This company lets you visit resorts for a day, and it's my new favorite travel hack
- ResortPass sells day passes to luxury hotels and their pools.
- I purchased a pass to The Saguaro Palm Springs on a recent trip to California for $65.
I was itching not only to see Palm Springs, California, but to experience it.
It was my first time in the desert city. I wanted to explore the area's midcentury-modern architecture, soak in the palm trees, shop along Palm Canyon Drive, and explore the surrounding nature.
A night in one of the city's eclectic hotels was also on my bucket list. But I was traveling in a campervan complete with a bed and kitchenette and couldn't justify paying resort prices.
Then, I discovered ResortPass, a company that sells day passes to luxury hotels across North America and the Caribbean.
It was exactly what I was looking for. I purchased a pass for $65, spent a day poolside at a colorful resort, and left Palm Springs with a checked-off bucket list.
I purchased a pass a few weeks before my trip for $65
Coworkers and friends have previously mentioned ResortPass to me, so when planning my road trip, a day at a luxury hotel felt like an ideal way to relax after days of driving.
I hopped on the website where more than 15 Palm Springs resorts were listed. I could spend my day at familiar brands like the Hyatt Palm Springs or the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel. Or I could pick smaller boutique hotels like The Avalon Hotel and Bungalows or Casa Cody.
Many resorts had day passes starting at just $25. Others were pricier at $75 for a day pass. Visitors could also rent cabanas and daybeds for even more.
I was making a reservation a few weeks before my trip, but many of the resorts were already sold out of day passes.
As I scrolled through my available options, The Saguaro Palm Springs caught my eye. The hotel felt like a real-life Barbie Dreamhouse. It was covered in color, and the pool's backdrop featured mountains and palm trees.
It felt like a quintessential Palm Springs resort, and with decent reviews, I booked my pass for $65.
Checking in was easy, and I spent an afternoon lounging at the pool
On the day of my reservation, I headed into the resort's lobby. I told the worker at the reception desk that I had booked a day pass. After checking my ID, I was handed a wristband, which gave me free range of the resort's amenities.
I headed straight to the pool area, which had one large pool and two hot tubs. I picked a lounge chair to camp out at for the afternoon and alternated between the bodies of water.
At noon, the pool's bar opened, so I headed there to order lunch.
The resort's onsite restaurant El Jefe Desert Cantina is open to the public. I could've dined inside, but the pool views were too good to pass up.
So I headed to the pool bar where I ordered guacamole and fish tacos, which came from El Jefe's kitchen.
The $18 tacos were freshly fried and the cabbage underneath was crisp and fresh. The meal was delish.
After taking one final dip in the pool, I dried off with one of the resort's towels and headed out.
ResortPass was a fun way to experience new hotels
For me, $65 was a bit of a splurge for an afternoon at a pool, but it was still a deal considering I didn't have to book a night at the hotel.
Plus, it was a fun way to experience a new city. For future trips, I plan to hop on ResortPass.
And if I'm ever itching for a staycation, I'll browse my options close to my Colorado home.