Indian Wells Advice

[rasajadad]

I am headed to Indian Wells mid-October for my senior nationals. Any advice on airports, cheap hotels, etc? (The matches are at Indian Wells Tennis Garden if that helps.)

[SoCal10s]

take a flight to Ontario airport,rent a car and drive to IW,it's less than 100 miles from there .. it's always hot so be sure to prepare yourself for 100* heat and maybe windy and cool at nights.. try booking at golf resorts for the best deals on really nice accommodations for cheap..it might be a low season time now, so those golf resorts are throwing out some nice deals.. I've stayed at the Grand Hyatt ,La Quinta resort,and others for less than $80.. it depends on your timing..good luck.. the courts at the tennis garden are real slow,I hope you like slow courts...

[Megi]

Last time I went to Indian Wells I stayed at the Renaissance Esmeralda (http://www.renaissanceesmeralda.com/) at the rate of $179. Great value for the money. I'd never stay anywhere else. Fantastic place.

On the cheaper side, you can try Best Western Palm Desert (http://www.bestwesterncalifornia.com/hotels/best-western-palm-desert-resort/) where the nightly rates go below $100.

[drgreenthumb]

I agree with someone that Ontario would save you some $$ but check first if there any 'deals' to palm springs airport.

at this time of the yr, the hotels are reasonable. you can stay at motel 8 for 35$/night or the esmeralda $179 (usually >$250/night)...not sure what "'budget" means to you but all the hotels/motels are fairly lower.

bring a sunscreen, youll literally burn there. last weekend was 110F!

[rasajadad]

Thanks for the tips so far everyone. Keep em coming!

[GS]

Check your e-mail for some pretty good advice.

[rasajadad]

Thanks again, GS.

[GS]

Check your e-mail again for some more tips.

[SoCal10s]

share please...

[rasajadad]

GS referred me to a website
www.palmsprings.com

for inexpensive hotels and then later to Southwest for airfares. He also gave me directions to the Niketown in Palm Springs.

[GS]

Okay. This guy wants to fly from the East coast and get to Palm Springs. You can't fly into that town cheaply from the East. It's cheaper to fly cross-country via Southwest Airlines for around $129 each way, to Ontario, rent a car (with a Southwest discount, of course), and drive an hour east---you'd want a car in that town, anyway. If you do a search on palmsprings.com, you can find 2 budget hotels, the Palm Canyon Inn, and the Palm Court Inn---rooms from $50 a nite, mid-week. They're nothing fancy, but the Palm Court Inn has a free continental breakfast and a huge swimming pool. Plus, it's near the famous mountain tram ride....

[rasajadad]

So far 5 of us took advantage of Southwest's great fares into and out of Ontario, CA Airport. A friend and I got a cheap condo off Hotwire figuring that having a kitchen would save on food and having a washer and dryer would be easier than using public facilities at a hotel. We also rented the car through the SW website but I don't know if cheaper alternatives existed.

[GS]

You booked a great trip, rasaj! Southwest can discount a rental car okay, but they discount even lower when you're a frequent flyer, and you get their discount codes. And a cheap condo makes sense, with that kitchen, etc.

[imajica77]

wish i had seen this before you booked. i have found in the past that i could find even better deals flying into san diego and driving to palm springs which is a easy two hour drive. hope the Ontario works out just as well for you.

[rasajadad]

The airfares were just about identical and I was advised that the Ontario Airport is a little closer and easier to transit through.

I will report back after Nationals.

[Carlito]

If price is an issue, check out arriving at Ontario and Santa Ana. Try to avoid LAX.