5 Places to Stay in Indian Wells

Sands Hotel & Spa

You might recognize Martyn Lawrence Bullard as a design powerhouse — he’s in Architectural Digest’s AD100 list. At Sands Hotel & Spa, the interior designer’s mix of Moroccan and midcentury flair sets the stage even before you’ve checked in.

With 46 rooms, the place is small enough to feel unrushed yet colorful enough to command attention, thanks to its candy-coated tiles, patterned textiles, and The Pink Cabana restaurant that somehow channels antique tennis club glam and modern cheek in equal measure.

The spa, tucked into an olive grove, feels like a daydream: Intimate treatment rooms and couples’ nooks deliver calm, whether you’re opting for a Moroccan Radiance facial or a Royal Rhassoul hammam body treatment. And if you’re poolside, wading among palms and sipping something cool in the California sun, it all seems deliciously, distractingly good.

44985 Province Way, Indian Wells
760-321-3771

Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa

Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa sits within the walkable resort corridor of Indian Wells. Each guest room has a private balcony, looking out onto mountain ridgelines or manicured fairways.

Days unfold over coffee at Café Biscotti and farm-to-table breakfasts at Cava, then spill out to the pool — said to be the valley’s largest — where a sandy beach entry and island-style bar create the illusion of a desert shore. Families find another world inside Desert Glow Entertainment, a 12,000-square-foot arcade with duckpin bowling and a gold rush–themed escape room. Additional children’s programming is available through Camp Esmeralda.

Adults slip away to Spa Esmeralda, where a garden waterfall leads to quiet cabanas and treatment rooms. The spa’s signature Renew Recovery Lounge focuses on healing therapies for sleep, muscle fatigue, and travel weariness, making it as much a sanctuary as a service.

With Indian Wells Golf Resort next door and activities that range from yoga sessions to bike rides, the resort layers leisure and movement into one scenic getaway.

44400 Indian Wells Lane, Indian Wells 
760-773-4444

If you’re out exploring, stop by the Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar in Palm Springs for casual bites and frozen cocktails, or enjoy a meal (with a side of shopping) at the Tommy Bahama Restaurant, Bar & Store in Palm Desert.

Whether you’re seeking a few days of sun-soaked bliss or a local oasis, Tommy Bahama has everything you need to make every day feel like a vacation.

45000 Indian Wells Lane, Indian Wells
858-281-5972

SPONSORED

Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Villas

Discover desert beauty and modern luxury at the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Villas. Newly renovated rooms feature warm light, soft tones and midcentury design. Villas add handcrafted furniture, artistic lighting and private backyards with a hot tub, plunge pool or firepit. Families can enjoy expanded cabanas, new poolside dining, a lazy river and two towering slides. Chef Angelo Sosa debuts Tía Carmen and Carmocha, offering bold Southwest flavors against a backdrop of mountain views.

44600 Indian Wells Lane, Indian Wells 760-776-1234

Indian Wells Resort Hotel

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz didn’t just produce I Love Lucy — in 1957 they conjured up this winter hideaway, once known as the Desi Arnaz Western Hills Hotel, a star-studded escape tucked beside rolling fairways and sunlit pools. Still modestly priced, this boutique gem offers easy access to attractions, including Indian Wells Tennis Garden, with a dash of Old Hollywood lore.

As twilight falls, head to IW Live, the retro lounge and supper club where cabaret-style dinner shows pair with American Italian dishes. Golfers can also tee off at the adjacent Indian Wells Country Club. Desi Arnaz was among its early developers, and to this day the hotel remains the only property in town whose guests share playing privileges with club members.

76661 Highway 111, Indian Wells
760-345-6466