Warm Winter Getaway Review: Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa

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Hello from beautiful Indian Wells and the newly remodeled Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa!

This was our second SoCal family vacation here and it was even better than the last time! With their new refurbishment and remodel, we had even more to enjoy! Special thanks to Renaissance Esmeralda for inviting us and hosting our stay.

Here is a look into our quick getaway to the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa with the whole family!

The first thing we noticed was that our favorite pool was still in all its glory and the views from the rooms were still absolutely stunning!

We very much enjoyed the balconies off of our rooms. Speaking of the rooms, we had two identical connecting rooms which is for sure our preferred room set up with the 5 of us.

Onto the rooms themselves.

This is where the remodel shines. The rooms were gorgeous! The big touches like the bathroom remodel to the little touches like the paint color and wall hangings were executed perfectly.

We felt the old Palm Springs retro vibe throughout the resort and loved it!

The bathroom even had old black and white images on the wall! Special shoutout to the toiletries. I love that they have Aveda products!

Since the resort is celebrating its 30 year anniversary, they left the girls a sweet surprise of retro candy from the 80’s.

Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa just gets how the little touches mean so much and you will find them throughout the resort.

Now let’s talk about food and drinks.

We remembered from our last stay here that the drinks and food were really good. I had the best (non-alcoholic) pina colada of my life here last time so I had high expectations. I was blown away by the flavor and freshness of everything.

The culinary team is creative and dedicated to the guest experience and it shows. They had offerings that Pete and our older daughters loved like granola parfait bars, more fresh fruit then we could imagine and a multi-colored hash among other options for non-vegans. They also had kid-friendly dishes that Emmy thought were the best thing ever, like the homemade waffle bar.

There is so much to do at the resort, like lounging and playing by the pool and going to the spa.

But if you want more adventure, the resort is close to many other activities too. From golfing to shopping… you could stay busy here for weeks!

For our time outside the resort, we decided to take a Jeep tour up to the San Andreas Fault.

We also explored multiple desert oases.

Along the way, we saw a replica Native American establishment in the same place that they used to be.

And then we went rock climbing.

Just kidding, this was pretty much just a slight incline up a hill, but it felt like we were a whole lot higher. The Jeep tour was very family-friendly and even little ones that were 5+ were with us.

We have been on some pretty wild Jeep tours, but this one was nothing crazy at all and I loved that about it. It was more about exploring and seeing everything on a fun bumpy road as opposed to having to hold on for dear life like I am used to on Jeep tours!

Our friend Emily from the Renaissance Esmeralda even joined us!

Back at the Renaissance Esmeralda, it was time for another delightful lunch and then pool time!

Maddie and Ash explored the resort grounds while Pete, Emmy and I headed to the pool. Emmy loved walking behind the waterfall. They also have a sandy entry pool area with cabanas available for rent. We had one to use and it kept the sun away and the temperature perfect! The thing with going out to Indian Wells in the late fall and winter is that the weather is absolutely perfect. It was in the mid 70’s the whole time we were there. When we left the beach on the way to the resort, it was in the low 60’s. That is a huge warm-up! Plus it is just around 2 hours from San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Diego so your vacation can start fast!

The pool is great for the little ones, especially during the sleepier off-season (late fall to spring).

With the sand area, cabanas and a great kids club, this is a win all around for families. There is even a cute check-in area for the little ones!

Nighttime at Renaissance Esmeralda is also a huge hit with everyone in the family.

There is an adults-only “story time” where you can sample their signature cocktail for the night and listen to little info bytes about the drink, resort, and local happenings. For the kids, there are smores to enjoy by the fire.

We had a great time and can’t wait to come back as soon as we need some warm weather and pool time! You can learn more about the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa on their website.

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