I review hotels professionally and these 11 Palm Springs properties are among my all-time favorite places to stay
- Palm Springs has more than 130 hotels and resorts, including charming bungalows and casitas.
- After staying in nearly all of them, these are the best places to book in Palm Springs.
My husband and I love Palm Springs so much, we've long dreamed of buying a home here. So far, the ever-soaring real-estate prices haven't allowed it to happen, but along the way, I realized that's a good thing.
Why? Because we seriously love Palm Springs hotels. We consider them to be among the most magical properties on earth for their dreamy settings, stellar design, and luxe amenities. And unlike your own home, they come with room service.
The city has more than 130 hotels and resorts, ranging from boutique bungalows to larger-scale hotels with standout rooms at a range of price points. Since I've been visiting the desert for more than 20 years, I've stayed at nearly all of them, both as part of my own travels and for my work as a travel writer reviewing hotels. The following is my list of the best Palm Springs hotels, ones I recommend to friends and book time and again myself.
They have enviable rooms, rejuvenating spas, chef-driven food, and sparkling pools where the pace is dictated by the sun's blazing heat, and cocktails and caftans are the order of the day. When it's too hot to move, just order another and pull up a floatie.
Avalon Palm Springs
Avalon Palm Springs is a chic Hollywood Regency-style hotel that is long my first go-to choice. The design even inspired my entire wedding decor.
It's highly manicured and style-minded but still manages a relaxed vibe with 67 Spanish-style rooms, including 13 villas. Score one of these if you can, though they start at several hundred dollars a night.
There are three pools including one flanked by cabanas with a stunning mountain backdrop and another secluded option for families — but this isn't usually where I take my kids as it earns a few raised eyebrows.
The petite but sweet Spa Estrella and Chi Chi poolside restaurants round out the offerings in this well-located, ultra-walkable spot.
Parker Palm Springs
While it's typically one of the more expensive offerings, the Parker Palm Springs is an icon that's worth the splurge. The hip, mid-century property sprawls over leafy grounds with cheeky interiors designed by Jonathan Adler.
Find two outdoor pools (one for adults, and one kid-friendlier), plus two restaurants, a fitness center, tennis courts, a spa, and a salon. Everywhere you look — starting with the famous cinder-block entrance wall — is a design treasure and an Instagram gold mine.
Rooms range from standard to generous villas that feel sexy and sophisticated, but I found my twins were welcome even as toddlers.
Saguaro Palm Springs
You'll recognize Saguaro Palm Springs, a boutique hotel by its cheerful, LGBTQ-friendly, and meant for Insta rainbow-painted facade. The atmosphere is equally jovial, and often draws a crowded party atmosphere, so stay elsewhere if what you seek is R&R.
That said, you'll often see this hotel at a bargain price, even on holiday weekends, and rooms feature Mexican-inspired furniture, bright colors, and balconies or patios.
The on-site El Jefe Mexican restaurant is a must, and there is a lively pool with two hot tubs. One summer weekend, I could hardly find a place to stand while a DJ spun for a rowdy, hard-drinking crowd. That said, if an affordable party is what you seek, you'll likely do no better than Saguaro.
Korakia Pensione
Stumbling onto Korakia Pensione feels like a discovery. This small, under-the-radar, Mediterranean-style resort is housed in two restored historic villas across the street from each other.
The residential property sits on one and a half acres with bungalows, guesthouses, gardens, and pools shaded by bougainvillea vines and Moroccan fountains. A distinctive keyhole-shaped entrance feels like entering the gateway to an oasis — because it is. During one visit, I fondly remember eating popsicles poolside and watching Marilyn Monroe movies from an alfresco set up on a hot summer night.
Margaritaville Palm Springs
Longtime fans of the former Riviera Hotel were more than a little shocked to see the property transform into a more mass-market-feeling Margaritaville — the first one on the West Coast.
But the new hotel still incorporates the original property's historic midcentury aesthetic, now blended with Margaritaville's signature beachy vibe, for an overall attractive pick for families, bachelorettes, couples, and parrot heads.
There are 398 renovated rooms, island-inspired food and beverages, and the St. Somewhere Spa (the largest resort spa in the city). When it comes to a property that's this family-friendly, laid back, and affordable, there's really no match in Palm Springs.
Book Margaritaville Palm Springs
Kimpton Rowan
Kimpton Rowan is a good bet if you're more into a traditional contemporary hotel stay over quaint casitas. Here, there's a buzzy lobby, 153 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, plus a small but glam rooftop pool (the only one like it in the area), a bar, and two chef-driven restaurants. From here you can walk to everything on Palm Canyon Drive downtown.
Also, unlike many independent properties on this list, Kimpton is part of IHG, offering the chance to earn and redeem points.
Casa Cody
Casa Cody has a very secret-garden vibe, with one and a half acres of meandering pathways, bougainvillea, native plants, and fruit trees tucked within walking distance of downtown Palm Springs.
There are 30 rooms and suites within historic structures, including four freestanding homes, and revamped interiors honoring the hotel's Spanish Colonial Revival spirit. Don't miss Saturday morning yoga, evening tea, and on-site citrus picking.
Sonder at V Palm Springs
Once just called the V Palm Springs, this property now goes by Sonder at V Palm Springs, as part of Sonder's model of contactless hospitality with self-service tech.
I've stayed here when I need a budget-friendly option on holiday or event weekends and still felt part of the action without spending a ton. It's stylish with a lively pool and less of the see-and-be-seen posturing that can be part of so many other desert hotels.
There are 143 rooms that surround two pools, as well as the newly opened Gigi's Mediterranean restaurant, and a hotel gym.
Ace Hotel & Swim Club
The Ace Hotel & Swim Club is the grande dame of hipster hotels in Palm Springs. Set in a former motel, it's where shag haircuts meet desert weekends, with two outdoor pools and an outdoor fireplace.
Guest rooms are curated with macramé wall hangings, amenities from Rudy's Barbershop, and some have patios with hammocks.
Eat at the on-site King's Highway restaurant, a former Denny's turned foodie haven, along with the adjacent Amigo Room bar for cocktails and an old-school-style photo booth. I've come here for Coachella, DJ pool parties, birthdays with friends, and trips with my husband — and it's always a good time amid a cool-kid environment.
L'Horizon Palm Springs
I often travel to Palm Springs with my kids, but this is the spot to stay for a grown-folks-only weekend. Indeed, only guests 21-and-up are allowed.
L'Horizon Palm Springs offers an ultra-luxurious boutique experience. Built in 1952 by the famous architect William F. Cody, L'Horizon was a celeb hot spot in the midcentury heyday and maintains that same vibe after a multimillion-dollar reimagining.
There are 25 bungalows with private patios and outdoor showers over three acres that come stocked with top-end touches like Frette linens, Le Labo toiletries, and marble baths. So.Pa restaurant is wonderful.
Triada Palm Springs
With its Mediterranean-style architecture, tranquil fountains, and tiled courtyards, the Triada feels like a boutique secret just a few blocks from downtown.
But it's actually a Marriott Bonvoy property, making this a good choice for members looking for a design-forward stay while still showing brand loyalty, with access to two on-site pools, a small gym, and a lobby restaurant
Standard rooms feature bold pops of color that brighten an otherwise small space, but for about $40 to $50 more, it's worth it to upgrade to a Casita suite with a kitchen, living area, and private patio, while still costing less than many other options on this list.
View Insider's comprehensive guide to visiting Palm Springs.
Emily Hochberg contributed reporting to this article.