Last updated on March 27th, 2024 at 07:02 pm
Looking for an honest review of the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Southern California?
I’ve got all the details on this great family resort here!
Endless sunshine, sparkling pools, and stunning mountain views make Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa is a true California desert paradise. Add great restaurants, three distinct golf courses and tons of fun activities for the whole family, and it’s the perfect vacation destination.
Here is a detailed Omni Rancho Las Palmas review to help plan your trip!
Omni Rancho Las Palmas Review: An Oasis of Fun in the Desert
Located on 240 lush acres, the Omni Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs is truly an oasis in the heart of the California desert. The highlight of the resort is Splashtopia, an extensive water playground featuring three pools (including an adults-only pool), a lazy river, two water slides, and unique water-play zones.
The Omni is one of the best Palm Springs resorts with lazy rivers, and a wonderful family getaway destination we have visited many times. My son loves the pools and water activities, while I really enjoy the scenic grounds and relaxing atmosphere. And yes, the two meld together beautifully!
I am excited to share all the pros and cons with you in this Omni Rancho Las Palmas review to help you plan your trip.
Omni Rancho Las Palmas At-A-Glance
- Splashtopia water playground
- Three pools and a lazy river
- Large, comfortable rooms with 42-inch plasma televisions
- Free internet access
- Kids Club and fun activities throughout the day
- Free family movies in the evening
- Lots of dining options, including a kids buffet at the resort’s signature restaurant, bluEmber
- Super attentive service and friendly front desk staff
- Hot summer weather (this is the desert after all!)
Omni Rancho Las Palmas: The Coolest Place in the Desert
First, a little bit of history to set the stage!
What is today the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa began life in the 1950s at the Desert Air Hotel & Resort. Back then, Hollywood stars, political figures and tourists alike began frequenting the Palm Springs area. Resort guests swam in a single pool and played polo on a nearby field. In the evening, the hotel’s Compass Room restaurant and bar was the place to see and be seen.
In the late 1970s, Desert Air made way for today’s Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa. Cary Grant, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Bob Hope all appeared at the resort’s 1977 ground breaking. Rancho Las Palmas opened in February 1979.
But don’t think Rancho Las Palmas sports a ’70s vibe or strives to hang on to that 1950s Rat Pack era feel. This resort has been thoroughly updated and re-imagined for the 21st century, and making it family-friendly is at the top of that list.
Rooms at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas
An Omni Rancho Las Palmas review would not be complete without talking about the beautiful rooms!
Rancho Las Palmas features 444 guest rooms and 22 suits, all housed in Spanish-style, 2-story buildings clustered around gardens, the golf course, a lake and the pool. All rooms feature French doors that open up to private patios and balconies.
We stayed in a Lakeview Room, with had a nice view of the water and fairways. One morning during our most recent visit, we opened the curtain to find a little family of ducks sitting on our patio, and it was adorable!
The beds in our room were very comfortable, and the bathroom was luxurious and well-appointed. All rooms are 450 square feet, which we found very spacious. For families looking to spread out a little more, suites are also available.
Splashtopia Water Park at the Omni
The Omni Rancho Las Palmas is one of the only Palm Springs hotels with water slides and a lazy river, too! The Splashtopia pool area is what brought us to the resort the first time after reading about it in Omni Rancho Las Palmas reviews, and it is one of the main reasons we keep going back.
Splashtopia is an exhilarating water playground complete with two 100-foot water slides, a 425-foot lazy river, water-play zone and a sandy beach. There is also a hot tub right next to the water slides. Splashtopia is especially great for younger kids, with fountains, squirt cannons and sprinklers they can splash around in.
If you’re looking to relax in fabulous poolside accommodations, the adults-only Azure Pool is located adjacent but separate from Splashtopia. It features recently updated furniture and luxurious oversized daybeds. There are plenty of lounge chairs at this pool, so it’s easy to find a place to relax.
On the flip side, Splashtopia does tend to get busy and crowded, especially during summer weekends and spring break week. You may have difficulty finding chairs by the pool area and lazy river during these times, so plan to arrive at the pool early in the day!
You are welcome to bring your own water toys, beach balls, noodles and floats to the pool, but note the resort charges a fee to blow them up for you. So bring them pre-blown or be prepared to do it yourself!
If you buy anything at their pool store, they will blow it up for free. The shop also offers snacks, goggles, sunscreen, and other pool time sundries.
Additional Amenities at Omni Rancho Las Palmas
The Omni Rancho Las Palmas is home to three distinct golf courses; 27 holes of championship golf wind through palm tree-lined fairways and gently rolling terrain, surrounded by amazing views of the San Jacinto and San Bernardino mountains. Six lakes and the infamous Ted Robinson bunkers raise the stakes for amateurs and professionals alike.
Resort guests have access to golf, pickleball, and tennis at the adjacent Rancho Las Palmas Country Club. The Club features putting greens, a Pro Shop, snack bar, and 25 tennis courts, including eight lit for night play.
Although the Club can be reached on foot, the valet will shuttle you over in golf carts – which is really helpful on hot days! We did this on our second morning there and it was super convenient. Plus, what kid doesn’t like buzzing around in a golf cart?
The resort also offers full concierge service, meeting space, fitness center, game room, several retail shops and the beautiful Spa Las Palmas.
They also offer bike rentals to explore the resort and surrounding neighborhood. The current cost to rent bikes at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort is $15 per hour. You can pick up your bikes near the main pool.
Other activities are just a short drive away, including downtown Palm Springs, the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Joshua Tree National Park, and the Palm Springs Aerial Tram, along with many other cool family-friendly desert adventures.
► Looking for a family-friendly resort in Palm Springs? Be sure to also check out Margaritaville Palm Springs Resort.
Dining Options
Whether you are looking for fine dining or a quick bite, Rancho Las Palmas has it all!
The resort’s signature dining spot, bluEmber Restaurant, has a sophisticated atmosphere yet still manages to remain kid-friendly. In fact, at dinner time they boast a fairly expansive buffet just for kids that make those pricier adult meals easier to enjoy.
The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and offers lovely outdoor seating as well. This is an especially fine option on evenings when live music is being performed in the adjacent courtyard.
During the day, enjoy a burger, salad or other tasty lunch from Splash Grill while you are enjoying the pool. As part of Splashtopia, you won’t have to leave to enjoy a quick meal. Servers will deliver food and drinks directly to your lounge chair so you don’t even have to don your flip flops to have a good meal!
Palms Café is a quick bite spot right in the Plaza. Great for your morning coffee fix or for grabbing a quick sandwich to go. This casual café in the central courtyard plaza features salads, sandwiches, brick-oven pizzas and frozen treats.
Golfers can enjoy lunch at Between the 9s at the Club. Enjoy your meal inside or on the outdoor patio surrounded by sweeping mountain and golf course views. They are also open for Sunday morning breakfast.
Finally, for the grown-ups, R Bar serves up great burgers and munchies along with craft-style beers and cocktails during the evening hours.
Reservations & Contact Information
- Address: 41000 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage
- Phone: (760) 568-2727
► Check Rates & Availability for the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa
Save This Omni Rancho Las Palmas Review for Later!
Planning a family vacation to the Palm Springs area? Pin the image below for future reference!
Rachel Silverwood says
This looks like a fab resort! I loved anywhere with waterslides as a kid! Like you said it sounds great for families and there seems to be plenty to do to keep everyone entertained
Nerissa says
My cousin is always after places to travel with her children so this is great. Looks like the kids will have a blast! I’ll be telling her about this for sure.
Natasha L says
Looks great for kids but frankly as an adult I’d be incredibly happy spending the day in the lazy river. Will keep this in mind for my next big family trip 🙂
Bea says
I want to go there right now! This seems like such a perfect place for our family. Three pools and a Kids Club? You got me at free family movies in the evening!
Snita SP says
Aw it looks like you guys had so much fun! Thanks so much for sharing this – great tips and spots!
AMBER TATTON says
That looks like the best place to visit – I love a good resort. I love a good lazy river so I think it would be great to spend a few days at!
Anwesha Guha says
This looks like a perfect spot to relax and catch your breath. With all these activities, it would be nice to catch a break in such a good resort.
Andy Lowry says
Wow! I live an hour away and never knew this existed! Next time I do a stay-cation I’m going to have to check this place out. I love how close it is to San Jacinto and the tram – an excellent spot for hiking since it’s about 8500ft up. Great way to escape the heat too! 🙂
Mateja says
This must be such a great family getaway place! I’d totally be in for that morning run. Or a game of tennis 🙂 Seems you guys had a wonderful time and enjoyed your stay.
Aimee Horgan says
This looks like a gorgeous place to spend the hot desert summer, the pool looks so inviting despite it being so busy. The sky at sunset is also incredible, I can picture myself there with an ice-cold beer watching the sky turn pink.