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.
Back in July, People reported that no one but the cast and crew of season 16 was allowed to be on the property. Now, booking is open and guests from all over the world can choose to stay and replicate Clare's experience. According to the hotel's website, rooms are currently available for as little as $204 a night, though that rate can drastically change depending on your length of stay and the suite selected.
Ready to want to travel? Open since 1926, La Quinta sits on 1,400 stunning acres of land where you'll find 41 climate-controlled pools, 53 hot spas, 23 tennis courts, five golf courses and seven restaurants. Yep, we understand never wanting to leave. In addition, the resort has 796 guest rooms designed as haciendas, villas and abode casitas.
Don't think Clare was entirely alone as she quarantined before meeting the men. Producers allowed her to bring her two pups, Honey and Elbie, who we're sure enjoyed running around La Quinta.
According to La Quinta's website, other big-name celebrities that have stayed at the resort include Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Shirley Temple and Ginger Rogers.
A description of the property on the website reads, "step back in time with these California-style casitas that perfectly complement the original 1920's building design." And though that may sound sort of humble, many of La Quinta's suites come with their own pools and tubs, perfect for meme-worthy second and third dates. In fact, some of the biggest suites are up to 2,000 square-feet with fireplaces, private yards and mountain views. And if that wasn't enough, the property altogether boasts 190,000 square-feet of indoor and outdoor space, so don't expect season 16 to look like, you know, it was shot amid a pandemic.
Sitting at the footsteps of the Santa Rosa mountain rage, the desert locale is perfectly decorated with white walls, red-tiled roofs and plenty of picture-perfect cactus gardens.
In July, a source told People that the "entire resort is shut down and nobody but the cast and crew is there" to make sure Clare and her suitors stayed safe in a "protective bubble." The source said, "It is a smaller crew, and people are wearing masks and keeping a social distance," also noting that there were "multiple rounds of testing for cast and crew and there is a medical team on site enforcing the protocols and administering tests."
Since reopening to the public, La Quinta has implemented new policies and measures to ensure all guests remain safe and free of the coronavirus. The resort site says "the health and safety of our guests and team members is our highest priority." That means that all guests at the resort will be required to wear masks in public areas, per California guidelines.
Also, areas like the front desk, valet and bell service desks are operating at limited capacity. La Quinta teamed up with Lysol to maintain an "industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection." And a seal will be placed on rooms to make sure guests know that their room hasn't been entered since it was last cleaned and disinfected. As for those 41 pools, guests will have to lounge at least six feet apart and the hot spas are momentarily not open. All of the guidelines can be found here.
Season 16 of The Bachelorette premieres Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.