This is a review I never intended to write.
Not because I have anything against Embassy Suites (I actually like the brand), but because my room at the Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa, A Curio Collection by Hilton was given away, and I was “walked” to the Embassy Suites By Hilton Palm Desert (you can read all about that here).
I decided to make lemonade out of lemons and do a review of my [unexpected] stay at the Embassy Suites Palm Desert in California.
Review: Embassy Suites By Hilton Palm Desert (California)
Full Disclosure: We visited this hotel during the pandemic (when resort services were limited).Â
Image: hilton.com
The “Walk” Letter
First, here’s a quick refresher on a “walk”.
A “walk” is when a hotel over-books itself and then agrees to send the impacted guest to another comparable hotel.
Click here to read all about the “walk” at Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa, A Curio Collection by Hilton
Often, these “walk” stays are supposed to be comped by the hotel requesting the accommodation, and a full refund is supposed to be given to the guest as they shouldn’t have to pay for either the hotel they didn’t want to book or the hotel that gave away their room.
In this case, I was given the letter [below] by the Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa and instructed to drive myself over to the Embassy Suites Palm Desert and hand this letter to the front desk staff.
The Lobby & Check-In
I was pleased to find the staff at the Embassy Suites Palm Desert so friendly and understanding of the situation.
They immediately thanked me for my Hilton loyalty and then apologized for my “walk” treatment as a Hilton Diamond member.
They informed me they were also sold out for the night, but that I had been given the last available room.
They then handed me a room key and a welcome bag for elite members.
Image: hilton.com
The Diamond Member Welcome Bag
The Suite Entrance
I was given a “2 Room Suite-2 Queen Beds-Nonsmoking” suite on the first floor.
The suite was larger than I expected, with one entrance leading to the parking lot and the other leading to the pool area.
The Bedroom Area
Turns out, the Embassy Suites Palm Desert is an extremely popular hotel, often selling out months in advance.
With that in mind, it’s no wonder the room felt very “lived-in”.
The room was also dated, but in truth, many of Palm Spring’s notable hotels are.
However, I’m pleased to report our room was very clean and [thankfully] lacked any questionable “mystery” stains.
Ahh, the indispensable “second” sink and vanity.
The Office Desk &Â Living Area
Behind “door #2”, we found the office desk and living area.
There was even another sink/wet bar in the corner of this room.
Like the bedroom, this room also appeared to have been cleaned well.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was definitely dated, but more importantly, it was cleaned to a shine.
Neutrogena was the toiletry brand of choice.
The Swimming Pool
The Bottom-Line Review: Embassy Suites By Hilton Palm Desert (California)
Although it was not what I had planned on, I was very impressed with the Embassy Suites Palm Desert’s service staff. They couldn’t have been more accommodating considering the situation.
As far as the hotel goes, although clearly somewhat dated, it had a great location and seemed to be completely “on-brand” for an Embassy Suites.
There were families everywhere, kids playing in the pool, and adults hanging at the tables near the breakfast buffet (our stay was during one of those weird non-lockdown “lulls” early-on during the pandemic).
Speaking of the breakfast buffet, it was complementary (all guests receive complimentary breakfasts at Embassy Suites) and crowded; we found the food to be good (but not great).
Did I mention this place was popular? It’s popular because its large rooms and free breakfast deliver big value for its guests. Although it wasn’t exactly what we were looking for, if you have kids or a large family, I can easily recommend this hotel.
Final Rating: 7 out of 10.
