I had to admit that I was a little worried as I thought that I might have unrealistic expectations. However I can honestly say that the property exceeded all of my expectations.
Here is a summary of my rationale for the 5 star rating:
- Kenny from Dry Heat Resorts was extremely prompt in responding to my questions prior to booking the house. The damage deposit was refunded promptly on our leaving.
- Upon arrival, Kelly was there and walked us through of all the parts of the house. He was informative but did not overwhelm us with information. When we had an issue one day, Kelly responded immediately. Kelly also gave us a link to a very good Palm Springs App that he has developed. Be sure to use it.
- The house is well laid out with lots of storage in each bedroom. Each room had all sorts of interesting books and décor. When we got there, there was an iPod playing a great mix of music which we listened to all week. If you want indoor activities, they have a wide selection of DVDs (including classic films) and games.
- The kitchen was the best I have ever seen in a rental property. There is an abundance of appliances (blenders, coffee machines, a Kitchenaid stand mixer), pans, serving dishes, cookbooks and spices.
- There was a whole collection of outdoor dishes and barware including martini glasses, shakers, flutes, red and white wine glasses.
- The grounds are lovely, and it was great to look at the snow covered mountains from the back yard. We used the fresh lemons from their trees for our daily cocktails.
- Temperatures in the pool and spa were 86 and 104 respectively. The waterfalls in the pool are so relaxing. The misting provided a cool relief from the hot weather and the fire pit provided heat and light at night.
- What could have made our stay better? Not much. In the perfect world, I would have liked a light near the bbq and wish the house was closer to downtown.
We had friends over one afternoon who were staying at the Ritz in Palm Desert. They commented that their next visit to Palm Springs would involve a stay at Villa Estrella.
Overall - an outstanding stay.