Matt Knittle
Google
My wife and I visited the property for the first time this past week. From the stunning lobby and lounge area, to the beautiful and spacious guest rooms (with a really comfortable bed), to the crystal clean pools, to the Fox Den Bar cocktails and food, this place hit all the right spots.
We checked in on a Sunday night and had dinner in the Bistro. The dinner menu was a tad limited, but we visited out of season, so I wasn't surprised at that. The wine list, though? Wow! The food was great and the menu offered a little something for everyone. I even had a glass of Sauternes (iykyk) as a nightcap.
The room we stayed in was a garden view room; much larger than your average hotel room and included a nice little patio out back. The patio wass perfect for morning coffee and evening wine and stargazing.
The property was QUIET! It's hard to find any properties where there's not road noise, or music from the bar, or kids running amok. There were other people at the property, but I never heard them.
The property itself was clean. I didn't find a single piece of errant trash, and all the grounds looked as though they had a crew of landscapers come through hourly to maintain its tidiness.
There are 5 pools on the property, though we only used the pool next to the main lobby/restaurant/bar. The pool was crystal clear and there were plenty of seating options all around from lounges to cushioned chairs. We were able to order cocktails and food from the bar to take and enjoy poolside.
We ate at the bar a couple times and had their burger, chips & guacamole, and buffalo wings. All of it was dleicious. My wife and I split the burger because it's big enough to do that. I can say, without reservation, it's one of the best burgers I've had. It was cooked to perfection over actual fire (the way God intended) and not on a flat top. And the fries were legit. Cocktails there aren't cheap, but I was never disappointed in the quality/quantity of the pour or the taste of the cocktail. Their liquor selection is good.
We availed ourselves of the stargazing theater every night we were there. There's something incredibly relaxing about sitting in the desert and staring up at the night sky and La Casa Del Zorro gets that right. Plenty of chairs in a fenced off area to keep the "light noise" out made for the perfect stargazing experience for us.
We checked out yesterday and drove home. Once I got home I realized I'd left my watch (a very, VERY nice watch that holds substantial monetary and sentimental value to me) in my room. I called the front office and, in a panic, asked if they could check our room for it. They called back less than 5 minutes later almost out of breath (I think they actually ran to the room and back) to tell me they had the watch and to ask if I'd like them to ship it to me. With a watch like that, it's not something one puts in the mail, so I told them I'd be driving back out to pick it up. Fortunately, we only live 1.5 hours away. I pulled up, walked in, was greeted by the front desk staff with a huge smile and my watch, and told, "Hope to see you and your lovely wife again soon."
When my wife and I booked our trip out here, we were looking for a less expensive alternative to our usual Anniversary trip to our regular place in Palm Springs (rhymes with Schmingleside Inn). My wife is "between jobs" and, well, I'm "frugal." So, she stumbled onto this place. I've got to say, I'm so happy she did. This was our first trip out here, but I can promise it won't be our last.