Curated | A Summer Retreat at The Sands Hotel

**Summer is supposed to be for slowing down… at least in theory.**

In reality, it’s usually just a different kind of chaos.

So when I found myself at a women’s entrepreneur retreat at The Sands Hotel in Indian Wells, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I could immediately tell it wasn’t going to feel like “just another event.”

It felt… intentional. In a way that’s hard to explain until you’re actually in it.

And honestly? I needed that more than I realized.

A Space Designed to Slow You Down

The property is just… perfect.

Like not in a loud, trying-to-impress-you way. In a “you can exhale a little deeper here” way.

Everything feels vibrant but not overwhelming. Styled but still warm. There’s this mix of color, texture, and energy that makes you want to stay present instead of pulling out your phone every five seconds.

It’s one of those places that doesn’t just host something… it kind of shapes how you experience it.

And that matters more than people think, especially for retreats, weddings, or any kind of gathering where you actually want people to connect instead of just attend.

Where everything started to feel easy

What stood out first wasn’t even the aesthetics… it was how easy everything felt.

No confusion. No guessing. No awkward “wait, where am I supposed to be?” energy that usually comes with group events.

It just flowed.

And that kind of ease doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from leadership that actually thinks about the people in the room, not just the schedule.

The women made it feel real

Robin Ballard, founder of both CURATE and CURATED, has this way of making everything feel simple in the best way. She’s kind, funny, grounded, and she creates environments where you don’t feel like you’re performing your way through an experience.

At one point she said:

“Throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks.”

And I’ve been thinking about that ever since, because it is absolutely true.

Karen Sieger, the president of CURATE, had this calm presence that made everything feel even more steady. The kind of person who doesn’t need to be loud to make an impact.

At one point she literally let me use her room to work, shower, reset during the day… which honestly tells you everything you need to know about her as a human.

It felt less like “event staff” and more like being taken care of by people who actually care.

Janine McClintock led our workshop, and she was one of those people who can be both down-to-earth and incredibly sharp at the same time.

She didn’t just give us ideas, she helped us slow down enough to hear our own. Which, as entrepreneurs, is not something we’re great at on our own.

And then there were all the in-between connections.

Cathy, who I already have a lunch date planned with (which feels very on-brand for how this retreat went).

Shannon, who I had met once before but finally got to actually work alongside, and immediately felt aligned with.

Brianna, who I sat next to at dinner and ended up talking with about motherhood more than anything.

Elena, who I had so much fun photographing and getting to know.

It wasn’t about networking. It was just good people wanting to slow down and connect.

The In-Between Moments

My absolute favorite part of the retreat wasn’t a keynote, a dinner, or a workshop…it was the in-between.

Helping with check-ins. Quiet conversations in passing. Sitting in stillness between structured moments in a space that made stillness feel natural instead of uncomfortable.

Those pauses changed the pace of everything else. They made the experience feel fuller, not busier.

And maybe that’s what intentional spaces really do… they don’t just fill your schedule, they shift your rhythm.

Why The Sands Hotel Works for Retreats, Weddings, and Creative Gatherings

What makes The Sands Hotel in Indian Wells so compelling as a venue is not just its aesthetic, it’s how it functions.

It holds space well.

For women’s entrepreneur retreats, creative workshops, intimate gatherings, and even luxury weddings, it offers something rare: an environment that feels both inspiring and grounding at the same time.

There’s a natural rhythm to the property that encourages presence. Conversations last longer. Transitions feel softer. Even downtime feels like part of the experience rather than time in between it.

It’s the kind of space where people don’t just attend events, but they actually experience them.