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| - Royal Palms never disappoints. My wife and I have been here a few times before and really enjoyed it. It is the perfect place for a romantic getaway, to celebrate a special occasion, or a combination of those for a summer staycation, when the resort offers specials during low season.
We were celebrating our wedding anniversary and decided to stay overnight and enjoy the pool and spa, among other things. Since we know we enjoyed the restaurant T. Cook's, I booked us on a Spa and Dine special, which includes credits at the Spa and T. Cook's. I also paid extra for a romance package, which features chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne, and rose petals sprinkled on the bed at turndown (you can get them in a heart shape). I requested the strawberries and champagne be delivered on arrival, with the rose petals around 7pm.
Check in is in an area not full of big formal desks but more of a cozy foyer with laptops. Cool water, cookies, and even a glass of champagne awaited while checking in.
One of the staff guided us to our casita, which had a king-sized bed, a patio out back, nice room-darkening drapes, a one-cup Keurig for tea or coffee (even decaf), a large bathroom with good-sized shower, a desk and chair and wi-fi, and a comfortable lounge chair with hassock. It also had a Bose speaker with Bluetooth, so you could stream music from your phone to it and fill up the room (a nice way to create the right atmosphere). While my wife was elsewhere, I called the front desk asking about the strawberries and champagne, and was told it would be coming right away.
After we changed to our bathing suits to go enjoy the pool, we waited almost 30 minutes (I told my wife there was a surprise), but no one showed up. Finally, we just went to the pool. We were able to find some chairs in the shade, and enjoyed the attendant who kept bringing cold water (he also takes drink and food orders). While it is beautiful that the grounds and the pool are surrounded by many beautiful flowers, trees, and plants, some of those things float down and get in the chairs and pool. But mostly it is like an oasis in the desert, combined with lots of birds. It was relaxing around the pool, with piped in music varying from real relaxing to somewhat jazzy.
Some of the time my wife was in the pool I enjoyed the fitness center. It is not large, but well-maintained, with plenty of free weights, a weight machine, and several pieces of cardio equipment. I was the only person there the whole time.
It's fun walking the grounds with fountains in different places and lots of little nooks to sit and get out of the sun. At night, the Tuscan-looking courtyard adjacent to some fountains is a great place to eat. Since we had a larger brunch, we had a meat and cheese platter at that location. I also checked at the front desk to make sure we got our romance package.
Upon return to the room, a woman from housekeeping came and delivered the food and drink, and the bed got decorated later. My wife was thrilled with it all and it made for a very romantic evening.
As the romance package wasn't delivered as requested, management was nice enough to comp me the cost of it without me asking. And possibly because of that hiccup, the night manager informed me that we would have the use of a pool cabana free of charge the following day, which is quite a treat. (And normally expensive).
The next day we picked a cabana that was mostly in the shade, and enjoyed a little fridge that contained complimentary soft drinks and a few beers. You also can get a complimentary order of guacamole and chips. I enjoyed chilling out in the shade while my wife floated around in the pool on a float.
We also went to the spa to get a couple's massage. They have several rooms inside and out to relax in before and after treatments, and also to lock up your belongings. The massage was very good, including a choice of scented lotions. It is a lot more expensive than standalone spas, but in line with what you'd expect at a hotel or cruiseship.
I would definitely recommend Royal Palms as it has a very special personality, even though it is now owned by Hyatt. You don't feel like it's part of a big chain. It's great to find some peace and is a great oasis in the desert. I'll be back. Hope to see you there.
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