summer
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GETAWAY
La Quinta
Resort & Club
G
oogle Maps will direct you onto
Route 101 to Interstate 10 to La
Quinta Resort & Club, but that
would not be smart, as that routing will take
you through the heart of Los Angeles, which
is
always
very busy and the trip can become
excruciatingly
slooow. The best, quickest, and
most reliable way to get to La Quinta is to go
down 101 to Ventura, take 126 East to Interstate
5 South to the 210 East, all the way past San
Bernardino to Interstate 10 East, and get off at
exit 137. The total distance of 220 miles (from
Montecito) can be covered in as little 3 1/2
hours when traffic is light, or up to 5-1/2 hours
depending upon the time of day.
In either case and even at 5-plus hours, La
Quinta is indeed a true “weekend getaway”
destination. Once there, you will have arrived at
a charming 90-year-old (built at the same time
as our own Biltmore Hotel) desert playground.
La Quinta is now a part of and operated by
Waldorf Astoria Resorts – deep in the heart
of Coachella Valley – and boasts 45 acres
of quietude harboring 620 casitas and 98
separate villas that can feature one, two, or
even three bedrooms; there’s plenty of room
for kids or in-laws, or a butler if you travel that
way. La Quinta prides itself on the cleanliness
of its rooms, the quiet and unobtrusive
professionalism of its staff, a profusion of
amenities, 41 public pools, 23 tennis courts, and
the quality of its various eating establishments.
The resort also maintains a dog-friendly policy
and welcomes canines up to 100 pounds.
BY JAMES BUCKLEY
