So excited to be recapping our stay with you all at the Renaissance Esmeralda! We were able to escape for our first family vacay to Indian Wells this past week and it was a dream come true. Growing up, the desert in general was a popular destination with my immediate family and it quickly captured my heart. Tim and I celebrated my 21st birthday out here, and I also had my bachelorette out here (read about that here), along with lots of other memories. This was (for both of us) our first time staying at the Renaissance Esmeralda, and it’s safe to say it won’t be our last! I made a couple notes throughout our trip that I wanted to highlight for all of you in case you plan on coming here (highly recommend) or if you’re traveling with a baby anytime soon!
OUR ROOM::
Absolutely loved our room! Not only for the views, but for lots of other things. I have a highlight on my profile dedicated to our stay here and included a walkthrough tour & pointers, so if you’d rather get visuals + hear about it—head over to my IG!
•Really loved how the room was separated by a tiny wall. It gave the idea that it had two rooms, yet everything was still connected. We were able to set up Lorenzo on the other side for night time and it worked out perfectly.
•The pool views! Obviously gorgeous, but helpful too! We were able to look out every time we were thinking of heading to the pool and gage how busy it was and seating.
•Double sinks for the WIN. I bring all my hair, makeup and toiletries with me so when I travel, so the bathroom can get crowded quickly. Not to mention baby things! We each got our own sink which made a huge difference. The more space, the better. The toilet was also in its own room so that’s a plus for us! We did have to co-shower with Lorenzo but it wasn’t a big deal since he’s still a baby. If we stayed longer (more than 2 nights) we probably would’ve had to bring our infant bathtub.
•If you couldn’t tell by my descriptions—SPACE. So much space. We definitely weren’t in a huge multi-bedroom suite by any means, but I just want to say bravo to whoever designed these. It worked out perfectly for our family I loved being able to spread out.
THE HOTEL::
The name itself makes it sound like the most magical, prestigious place! I was originally taken back by the gorgeous images they have on their social media, and seeing it in person sealed the deal. It really is a stunning resort!
•Obviously now that we have a baby, family friendly is key. Even before we had Lorenzo, we preferred family friendly anyway! But this resort definitely accommodates any type of group for traveling. Family vacation, birthday trip, bachelorette, you name it—you can have it here! We had a birthday next to us one day, saw a college church group retreat here, families on vacation and also girls trips. Overall though—everyone just having fun.
•In the lobby, they have a general store and also a mini cafe. I was able to grab iced coffee on our second morning, lunch on the first and things we needed in the general store. Major plus!
•On the property they have two restaurants—Cava and The Place. We went to Cava for breakfast one morning and it was delicious! Check out my highlight on my Instagram to see what we got!
•Location wise, Renaissance is located right in the middle of everything it feels like. If you want to explore off the property—there are plenty of things to do, places to see and lots to eat!
THE POOL::
I got a few questions based off my stories if there was multiple pools around the hotel! And to clarify, no there isn’t. It’s one big pool surrounding a pool bar. Also got questions on if it’s a swim up bar, and no to that question too! Regardless, the pool scene is still amazing! I highly recommend getting a cabana for your pool day too. We had one for the one day we knew we’d be spending at the pool. It even makes it more worth it if you have kiddos IMO. A couple things about the cabana:
•Getting a cabana marks it as yours for the day and you’re able to come & go as you please. No trying to save seats and worrying about if someone’s going to steal them!
•Not only that, but if you get a beach front cabana it also comes with 5 lounge chairs. Plenty of space!
•The servers will come and check on you, but also in your cabana you’ll find an ice chest. Water bottles and fresh fruit galore!
If you order anything from the pool bar—I got a mudslide (they said they changed the recipe a little, but it was still delicious!), and Tim got a bourbon lemonade with blackberries. Both were really good! Also something to note about the beach area is that it was reserved for little ones. A huge plus for parents!
TRAVELING WITH BABY::
I would say this was our first trip with Lorenzo! Considering that our last one was for one night and for a wedding, I really wouldn’t call that a trip. This was actually going and spending more than one night, having a pool day, and being out. If anyone is trying to scare you away from traveling with little ones—don’t let it get to you! Making these memories of going to the pool, playing in the sand, and just getting out as a family of 3 was so worth it. Literally nothing compares!
I linked everything below that made it easy for us to travel! The fan we used for him at the pool, his hats to keep him in the shade, our traveling pack n play, the baby monitor, & more!
