Fact: There are several elephants in the room when it comes to season 16 of The Bachelorette.
Longtime host Chris Harrison has teased an "explosive" premiere unlike any other. And as Bachelor Nation fanatics already know, Tayshia Adams, 30, is expected to swoop in and replace Clare Crawley, 39, as the star at some point. When, why, and how? We don't exactly know for sure.
But one thing's clear: Clare and the lineup of men cast as her suitors will not be seen roaming about the Bachelor Mansion, Villa de la Vina, when it's time to kick off the lovefest. Though production for The Bachelorette was initially scheduled to begin in March, the coronavirus pandemic seriously delayed filming to July, where the task of finding Clare the one was flipped entirely on its head.
So what's the replacement for Villa de la Vina? This season was filmed at La Quinta Resort and Club, a Waldorf Astoria Resort located just outside the Coachella Valley in La Quinta, California. From the first few teasers we've seen, Bachelorette producers did an excellent job of selecting a new filming location that nearly replicates the mansion and lets the show maintain its glamorous and roomy DNA, even with plenty of COVID-19 safety precautions in place.
The cast of season 16 first had to quarantine solo before getting the chance to come together and get to know Clare better, which means the La Quinta Resort & Club was closed off to outsiders. Now, booking is once again open and viewers can absolutely follow in Clare's footsteps.
For all the details about La Quinta, scroll down.
Season 16 of The Bachelorette premieres Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.