This article originally
appeared in the March issue of AGENTatHOME magazine. Subscribe here to receive your free copy each month.
For clients who demand the absolute best of the best in
travel – lavish accommodations, friendly ubiquitous service, gorgeous mountain
vistas, championship golf and top-notch wellness programs with meals by an
expert Japanese chef – have no qualms about recommending Sensei Porcupine
Creek, nestled in the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains near Palm Springs, California.
The one-time private estate in Rancho Mirage is now an
evidence-based wellness center founded by tech billionaire Larry Ellison,
co-founder of Oracle and one of the world’s richest men, and Dr. David Agus, a
physician and scientist, best-selling author and CBS News contributor. The two
were brought together by the loss of a close friend and motivated by a shared
purpose: to help people live longer, healthier lives.
As someone who strives to be healthier and can never pass up
a golf lesson and round at an upscale course, I leapt at the invitation and
visited in early January. It was chilly and not quite into peak season yet, so
I was the only person on the golf course other than groundskeepers and the pro
who had me sinking putts with confidence and loftily chipping toward the hole –
not sideways – within an hour.
Then, the golf pro gave me a cart with rental clubs loaded
and sent me on my way. I had the entire 75-acre course all to myself – what a
dream – and the sun warmed me enough that I enjoyed every second (especially
when I parred the 120-yard second hole!)
The private 18-hole golf course, open only to Sensei guests
with a $950 greens fee, features lakes, streams, waterfalls and mountain views.
Tee times are scheduled 20 minutes or more apart to ensure a peaceful round
with no bunching up. Most golfers will feel like they’re the only ones on the
course.
Here’s a summary of the property.
Accommodations
Sensei Porcupine Creek has just 22 luxurious accommodations
including 10 guestrooms in the main Estate House measuring 300 to 650 square
feet, four 600-square-foot Casitas around a courtyard and eight two- and
four-bedroom private Villas ranging in size from 2,700 to 4,500 square feet.
I stayed in Villa 3, which had two bedrooms, a fully
equipped kitchen, a large dining table and a living room with a fireplace that
turned on with a remote and instantly warmed the room. A full patio overlooked
the golf course, a stream and the mountains.
Each bedroom had an ensuite bathroom equipped with fancy
Japanese Toto toilets that automatically open when you enter and have warmed
seats and customizable controls. The Villa also had Dyson Supersonic
hairdryers, a Nespresso machine, twice-daily housekeeping and a healthful
room-service menu from noted Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa, who also created
menus for the on-site restaurant and sushi bar. Options included his famous
Black Cod Miso, King Crab tempura Azamu, or a Porcupine Creek burger with a filet,
ribeye and waygu patty.
My villa had a golf cart, which I used to get to the
restaurant, wellness sessions and golf course. A stealthy valet at night
plugged the cart into the electric power outlet, which I hadn’t even realized
was there.
Before your clients go, they will be asked what kind of
experiences they want. My selections – golf lesson, nutrition session, gentle
yoga – were arranged and a daily schedule with times and locations was left on
my nightstand.
Public Areas
The Estate House anchors the property and features Sensei by
Nobu, a bar, a room for wellness assessments and a yoga pavilion. The fitness
pavilion is equipped with cardio and resistance training equipment from
TechnoGym. Nearby is a lagoon-style pool amid a beautifully designed landscape.
The spa menu offers massages, customized bodywork and
rejuvenating facials. Four Garden Treatment Rooms open to a private garden with
rainfall showers and/or heated soaking tubs, which I put to good use during the
best spa treatment I’ve ever received.
The 90-minute “Exfoliating Body Renewal” ($395) started with
a fullbody scrub with raw sea salt, sea algae, spirulina, shea butter and
essential oils, followed by a rinse in the outdoor shower. It was cold, but I
gamely ran to the shower in a robe and jumped into the warm jets. Then, I took
a dip into the hot outdoor soaking tub for a few minutes. The hot-cold
immersion felt rejuvenating. It was back onto the massage table for a
super-relaxing hydrating body massage.
The Property
Set on 230 acres, Sensei Porcupine Creek is beautifully
landscaped with flowering shrubs, palms and water features seemingly
everywhere. Adding some whimsy is a world-class art collection featuring
sculptures by Keith Haring, many notable local artists and Japanese sculptures
that pay homage to the property’s Japanese-inspired design.
A large white dog sculpture also served as a landmark for me
– the golf clubhouse was kitty-corner from the statue called “Your Dog” by
Yoshitomo Nara.
A three-night “Guided Wellness” experience, which includes
two spa treatments and two private sessions focusing on mindset, nutrition,
yoga or fitness, is priced from $1,600 per night, single occupancy, or $2,150
double, with a three-night minimum stay required.
For more information, visit sensei.com.
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