MANY HANDSOME HOTELS... boast some sort of holiday-based cred, a story or two that the property can easily pin its end-of-the-year reputation upon. Maybe the building boasts the tallest tree in town come December, or the most lights in the dining room, or another festive feature that makes it stand tall among seasonal destinations. But there's one place in the California desert that's synonymous with cinematic snow, and what just might be the most famous Christmas film of all. It's La Quinta Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, and it is home to a cottage that was once beloved by writer-director Frank Capra. The same Frank Capra who created "It's a Wonderful Life," the 1947 gem that taught us all to look a little deeper at what this moment of the year is all about. So does...
LA QUINTA GO ALL OUT... when December draws near? You can count on it, Christmas fans. There's the grand tree-lighting ceremony on Nov. 30, and the Vintage Holiday Package, too, which runs through Dec. 31 (and begins at $296 a night). Veuve Clicquot will be in the house, via Champagne Sno-balls, if you're looking for a luxe addition to your stay. The spa has a few fa, la, la offerings, including a Cranberry Bliss Sugar Scrub, and if you visit the lobby on a December Friday, you'll find (and smell, fingers crossed) chestnuts roasting. Morgan's in the desert is cooking up a number of just-right-for-the-season specialties, while kids can visit with Santa over breakfast.
BEST RUN AS FAST AS GEORGE BAILEY... to the resort's site now, for all of the details, and be sure to book your visit during the events you'd like to attend. They're plentiful at La Quinta Resort & Club come December, as plentiful as the ornaments on the Bailey family's famous Christmas tree.
