Take this region’s desert-oasis atmosphere, then add natural hot springs, mineral pools, and native plants with healing properties, and you can’t help but find a hot bed of pampering, with a wide array of world-class spas and wellness retreats.
The desert resort towns of the Coachella Valley all have wonderful spas, but a few standouts demand a special nod. One spot that’s hot on the radar of in-the-know celebs (Meryl Streep and Madonna are rumored to have visited) is luxurious Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs. This desert hideaway offers palm-shaded pools and an incredible variety of treatments. For a New Age twist, try color therapy: you get your massage in a stained-glass gazebo while colored lights target different parts of your body. Does it work? Who cares—it feels great to be so pampered, and who couldn’t use a little Chakra-balancing, right?
Southeast of Palm Springs, the staggeringly huge, 38,000-square-foot/3,530-square-meter Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa is like a wonderland of spoil-me services. Features include dozens of private treatment rooms, a salon, bistro, VIP suite, fitness facility, and a soothing saltwater pool. Spa guests can take advantage of hot and cold plunge pools, plus treatments that incorporate ancient Ayurvedic healing methods and ingredients from locally grown citrus and dates.
For a more intimate experience that still has a resort feel, consider Agua Serena spa (Spanish for “peaceful waters”) at Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort. Before or after your treatment, lounge beside a dipping pool with relaxing fountains and swaying palm trees.
