DoubleTree Golf Resort, Palm Springs, USA

You're in the centre of Cathedral City at the junction of Vista Chino and Landau Boulevard. The 27-hole Desert Princess Palm Springs golf course and country club are alongside, creating an attractive view of the San Jacinto Mountains in the distance. Transfers from Palm Springs Airport take ten minutes and there is complimentary parking. The Vista Chino Village shopping centre lies across the junction. This is a primarily residential neighbourhood with the shops, sights and restaurants of Palm Springs just a short drive west.

By plane: flights to Palm Springs take 14 hours from London with a stop in Phoenix, Arizona. The hotel is a 10-minute drive from the airport. Free parking on-site. Book flights to Palm Springs.

The resort is built in a U-shape with three four-storey accommodation blocks looking onto a central swimming pool. Palm trees and water features adorn the gardens and the lobby is enlivened by black and white photos of the desert landscape. Elsewhere, the décor is undemanding, with beige walls, black doors and a criss-cross patterned carpet.

The uniformed staff are polite and helpful. There's a business centre plus a small shop by the lobby that sells snacks, drinks and essentials. The fitness centre is large and open 24/7, but it is internal with no view. Local calls are free and check-out isn't until 12 noon.

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Terrace
• Garden
• Swimming pool
• Fitness centre
• Spa
• Wellness suite
• Tennis courts
• Golf course
• Free parking
• Free Wi-Fi

The rooms and suites are generously sized with an unfussy décor that favours brown and white. Some art is abstract, while other works feature local references, such as a picture of a Joshua tree.

Room types: Room, Junior Suite, Corner Suite, Presidential Suite

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries, bathrobes, hairdryer, coffee maker, mini fridge, air conditioning, TV, free Wi-Fi

Golf is the main theme at the Mira Bar & Lounge which has floor-to-ceiling windows looking onto the course and TVs screening the sport. It's big on tequila cocktails, while the Polanco Kitchen restaurant concentrates on southern Californian cuisine including burgers, salads and sandwiches. Breakfast is an unexceptional buffet.

Polanco Kitchen: bistro restaurant, SoCal cuisine. Dishes include crispy skin salmon bowl, braised short rib and vegan power salad. All-day dining, open daily.

Mira Bar & Café: bar and terrace, light bites and drinks. Open daily from 4:30pm.