Set in the courtyard of a 1940s hacienda and bordered by terraced beds of flowers, trees, and its own restaurant, the sunken clubhouse court at the La Quinta Resort & Club has always seemed like a symbol of the resort’s commitment to tennis. Tennis there burst onto the national stage in 1978 when a consortium of former players led by Charlie Pasarell set out to build the finest resort tennis club on the planet. It became one of the first resorts to offer all three playing surfaces—hard, clay, and grass (though the grass is now gone)—and Pasarell and company made sure it rose to national attention by staging a professional tournament that eventually spawned into own stadium. Those were heady days and the tournament was the springboard for what is now the BNP Paribas tournament in nearby Indian Wells.
From the very beginning, I’ve been one of La Quinta’s staunchest partisans. Its Clubhouse Court is hands-down the most beautiful court at a resort anywhere, and the later addition of a spa next door and a courtside fitness center only seemed to add to the allure. At 21 courts—16 hard and 5 Har-Tru—it remains one of the larger resort complexes in the desert, and the facility has supplemented its tennis with the addition of 8 pickleball courts. The setting is magnificent, the rooms exceptionally comfortable, the cuisine excellent.
The original Spanish hacienda-style hotel and its 20 cottages opened in 1926 and immediately attracted Hollywood celebrities and California moguls, who braved 20 miles of bad road beyond Palm Springs to reach this retreat among citrus trees at the foot of the starkly imposing Santa Rosa Mountains. Since then the road has improved and the resort grown to 620 casitas and 98 villas. Yet this doesn’t feel like a large hotel. The scale remains low—nothing taller than two stories—and the rooms have been cleverly arranged around numerous small garden-like courtyards each containing a small swimming pool and hot tub (all in all, there are 41 pools and 53 hot tubs).
Although it is no longer difficult to reach the rest of Palm Springs desert and its many restaurants and galleries, there is little incentive to leave the resort. All the rooms are a short stroll from a flower-bedecked plaza of shops and restaurants, so why get in your car when you can stroll over to the Adobe Grill for fishbowl-size margaritas served in hand-blown glassware from Guadalajara or its superb dishes from various regions of Mexico, like grilled rack of lamb with roasted corn and date tamale from the Yucatan or Caldo de Mariscos, a southwestern bouillabaisse? Unless you’re here in March and have tickets to the Indian Wells Tennis Tournament, you’ll be perfectly content staying on property, playing tennis and relaxing at the spa or around one of the pools.
The consortium that started the tennis club—Charlie Pasarell, Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Bob Lutz, Tom Gorman, Marty Riessen, Roscoe Tanner, and Dennis Ralston—guaranteed by location and design that the courts would be a focal point of the resort. Tables from a restaurant and bar, now renamed Centre Court Cafe and filled with tennis photos, spill out onto the flower-filled patio overlooking the sunken clubhouse court. The complex is further anchored by a swimming pool, fitness center, and tennis pro shop. The effect encourages hanging out, before and after matches.
Tennis Staff: Kevin Connolly took over as tennis director on March 1, 2019. A graduate of South Carolina’s Coastal Carolina University, where he played Division 1 NCAA tennis, Connolly has been part of the desert tennis scene since 1992, most recently as the director of the Peter Burwash International-managed Westin Mission Hills Resort. He inherits a well-oiled program, known for its quality game matching and a roster of weekly activities that include drill sessions, clinics, Cardio tennis, and, during periods of peak demand, junior clinics.
Court Complex: There are 21 tennis courts—16 hard and 5 Har-Tru—and 8 pickleball courts.
Off Court
Golf Courses: Golfers who stay here can test themselves on 90 inspired holes, including the TPC Stadium, Jack Nicklaus Tournament, and Greg Norman courses at nearby PGA WEST and the resort’s own Pete Dye Mountain and Dunes courses. If they come up lacking, they can always check into the acclaimed Jim McLean Golf School.
Spa & Fitness Center: La Quinta 23,000-square-foot spa is remarkable for its elegant South of the Border architecture and abundant outdoor treatment rooms that manage to be both private and open to views of the sky, stars, and haunting desert mountains. Workout enthusiasts got a 4,000-square-foot fitness center adjacent to the tennis clubhouse. That handsome building has counterpane windows on both sides, with the cardiovascular equipment set to look out on the courts, and contains a full suite of LifeFitness machines and dumbbells as well. The center also has a lengthy roster of daily workouts, including yoga, Pilates, aqua-aerobics, stretch classes, and power walks.
Accommodations
There are 786 rooms, suites and villas mostly arrayed around gardenlike courtyards with swimming pools and outdoor whirlpools.
Getting there
Seasons: The resort is open year-round but confine your tennis vacation to the period from October to early May. High season typically begins in mid January and extends through April.
Travel Instructions: The resort is 19 miles from Palm Springs International Airport.
257 Reviews on “La Quinta Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort”
Excellent
4.8
257 reviews
On Court Experience
5.0
Off Court Experience
5.0
Overall Tennis
5.0
Overall Pickleball
5.0
Tennis Instruction
5.0
Pickleball Instruction
5.0
Accomodations
5.0
Resort Amenities
5.0
CB
I have taken multiple lessons with Ian Mindell and have been thoroughly impressed with the quality of his instruction. His keen eye for detail and ability to suggest small, strategic adjustments have made a significant impact on my game. I highly recommend La Quinta tennis and Coach Ian Mindell to anyone looking to improve their tennis skills.
CP
I have been hitting at La Quinta for the last several months. The programming and drills have been top notch, and the tennis pros have all been very high quality, both in hitting ability and instruction. Both Ernie and Jose are terrific pros with a lot to offer even highly rated players. Of course, the setting is gorgeous as well. I highly recommend this tennis resort for any level of players.
KO
Beautiful atmosphere with highest quality tennis instruction. Look forward to coming back first chance I get!
AW
It’s an absolutely stunning background right in the la quinta cove! Beautiful views and an excellent tennis facility with the best staff!
JC
TENNIS HEAVEN… it was a few years since I had been to the Resort but going back this last March was a quick reminder of just how beautiful this property is. I brought a group of tennis players with me and Kevin Connolly and the entire tennis staff treated us like royalty. Not only is this the perfect place for tennis players, but the grounds are stunningly beautiful. If you haven’t had a chance to visit this spot yet, you need to put it on your bucket list.
TB
Tennis program is one of the best I’ve been to. Hope to come again.
VS
I take weekly lessons at La Quinta Resort from Rod Suarez who is an amazing tennis coach. I have taken many lessons from other instructors and have been to many tennis camps, and Rod is the absolute best. His knowledge, energy and enthusiasm are unsurpassed. He works me very hard and makes my lessons fun and exciting. Rod is such a positive and happy person and he is truly a joy on the court. My lessons with Rod are the highlight of my week!
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257 Reviews on “La Quinta Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort”
I have taken multiple lessons with Ian Mindell and have been thoroughly impressed with the quality of his instruction. His keen eye for detail and ability to suggest small, strategic adjustments have made a significant impact on my game. I highly recommend La Quinta tennis and Coach Ian Mindell to anyone looking to improve their tennis skills.
I have been hitting at La Quinta for the last several months. The programming and drills have been top notch, and the tennis pros have all been very high quality, both in hitting ability and instruction. Both Ernie and Jose are terrific pros with a lot to offer even highly rated players. Of course, the setting is gorgeous as well. I highly recommend this tennis resort for any level of players.
Beautiful atmosphere with highest quality tennis instruction. Look forward to coming back first chance I get!
It’s an absolutely stunning background right in the la quinta cove! Beautiful views and an excellent tennis facility with the best staff!
TENNIS HEAVEN… it was a few years since I had been to the Resort but going back this last March was a quick reminder of just how beautiful this property is. I brought a group of tennis players with me and Kevin Connolly and the entire tennis staff treated us like royalty. Not only is this the perfect place for tennis players, but the grounds are stunningly beautiful. If you haven’t had a chance to visit this spot yet, you need to put it on your bucket list.
Tennis program is one of the best I’ve been to. Hope to come again.
I take weekly lessons at La Quinta Resort from Rod Suarez who is an amazing tennis coach. I have taken many lessons from other instructors and have been to many tennis camps, and Rod is the absolute best. His knowledge, energy and enthusiasm are unsurpassed. He works me very hard and makes my lessons fun and exciting. Rod is such a positive and happy person and he is truly a joy on the court. My lessons with Rod are the highlight of my week!