About 25 minutes' drive east of downtown Palm Springs among the modern and semi-suburban developments of Indian Wells, this full-service resort is designed to envelop you and allow you to forget about the outside world. Sitting on 45 acres of desert gardens, it's a machine of a property that's geared toward conferences and weddings, yes, but it's also an ideal place to disappear for a few days of pool-soaking and desert walking. Some rooms overlook the golf course and some overlook the pool, so make sure you get the one you want; the cheapest rooms overlook the parking lot, although they see mountains, too. All the rooms have either a balcony or a balcony-sized patio and are both fairly large and predictably corporate, and since they were renovated in late 2011 (golds, browns, stone floors in the bathrooms, heavenly air-conditioning), they're all in good enough nick to support the resort pricing. There are even some self-contained villas with butler service if you're in the mood for splashing out. When you imagine the prototypical desert resort, you'll likely picture this Hyatt. In the summertime, rates can plummet below $100 since there are so many rooms to fill, so even in 111-degree heat, the pool may be bustling with city folk.