Paradise Found

You have passed it a hundred times heading to Palm Springs without knowing it even existed. The Pacific Palms Resort, formerly the downbeat and depressing Sheraton Industry Hills, has undergone a $60 million facelift that is more like a bionic reconstruction, and is now an anomalously swank destination in the middle of LA's urban wasteland. Who knew?

Located off Azusa ("A through Z in the USA") Blvd. near West Covina, the PPR is a little slice of Ian Schrager cool and sophistication in an area dominated by big box stores, Red Robin restaurants and dollar-only shops. There it is on its very own hilltop, surrounded by thirty-six holes of championship golf, an equestrian center and an Olympic-size swimming hole. What else could your little heart desire?

Howzabout a top-notch steakhouse? Red, the resort's sleek new signature eatery, occupies what used to be a Denny's-looking diner, and actually pumps out better steaks - wet-aged 28 days - than those big-name chains that keep popping up all over. Service is spot-on without being obsequious and the house REDgarita - with pomegranate juice and orange liqueur - is both refreshing and elegantly presented. Beef and booze, what better dessert after birdies and bogeys?

The two golf courses - the Zaharias and the Eisenhower - have also undergone considerable renovation, and play a little less difficult than in the days when a young Tiger Woods called it his local proving ground. There are gentle elevation changes, capacious views of the surrounding smogscape and snow-capped peaks and lots of variety hole-to-hole. Given its popularity, conditions are admirably kept up to snuff. Hats off to Dave Youpa, the long-time director of golf and Art Guevara, the head pro, for maintaining a world-class facility for almost two decades, a veritable lifetime in the fickle golf business!

Add a brand-new 11,000 sq. ft. luxury spa, 292 bright and minimalist-inspired guest rooms (replete with HD flat-screens) and an enormous conference center and you have a recipe for high-tone living just 20 minutes from downtown Los Angeles. Save half a tank of gas, buy yourself a dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls instead and avoid those triple-digit temperatures in Palm Springs.