Homewood Suites by Hilton in La Quinta Review
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Homewood Suites by Hilton is located in La Quinta, California, and is a very popular area to stay especially during music festival season as it’s one of the nine cities of the Coachella Valley.
Brian (my husband) had a business trip to attend to, so I decided to tag along since he was staying at a pet-friendly accommodation. La Quinta is an easy 2-hour drive from Los Angeles, so it’s a great place to get away for a few days for a change of scenery.
FIRST IMPRESSION
We arrived right around sunset between 4:30-5:00 PM in December and the drive went smoothly with very little traffic. Once we got off the highway, the streets were lined with palm trees and the mountains were so beautiful against the colorful sunset.
We parked in front of the lobby and while Brian checked into the hotel, I let my dogs, Zooey and Captain, out to relieve themselves. Being in the desert, I was pleasantly surprised to see so much green everywhere; more so, than what I am used to seeing in Los Angeles.
The check-in process was quick and smooth. After check-in, we drove around to the side of the building and parked near the entrance of our room which was on the 1st floor, Room #101. There was plenty of parking and right behind us was an Applebee’s restaurant.
THE SUITE
We booked the pet-friendly 1 King Bed 1 Bedroom Suite, which sleeps a total of four people. The room was very spacious and Zooey and Captain (my two pups) immediately started roaming around the different rooms.
Bedroom
This accommodation is a comfortable two-room suite that features a king-size bed and a separate living room with a sofa bed. The bed was super comfy and there were plenty of pillows for two people.
There is a nightstand on each side of the bed, an alarm clock, and a TV. The lamps on the nightstand had an outlet so it was easy to charge our phones at night when we went to bed.
Bathroom
The bathroom was pretty standard and on the smaller side. I personally like a spacious bathroom, but I was pleased to see that the vanity area had a big bright mirror. The amenities included shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, and makeup remover wipes.
The closet was pretty small and inside there was an iron and ironing board. I didn’t like the sliding door on the closet as it made it hard to get things in and out since it was such a tiny closet to begin with.
I did appreciate the large trash can (without a lid). One of my pet peeves are those tiny foot pedal trash bins that barely fit anything. I forgot to bring toothpaste so I called the front desk to see if they had any. They did and within a few minutes, a staff member brought a complimentary toothpaste to the room.
Living Room
The living room was spacious and where we spent most of our time when we were at the hotel. The 42” TV was placed directly in front of the couch and a comfy ottoman where we were able to put our feet up to relax.
We didn’t use the sofa bed, but there were extra pillows and blankets in the bedroom closet if we decided to use it.
Patio
The patio was my favorite feature of the room. It’s super convenient to have a patio, especially with pets. I was able to walk in and out of the room with the pups without having to worry about my room key.
At night, either I or my husband would take the dogs out before we went to bed, and having the patio made it feel like we were at home since we didn’t have to walk down the hotel hallway to get outside.
Kitchen
The kitchen was a good size and it was equipped with a full-size refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, coffee machine, and pretty much everything you needed to prepare a home-cooked meal. We ended up eating out; however, it was nice to have a kitchen if we decided we wanted to eat in instead.
There was also a dining room table, which I used to do some work for a few hours. There was a convenient outlet placed right on top of the table so that I didn’t have to reach under the table to plug in my laptop and other devices that needed charging while I worked.
WiFi worked great and was included in the stay. I was so glad that the connection was strong as it was necessary for me to get some work done.
AMENITIES
The amenities included were an outside pool, fitness center, free parking, and free hot breakfast. I wasn’t planning on going swimming since it was December, but it was a little bothersome that there was pool construction during the day.
I did have to work some hours at the hotel and the sound of the construction was very loud since my room was facing the pool. Luckily, construction only went on for a few hours each day, so I was able to somewhat bear with it.
The hotel also offered an Evening Social on Wednesdays which included complimentary light bites and alcoholic beverages from 5:30 - 7 PM.
I typically don’t enjoy free breakfasts as they tend to be bland, but I was pleasantly surprised with the offerings here. The scrambled eggs were delicious and didn’t taste like cardboard. The pastries were fresh, buttery, and flaky and I probably ate more than I needed.
There was free hot coffee and tea throughout the day, so if you happen to be stuck working in the hotel, you can pop into the dining hall where there will always be drinks available.
PET-FRIENDLINESS
A max of two pets per room is permitted and there is a $50 fee per stay. If you stay for more than 5+ nights, then the fee is $75 per stay. They only accept dogs and cats.
You don’t get any dog beds or bowls, so make sure to bring all your pet accessories. The staff was all very friendly to both Captain and Zooey. Throughout the property, there were dog waste stations and plenty of grassy areas as well.
There was also a dog park called Pioneer Dog Park within walking distance from the hotel. It’s a pleasant 4-minute stroll with sidewalks. We took Zooey and Captain there a few times during our stay and they loved it.
LOCATION
Homewood Suites La Quinta is in a great location within walking distance of the dog park and Applebees. It’s an area surrounded by golf courses and is also located right down the street from Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
There is plenty of dining and shopping options within a mile and a handful of nearby parks as well.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, we had a great comfortable stay here. It was easy for me to drop off Brian at his conference in the mornings and the pups and I enjoyed our room and the dog park. I would definitely stay here again if I needed to be in the area.
PROS:
Great location with numerous dining and shopping options
Delicious breakfast eggs and pastries
Reasonable pet fee
Gorgeous property landscaping
CONS:
Pool construction
Rooms are a tad outdated
HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON - LA QUINTA
ADDRESS: 45-200 Washington St, La Quinta, CA 92253
PHONE: (760) 391-4600