot and although it was very hot in August I can say they were some of the best coaching we have experienced. We have played at clubs and resorts in the UK, Spain and the US and I can safely say that Jim is a great coach and a pleasure to spend time with. It is also clear he has a passion for the game and that also makes it fun and educational.
Jim Leupold was great. His was the best advice and instruction that I have received at any resort. Often times pros try to totally remake your game or offer complicated, multi-step instruction. Jim did neither. He worked with my current game and offered simple, straight forward instruction. There is no over thinking or trying to remember where you are within a 10 or more step process. I believe that my game will improve tremendously due to Jim’s expertise. I would definitely like to come back again.
I’ve been going to PBI Tennis in Palm Desert (at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa) for almost 10 years. It’s a fantastic program and in addition to having a great time, I always learn something new to improve my game. One major benefit of this tennis center is that Jim Leupold has been w/the tennis club for many years. Many clinics have rotating pros, not here. Jim is professional, knowledgeable, personal and very insightful.
This was my first class in more than 20 years. Jim Leupold was an excellent teacher and brought back my passion for the game. Great didactic and structure. I had a lot of fun with the group while enhancing my game. I certainly plan to come back.
Jim the tennis pro is awesome! Of course he’s an excellent tennis player but most importantly he uses great teaching techniques to get across his points. The daily clinics build on each other if you go each day or can be really beneficial on their own. Jims personality is fun, friendly, focused and professional. We always look forward to these sessions with Jim when we stay at our time share every year or two. Please don’t think about retiring Jim!
Worked with Jim for 2 hours (1 hour private lesson and 1 hour of drills) and I had an amazing time. He was very insightful and gave me a tip that totally fixed one of the biggest issues I have been having with my serve for the last 2 years. He was enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable. His service was wonderful! My only regret was not being able to play on the grass court. It looked gorgeous.
JW Marriott is very worthy of such an outstanding ranking. The variety of courts that are all in excellent condition with the spectacular setting makes it a resort I highly recommend. I look forward to returning next year where the tennis staff is knowledgeable, courteous and professional.
Jim, Headpro, at JW Marriotts and his staff made us feel very welcome at his facility. The grounds were neat and clean. Jim is an excellent representative to thus organization, her is neat and very cordial to everyone.
Just a great resort with outstanding facilities. The tennis staff especially Jim was so gracious and helpful in our “Woody tournament” to make it a great success. Hope we can continue at this beautiful resort for the many years to follow.
Jim led a great session for mid level players. A good teacher and patient coach!
We did three morning clinics while visiting Palm Desert for a tennis tournament. One day was volleys, then doubles strategy, and next ground strokes. The clinics were all very informative, and I learned a lot of tennis techniques that were beyond the typical beginner instruction. The instructors were passionate about tennis and high level professionals. the clinics were 1.5 hours and even went over time most days. I would definitely recommend. Class sizes are kept low too. Best clinics I have ever had, and I have had many.
I can tell all of you not to miss this beautiful Resort. My family and I have been coming to this amazing place for the past 18 years and every year I can’t wait for our time at the Resort. The Staff at the Tennis Garden are friendly, helpful, attentive, personable, and very experienced, and so fun. They remember you by your name year after year, it makes you feel very special! Jim is a master in his own right, we just love him and his taught us so many good tennis tips that we have used on our own tennis world at home.I look forward to taking my lessons with him ever year! I have sent so many of my friends to the Resort and they are as happy as i am. I love this JW Marriott the best of all my tennis experience in 31 years of playing!
The PBI tennnis staff were fantastic and the variety of drills and clinics was top notch! I learned some invaluable skills and had a great time. The resort itself is beautiful.
My husband and I have travelled to Palm Desert the last 3 years for a tennis vacation of 5-6 days. We stay offsite and drive to the JW Marriott for the tennis. We look forward to this trip all year and are even thinking of doing it twice a year. We have done clinics and taken private lessons with Jim Leupold. We love the setting, the staff is friendly and helpful and the clinics are fun. The private lessons are fantastic – Jim is an outstanding instructor and very attentive. I have only wonderful things to say about the tennis program here.
This is an excellent resort for tennis players. The coaching staff is great, especially Jim Leupold. He has a great knowledge of the game and how to make the necessary adjustments to your game. He really seems to enjoy his job and helping his students. The facilities were great, easy to get extra court time and lessons. I’ll be back soon.
If you are looking to seriously improve your tennis game no matter your level, in a beautiful resort that covers all three playing surfaces, look no further than the PBI Tennis Group at the JW Marriott Desert Springs! Tennis Director Jim Leupold and his staff of outstanding Pros will insure you maximize you abilities on the court. They love what they do and it really shows in the lessons, clinics and tennis programs they provide. You will leave the resort with a renewed energy and enthusiasm about tennis and your game. I find the best time of year to visit is October through March. The desert is just beautiful that time of year and there are so many fun things to do during your stay at the resort! I visit Jim annually for an amazing tennis tune up. He truly is the best tennis pro I have ever work with!
Great experience, excellent instruction, beautiful facility .
I enjoyed all five of their varied tennis clinics on my “Indian Wells” vacation during March. Dave, Chad, Jim and all the pros are very friendly and helpful. They are starting a new drill program for 3.5 players which I looks forward to too. They’re Round Robin doubles program on all three surfaces is fun too. I would highly recommend this tennis club.
I have been attending the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort the past four years. I thoroughly enjoy the tennis clinics which focus on a variety of skills each day. I also enjoy playing the”Round Robin” with play on all three surfaces. It is also a fun way to meet people from all parts of the country. I like the accessibility of walking to the courts from the hotel. My husband golfs while I play tennis! The pros are wonderful, The only criticism is that I am assigned a group below my level of play sometimes.
The instructors are fantastic. They ask what you want to get out of your lessons and then work with you to develop your skills in a way that’s productive and fun. They are very good at identifying areas you need to work on and they provide practical advice that you can use to make quick and sustainable improvements.
My husband and I spent the second weekend in April here and had a wonderful experience. The daily clinics and drill sessions were fabulous. My husband and I are at different levels, but we both came away from each session having learned and practiced something that will improve our individual game. Lastly the staff were great, we did two private lessons with Dave and he was amazing. His explanations were insightful, and I also loved how we would practice concepts while playing out points.
My son often plays Juniors national tennis tournaments in Palm Desert, and I ALWAYS use this great team (most recently Chad) at the Marriott to warm him up before his matches. They are always very responsive and do a great job. I recommend them heartily!
Our experience with Jim Leopold and his team was top notch……this was our 2nd visit to this resort …..we came back this year after a great experience a few years back. Very accommodating to get us into relevant group drills and schedule private lessons/drills that fit our schedule. Group Drills were very well run and constructed. Jim brings passion, energy and an educational approach to drills and lessons…..along with a positive fun environment. Our family had a blast! And, my son, a junior player looking to improve, struck up a really nice coach student relationship with Jim…..this is a reflection on Jim’s attentiveness and engagement to the people on the court and what he does. I would highly recommend this tennis resort and Jim to anyone. We plan on coming back again in near future.
Absolutely a fantastic tennis resort. I took a vacation by myself and was able to find plenty of friends and tennis. The clinics were challenging and built on my current skills. The teaching staff were fun and happy to be helping on and off the courts. I really enjoyed my time at this resort and will definitely come back!
The Tennis program is exceptional. I have attended clinics and drills during 4 vacation stays and have always been happy with the professional and helpful Tennis instructions that Jim and his staff provide. Found the lessons and drills enjoyable and the takeaway advice useful. Tennis tips provided are just enough, simple and not overwhelming. Will recommend to my friends and keep coming back to this resort. Weakness may be the distraction of the surrounding resort.
We have been enjoying the wonderful tennis program at JW Desert Springs for over 25 years, first as relative beginners to tennis and now as more advanced players! The instructors are first-rate: knowledgeable, approachable, spot on in their observations of your skills, good goal setters. I especially like that they keep everything simple and direct. Their stroke books (photos of major players) are excellent tools to reinforce their teaching as well. Clinics are great sources of learning, lots of hitting time, personal corrections/suggestions, and fun at the same time. Private lessons are outstanding. It can be difficult to get set up with a match during super busy times (i.e. during BNP Paribas tournament weeks) but that is to be expected. Otherwise, outstanding!
We’ve been to many tennis destinations, and JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort is at the top of the list for us. It’s run by PBI professionals, and their team is a 10! These folks know how to run clinics and drills and pair up players. You play on all surfaces, and the weeks we go (during the Indian Wells Tennis Tournament) you find professionals like Roger Federer doing Wilson commercials–it’s great fun and lots of good tennis.
We own a timeshare next to the JW Marriott resort in Palm Desert. So usually at least once a year I find myself heading over daily to the tennis complex. I generally hit with, or do clinics with Jim Leupold or his available staff. All are top notch and will make sure you learn and have a good time. They have a number of fun events including a fun tournament that is played on hard courts, grass and clay. Very, very fun. Also, for the first time, I saw their tennis show, which is a series of live skits depicting various characters you may recognize at your club. Hilarious and entertaining. A must see! Jim demonstrates the ease of the serve. Standing. Kneeling. And then on his back. Unbelievable. Think he got a standing O for that. Inside the club house, Dora is the smiling face that greets you when you enter (and her staff). She will take good care of you and find appropriate level matches for you. Palm Desert, in winter, spring and fall, is a great tennis and golf destination and the staff here at PBI will make sure you have a fantastic time.
I purchased the tennis camp as a Christmas present for my wife. What an unbelievable experience, PBI and Jim/Steve were truly outstanding. Thank you for such a great experience. We will be signing up again soon!! Best vacation we have ever had!!!
Outstanding event. I would recommend to anyone that loves tennis. Jim and Steve were top notch. Beautiful setting!!! Will definitely sign up again
I attended and enjoyed a four-day adult tennis “camp” in February 2017. The camp was very well orchestrated with care and advance communications that were excellent. Jim Leopold, the Director, does a fabulous job of making everyone to feel welcome and comfortable. The teaching staff is engaged and supportive. There is a focus on doubles rather than singles, drills and strokes. The teaching is solid and players of all skill levels can improve. However, unlike IMG (and possibly others, the emphasis is to have fun and play social tennis.
This resort has it all. A variety of court surfaces — hard, clay, grass. A friendly and accommodating staff. A full menu of coaching (group and individual). Teaching pros presented playing tips in a manner easy to grasp and implement. One enjoyable group sign-up was a round-robin that enabled competitive play on all of the surfaces. Look forward to our next visit.
Superb tennis instruction! Dave Kensler removed the shackles of past tennis instruction and allowed me use what comes naturally, physically and mentally, to be a smart, competitive player. He focused on my strengths and how they can be utilized on the court. He is always positive. Dave’s love for the game is infectious!
This is my second year attending the tennis clinics at JW Marriott. We have thoroughly enjoyed the instruction led by Dave Kensler. Dave offers a very positive learning environment, honing in on strategic and fundamental skills. The Resort is beautiful and the villas are fabulous. We can’t wait to come back!