- Hotel Website: The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Palm Desert
- Location: Google Maps
- Book: Check availability
- Room Type: Villa – Livingroom, Kitchen, 1 King, Living/sitting area, Patio, Sunrise View
- Review Score: Results of our review
- Hotel Fact: The resort is a Marriott Vacation Club vs a traditional Westin Property!
The exceptional size of the massive suites, offering a home-away-from-home feel.
The immense convenience of the full kitchen and in-room washer and dryer.
The enjoyable and refreshing traditional American-style pool area.
The well-equipped and fully functional on-site gym.
This resort is a Marriott Vacation Club property, not a traditional Westin resort, which impacts loyalty benefits.
Elite status perks (like complimentary breakfast) are typically not honored here.
The property is massive, requiring guests to drive to their specific building/suite.
Dining options are very limited on-site, making outside dining necessary for variety.
🕐 24-hour room service
🧸 Babysitting services
🍸 Bar
🏖️ Beach
🧘 Fitness classes
⛳ Golf
🏋️ Gym
📋 Meeting rooms
🏊 Outdoor pool
🐾 Pet friendly
🍽️ Restaurants
💆 Spa
The Luxe Atlas Rating
Design: 8/10
Vibe: 7.3/10
Romantic: 6.2/10
Air Conditioning: 8.5/10
Room: 8/10
Food: 8/10
Location: 7.5/10
Gym/Fitness: 8/10
Cleanliness: 8.5/10
Wow Factor: 8.1/10
Overall Experience: 8.71/10
Welcome
The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Palm Desert, provided a different but still pleasurable experience. One crucial point to understand is that this facility operates as a Marriott Vacation Club rather than a traditional Westin hotel resort. This distinction is important, as we noted that Vacation Clubs tend not to prioritize elite status perks, such as complimentary breakfast or suite upgrades, to the same extent as standard hotels. Nevertheless, the stay proved enjoyable and relaxing.
Arrival and Initial Experience
Checking into the resort was a breeze and a pleasant experience. Given the size of the complex, we were immediately provided with a detailed map—a necessity, as this facility is very large, incorporating a golf course and multiple pools. After concluding the check-in process at the main front desk, we made our way to our room, which required us to drive. This is typical of large-scale facilities, including expansive resorts found in destinations like Orlando, where guests park directly at their designated accommodation building.
Hotel Grounds and Accessibility
The overall scale of the property is massive. The complex is well laid out, ensuring that each accommodation building is easily accessible. For guest convenience, every building is equipped with an elevator to service all floors. This efficient design, standard for such large facilities, ensures that the resort maintains its flow despite the sheer number of villas.
Hotel Suite: Comfort, Space, and Convenience
After checking in, we were immediately impressed by the size of our massive suite. This accommodation is not a traditional hotel room; it offers a complete living experience. Our suite included a full kitchen, a large living room complete with a television and a private balcony, a spacious bedroom, and a large bathroom. The setup truly allows guests to feel at home, providing the ability to cook meals and even wash clothes thanks to the in-room washing machine and dryer, a feature consistent across all rooms. Our suite boasted a beautiful view overlooking one of the pools, though we chose not to use that particular one.
Restaurants Onsite (Including Operating Hours)
The dining options here are focused on convenience rather than variety. We did enjoy delicious food by the pool, which was similar to traditional bar fare but of a higher quality, likely catering to guests on their yearly vacation stays.
For breakfast and coffee, we had to drive up to the front area to access the Express Coffee Bar, which features a Starbucks. This lack of extensive, full-service dining was slightly disappointing but didn’t detract significantly from our trip, as we simply ventured off-resort for meals in town.
| Main Pool Restaurant | Casual American / Bar Food | Lunch, snacks, and poolside cocktails. Quality is noted as good for resort fare. | Daily, Lunch Service (Typically 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM) |
| Express Coffee Bar (Starbucks) | Coffee, Pastries, Quick Snacks | Located near the front desk; the primary source for morning coffee and essentials. | Daily, Morning to Early Afternoon (Typically 6:00 AM – 2:00 PM) |
Shopping Onsite (Including Operating Hours)
Shopping is limited to essential items and souvenirs. The main retail area is co-located with the coffee bar at the front of the resort. We utilized this small shop to pick up items like suntan lotion and other necessities.| Onsite Market / Store | Sundries, Essentials, Souvenirs | Convenient location for toiletries, snacks, and vacation necessities. | Daily, Convenience Hours (Typically 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM) |
Pools and Water Recreation
The resort features an impressive pool area, which we definitely utilized. It includes a dedicated cocktail bar and numerous chairs and sun loungers for relaxing. The pool was really nice and refreshing—a traditional American-style pool setup, perfect for cooling off in the desert heat. While I was occupied with work, my partner was able to fully enjoy laying out and getting that desirable Palm Springs sun.
Activities & Amenities
While this facility lacks a spa, it does boast other excellent amenities.
Fitness Studio: There is a really nice, well-equipped gym that we thoroughly enjoyed. It contained everything necessary for a full workout, whether on a short weekend trip or an extended stay.
The Vibe: We observed that many guests were almost local residents enjoying a “staycation.” Our experience was naturally different, as we flew in from out of town, but the atmosphere was relaxed and geared towards enjoying the amenities for a few days.
The Spa
It is important for guests to know that there is not a dedicated spa facility at this location. Those seeking full-service spa treatments would need to venture off-property to neighboring resorts or establishments in the Palm Desert area.
Final Closing
In summary, we would not necessarily recommend The Westin Desert Willow Villas if your primary goal is to fully utilize extensive on-site resort facilities, particularly diverse dining or spa services. However, if you are looking for an extended stay or a local getaway and love the idea of a massive, residential-style hotel room—one that includes a full kitchen, large living room, and spacious bedroom and bath—this place is an excellent choice. The rooms are uniformly large, providing consistently generous space for everyone.
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