Hotel: The Westin Mission Hills Resort

City: Palm Springs, California (Rancho Mirage)
Chain: Starwood/Westin
Property: The Westin Mission Hills Resort
Address: 71333 Dinah Shore Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
Phone Number: 760-328-5955

Check Out: March 1, 2005




Stayed here during InterSystems Developers' Conference 2005. A premier location for a premier event.

Obviously, much nicer than what's usually done for business travel. However, when you're attending a conference not staying in the facility is a major distraction and often doesn't save you money with additional parking or cab fees. So, you stay where the thing is.

The weather was a major release from the end of Feb blues around DC. Cool at night, around 60, but unnoticed with the radiant heaters used all over the place. Sunny during the day mid to high 70's. Palm trees, hummingbirds, golf, mountains. It's hard to get a nicer destination.

The hotel is a very spread out affair, with the rooms being in two story separated buildings spread out along the edge of a golf course. Much of the facility seems to be a private gated community of mostly small bungalow type houses. Probably cool for the retired set, the second place crowd, and rental properties for winter relief.

Room was very nice, although not much of a view. My room was facing inward to a pool area on the ground floor. There was a little fountain outside my window which was a little annoying in the morning because of mating season for ducks. But it was a nice room.

Most of the meals were associated with the convention. However, service and food was all top notch. Bar area was fun.


Rating:

• Safety: 1
  
• Dining: 2, bonus, unbelievably good.
  
• Bar: 1, cool outside firepit to sit around
  
• Internet: 1 (about $10 a day)
  
• Wireless in Common Areas: 0
  
• Work Space, Power: 1
  
• Shower: 1
  
• Air Conditioning, Bed: 1
  
• Common Areas: 2 It's a Westin Resort, for cryin' out loud, bonus for snow capped mountains.
  

Total: 10

Last Visit: March 10, 2005 ($129)