Last Updated on March 7, 2023
Palm Springs is throwing off its image as a place where only old folks come to spend their vacations. Visitors of all ages travel here from around the world to experience this desert oasis. Why? Who can resist a vacation destination that touts it has 340 days of sunshine a year?
Located two miles from an international airport, downtown Palm Springs beckons you to stay in one of the unique hotels. The lodging is conveniently located near shopping, an array of restaurants, public art, and a plethora of events that are often free to the public.
This overview will give you a small taste of the kinds of accommodations that await your journey to Palm Springs, which is seeing a phenomenal growth spurt. A site called Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels has many other options available, so be sure to check it out.
If you want to stay in Palm Springs, make sure your lodging has a Palm Springs address. Often visitors that think they are staying in Palm Springs are in one of the other six cities in Coachella Valley. As a result, they find themselves 35-miles away from the airport and Palm Springs proper.
The Cole—Most Technology-Driven Hotel
Recently opened, The Cole Hotel exudes modernism vibes in every aspect of its décor. Elements of Modernism style can be found throughout the hotel. For example, from the minute you walk into the courtyard, brilliantly colored umbrellas around the pool beckon you to get your swimming suit on as quickly as possible.
Complete refurbishing of this hotel has resulted in movie stars raving about it on Instagram.
With the future in mind, this hotel has utilized technology to its fullest. For example, contactless registration provides an efficient way to check in after your journey. Imagine you are in a hotel where everything you need to know, such as how to use anything in your room or grounds, could be found on a barcode you were provided in your welcome package.
There is no restaurant on the grounds, but excellent dining places are nearby.
This hotel is for 21 years and over.
2. Kimpton Rowan—Downtown Palm Springs
The Kimpton-Rowan Palm Springs is a family and dog-friendly hotel that bustles with people arriving and departing this 132-room hotel. If you want all the amenities of a four-star hotel, this is the place for you.
In one direction, you will be up close and personal to our majestic mountains. On the other side, you will look down at Coachella Valley as far as you can see.
Here you will find a rooftop pool with unquestionably the best view of Palm Springs. Cabanas are ready and waiting for you to enjoy some relaxation time.
Finally, you couldn’t be any more in the middle of Palm Springs. In addition, the service and staff are superb and ready to meet your every need.
Alcazar—A Quiet Reprieve
If you have a stressful period in your life or are traveling for business, the Alcazar is the place for you to check in and be pampered. The Palo Verde trees in the courtyard provide a beautiful canopy beckoning you to slow down.
Are you tired of sitting around the pool or want to take a break from your business interactions? Grab one of their bicycles and peruse beautiful neighborhoods on well-marked bike paths.
Hungry? Just follow the path, and you will find two delightful restaurants on the grounds that will meet anyone’s needs. These restaurants are in great demand, so have the concierge make sure you have reservations.
Gay Friendly Santiago Hotel
This 24-room hotel is swimsuit optional and is set within a luxurious and meticulously manicured garden is exclusively for gay men. It hales as the boutique hotel with the largest pool in any resort in Palm Springs.
Imagine having a cocktail as you relax in a hammock built for two hung between palm trees. More than likely, the palms cast a shadow while you watch the occasional billowing cloud moves across your horizon.
Each room on the Santiago Hotel is tastefully decorated and has superb luxury bath products. It is the perfect place to relax and decide, at least for your stay, you will not have a care in the world.
Avanti—Bring Your Dog
Not often do you open the door to your hotel and find a blackboard welcoming your pet by name. Avanti, a 10-room hotel, is for travelers who want to mingle with other visitors in a relaxed atmosphere while enjoying other’s pets and adventure stories.
Bright lemon yellow dominates this hotel built entirely around the pool. However, in a wholly separate, private area is the largest hot tub I have ever seen. Complete with cabanas and seating areas around the space. Okay, it may be a pipe dream, but having a retreat here and brainstorming in the hot tub could prove to be an enjoyable experience.
There are numerous return visitors. Make your reservations early.
Orbit In—Where the 50’s Live
The central pool is the anchor feature of the Orbit In, a 15-room, luxurious mid-century style hotel. Their saying is, “Vintage modernism meets the 21st Century.”
Décor is different in every room for the owners have sought out and placed items that were part of daily life in the 50s and 60s. In addition, you will find kitchens and kitchenettes, microwaves, and maybe even a fireplace, so you can settle in for a while and explore the area.
Evenings find guests gathering for cocktail hour. This hour allows guests to share their Palm Springs experience with others while relaxing a bit before heading out to one of the surrounding restaurants.
The Monkey Tree Hotel—Modernism Vibes
The Monkey Tree Hotel in Palm Springs is known for its Modernism architecture, prominent in the 50s and 60s. Local hoteliers do not shy away from using features that were prominent during that period. However, this hotel has taken it to a whole new level.
Walking into this 16-room hotel, named Travelers Choice 2020 by TripAdvisor, makes one feel happy. The new owners use bright, intense colors to showcase this hotel’s modernism vibes while providing 21st-century amenities.
It is the only hotel in Coachella Valley with a Scandinavian Spa. Take a dry sauna, then jump into a pool cooled to 55 degrees, and then an extra deep pool with a bench enables you to sit in 102-degree water over your shoulders.
Hyatt Palm Springs—Business Amenities
Located in the heart of Palm Springs, this Hyatt lives up to the Hyatt’s reputation of being family and pet-friendly. At the same time, it is the place for you to stay during your business travel because it has everything you might need to meet that deadline while on the road.
Room balconies provide views of Palm Springs that change as the sunrises and sets on the San Jacinto mountains. If you are fortunate to be staying there at one of Palm Springs’ many celebrations, you have a birds-eye view of the festivities, including our famous Thursday Village Fest.
I would be amiss if I didn’t point out it has a lovely outdoor dining space, which frequently has local musicians serenading you under our star-studded sky.
La Serena Villa—The Heart of Palm Springs
La Serena Villas were built in 1933 on an acre of land that was once the edge of Palm Springs. Now it is located in the heart of the city. Its location is ideal for anyone wanting to explore public art, retail stores, and nearby restaurants.
In 2016 it was refurbished and became an 18-guest room luxury hotel. You would be hard-pressed to find amenities that are missing. The villas are private with a patio, clawfoot tubs, and fire-pits. Spa services are available. Sugar High’s rooftop lounge has become a popular local spot to meet and relax in the comfy lounge sofas under our star-lit skies.
Ingleside Inn—Old Hollywood
Tucked away literally at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains, the Ingleside Inn‘s charm will capture your attention from the minute you turn into the driveway. The family that owned Pierce-Arrow Motor Company built this Spanish-style structure in 1925.
On the grounds today, there are 30 villa-style suites and rooms that keep the secrets of many stars who met here during their Palm Springs weekends away from Hollywood. Ivy-covered cottages and impeccably maintained grounds make one feel they are in England versus the California desert.
Sip coffee or your drinks poolside but be sure to save a hearty appetite for dinner at Melvyn’s, one of Frank Sinatra’s favorite restaurants on the grounds. No shorts are allowed for this fine dining experience.
