PACIFIC PALMS RESORT & SPA | Set against the majestic San Gabriel Mountains, Pacific Palms Resort is Los Angeles’ only full-service destination golf, spa and conference resort appealing to both leisure and business travelers. The recently renovated resort features 292 beautifully appointed, oversized guest rooms, each with balcony, a variety of food and beverage options including fabulous fireside dining and cocktail seating on the patio overlooking Celebration Lake.

Celebrating more than 25 years of tradition, the resort also boasts LA’s only 4.5 star-rated golf experience with 36 holes of completely refurbished championship golf on the renowned ‘Ike’ and ‘Babe’ courses. Centrally Pacific Palms Resort is located at One Industry Hills Parkway, Industry Hills, Calif. 91744. For more information please call (626) 810-4455 or visit www.pacificpalmsresort.com.

I recently had the pleasure of spending the weekend at Pacific Palms Resort & Spa (and my mother tagged along), which is a recently renovated property that is turning itself into a destination resort within the Los Angeles area. Instead of driving several hours and spending most of it in traffic to go to Palm Springs, Pacific Palms offers local residents a chance to “get away from it all” without that hoopla (and as someone who used to live in SoCal, less traffic is always better).

The Pacific Palms Spa menu includes four categories of luxurious delights: Touch (massages), Classic Glow (facials), Polish (body treatments), and Shine Treatments (manicures/pedicures). When I visited the spa, I had a fifty minute traditional Swedish massage ($115), which was thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing. I think next time I will have to be sure to complement the massage with a facial to top off my relaxation!

Check out the rest of my adventure (and photos)…

I’ve had only one previous Swedish massage, and I have to tell you, I was sore for days afterwards. Word to the wise? If your therapist is using too much pressure, TELL THEM! Trust me, your precious massage will go to waste as you’ll feel achy and sore for days afterwards because they went too deep/hard. A good therapist will occasionally ask you if the pressure is okay, but I really do urge you to speak up if you’re uncomfortable or it hurts at any time.

Locker room area

The Spa offers an 11,000 state-of-the-art facility with a steam room, hot tub, stylish lavatories, locker room, full-service salon (hair, manicures, pedicures, etc.). There are separate men and women facilities, but they do have a couple room for those who want to enjoy their spa services together. Each gender has their own relaxation room, but I have to tell you, I think the men win this one. In their lavatory area, the mirrors have plasma TVs in them, and in their relaxation room? Oh yes, more plasma screens. Women’s relaxation room? Magazines. Pfft! I suppose I don’t see my grandma opting for television over enjoying some soothing music and an easy read.

Sinks…

Close up of the sink – isn’t this a unique looking set-up?

Entrance

Hot tub with local artists’ paintings

Upon my arrival, I did a thorough tour of the property and learned about their beginnings as a conference resort (still a very popular place to hold conferences, though), as well as their famous Babe and Ike golf courses. The golf courses looked amazing in rolling greens and with the weather of SoCal to frame it all–amazing. My boyfriend would have loved to play a round or two on these!

My half of the room… laptop at the ready!

View from our room!

View from our room!

At the time I stayed, I dined at Cima, which is a seafood-oriented restaurant with some Asian fusion cuisine. On Fridays and Saturdays, they offer one of the best buffets I have ever had the pleasure to stuff my face with. It is a lavish seafood buffet that may be pricey, but you really do get what you pay for. We dined on lobster (ginger and scallion style)–yes, lobster, at a buffet–as well as Alaskan King Crab legs (yum!). They also had oysters, clams, calamari, and more of the seafood variety.  There is a smoothie station outdoors where they have at least six different types of smoothies to serve you (the pina colada is delicious!), as well as young coconuts that you can drink the milk out straight from the fruit (very refreshing at the end).  I’m a buffet girl (it’s the reason I love Vegas, ha!), but a lot of times you’ll find that the food is just okay, because the buffet will skimp on quality/taste in lieu of offering so many choices. This is NOT the case at this buffet, the flavor is not lacking nor is the quality of food.  If you like Asian food with a twist, then you’ll enjoy this one and their stations for sushi, dim sum, seafood, and barbecue.

Pool/lounge area

Lake

As someone who loves to eat and has to sample everything, I’m so very tempted to say that I enjoyed the buffet more than anything else! The trip really was about the spa day, though, and it was a thoroughly relaxing weekend stay at the Pacific Palms. My boyfriend was green with envy when I came home, so I just may have to return with him soon!

Gazebo (lots of weddings here!)

Original stained glass window

View from our room

I can’t get over the view, can you tell?

Work that buffet off!

A little treat before supper…

It’s so prettily arranged!