When City life is dragging you down its nice to have a place to escape, and its even better to have a desert hideaway like Two Bunch Palms in your proximity to make that escape.
Its no secret that I am a huge advocate for creating a retreat space, or adopting retreat practices in your own home, but sometimes you just need time somewhere new. A change of scenery, a chance of pace, a change of routine can really make you feel reinvigorated, reignite your creativity and give you a new sense of buoyancy and perspective.
If you’re in Los Angeles, you’re lucky enough to have Two Bunch Palms within a short drive. Located in Desert Hot Springs, (a 2-hour drive from LA, and twenty minutes from both Palm Springs and Joshua Tree) its close enough for a spontaneous weekend getaway but far enough that you feel somewhere entirely new and different. And.... even if you aren’t in Los Angeles, Two Bunch Palms is worth making the trek for.
Your first step on the grounds will immediately transport you to a lush tropical desert oasis. The buzzing hum of desert insects enveloping you just as quickly as the sound of running water from one of the many soaking tubs, natural springs and pools. And though Two Bunch Palms labels itself as a wellness retreat, it doesn’t have any of the stiff, pretentious, elitest ridgity of other wellness resorts.
Two Bunch Palms lets you define what wellness is for you. Whether it’s a yoga class, a spa treatment, a glass of wine, a sound bath, or a long soak in a natural spring tub, your retreat is designed by you from beginning to end.
Speaking of tubs, there are gorgeous individual soaking tubs throughout the property, and they are filled with warm, natural mineral water that will leave your skin feely silky soft. There is also a “cool” pool to gather by on the hot summer days, (the soaking tubs and the natural pools in the grotto are filled with the warm natural spring waters).
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The rooms are well appointed and feel like an indoor (and well air-conditioned) version of luxurious glamping safari. The bedding was crisp, plush and cool and the matte stone tiling in the large glass shower made for an extra sexy and luxurious rinse after a hot day in the sun. Our room was on the outskirts of the property, overlooking the desert making for a deeply private, quiet and secluded feeling.
After an afternoon of soaking in the tubs near the grotto, we changed up and headed to Twine Bar for a wine tasting. I was hoping for a bit more in terms of the wines that were being offered, but the staff was friendly and very passionate about wine. After a few generous pours, we headed down the soft-lit path to dinner where we found a well-rounded menu with lots of vegetable forward options. There is truly something for everyone on their menu and everything we tried was incredible.
We wrapped up the evening stargazing and strolling the property grounds, where we didn’t feel like we were on top of the other guests, despite the fact that the resort was completely booked for the weekend.
In the morning, I took adavantage of the otherwordly desert silence, and opted for some intuitive yoga of my own creation, but Two Bunch Palms also had several sound bath and Plates offerings at the Yoga Dome near our room.
After a quick rinse I headed to the cool pool for an early am swim. I had the pool completely to myself and could even hear the pulsing, soothing rhythms of the sound bath occurring down the pathway, reverberating through the air. An experience that just completely melted away all my stresses. An incredible way to round out a deeply relaxing and calming weekend trip.
When considering a getaway its easy to overlook the desert, especially in the summer months. Most people opt for the ocean with its healing, hypnotic waves, but the desert holds its own unique magic and the healing waters at Two Bunch Palms are in a category of their own. The desert is a perfect place to reconnect with nature. The silence feels three dimensional and yet the energy remains palpable. Its primal, and deep and ancient. Enveloping yourself in the desert's energies will make you feel renewed, and reconnected to the grounding, earthly wisdom in nature that support us all. Two Bunch Palms is the perfect venue for your reunion.
If you’re looking for a tranquil, calming place to unwind and rebalance, Two Bunch Palms checks all the right boxes. Check them out the next time you need a retreat.
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