Palm springs best places to stay

Palm Springs, CA is a desert paradise. It’s an oasis that offers year-round sunshine and beautiful views of the mountains and canyons in the area. The city has long been known as a playground for celebrities and the rich, but it’s also home to a flourishing arts scene and plenty of outdoor activities.

The best way to experience Palm Springs is by staying at one of its many boutique hotels. These hotels offer great service, amazing views, and usually some kind of onsite amenities like spa services or pools. Here are some of our favorite places to stay in Palm Springs:

Sparrows Lodge

Come to Sparrows Lodge and you can have a true digital detox. There are no phone or TVs in any of the rooms which means you can truly switch off from the rest of the world. Once you get tired of being inside, come to the poolside where there is a hot tub and plush lounge chairs for ultra relaxation. One of the highlights is a beautiful communal barn that was restored from its 1952 structure where Bewitched’s Elizabeth Montgomery was reportedly married. It functions as a bar, restaurant, and general hang-out spot! 

Casa Cody

At Casa Cody, you can stay two blocks away from the main drag of downtown Palm Springs while still feeling like you’re a world away from the hustle and bustle. This historic, charming property is the oldest operating hotel in Palm Springs, founded in the 1920s by Buffalo Bill’s cousin, Harriet Cody. You’ll find peace and quiet here, thanks to the shelter of tall hedges and protective gates. All the rooms are well-appointed with Southwestern decor and new-age amenities, and the property is brimming with various citrus trees. The hotel serves a light complimentary breakfast each morning with items such as croissants, bagels, and gourmet granola, as well as evening tea by the pool. 

Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs

Parrot Heads rejoice! Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs is a 16-acre property located just a few miles from the downtown area. Thanks to its size, the hotel can accommodate large parties—and weddings—without feeling congested, and it makes the most of its sprawling space with not one, but two pools. The hotel lobby houses a signature “blown-out flip-flop” in the form of an oversized sculpture, plus their trademark chandelier made from margarita glasses. An upbeat playlist is streamed throughout the property, and thankfully (for variety’s sake) includes a mix of hits that aren’t exclusive to Buffett. The property is pet-friendly (they even have designated pet relief areas), while humans can keep themselves busy at the on-site restaurant, fitness center, spa, and fire pits, (there’s even a shop that sells branded merchandise for mega-fans). But chances are you’ll spend most of your visit parked next to the 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar by the pool, drinking frozen daiquiris and yes, margaritas, too.

Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs

Stay in the middle of the action at The Rowan, a modern hotel that opened in 2017. Located on a prime corner of downtown, you can walk to the best restaurants, bars, and shops in no time. You can’t beat their rooftop pool’s views of the nearby mountains, and you won’t hate the water misters that keep things cool in the desert sun — an adjacent bar tops it off with summer party music and plenty of seats for lounging. Don’t miss their daily happy hour in the lobby when they serve complimentary beer and wine. Afterward, you can visit their rooftop restaurant 4 Saints for contemporary American fare and 270-degree views of downtown and the San Jacinto Mountains. Pets owners will be thrilled that their fur babies are not only welcome at The Rowan, but greeted with open arms and full water bowls.

Ace Hotel & Swim Club

The Palm Springs Ace Hotel, housed in what was once a Motel 6, is a party destination for hip young travelers heading to the desert. They’ve got all the accoutrements, from a photo booth and retro macrame in the lobby to record players and vintage magazines in the rooms. There are also fancy robes and decked-out walking sticks for guests to use during their stay, which means that as the day goes on, more and more guests look like hippie cult members running around with hoods and canes. And it is a bit of a cult — the guests here are die-hard, looking to see and be seen by the pool, out on beach cruiser bikes or in the decent (but a little overpriced) restaurant, King’s Highway (which used to be a 24-hour Denny’s). The hotel offers $20 day passes ($30 on weekends) for pool use, which gives non-guests access to the scene: parties and live music often grace the grounds. The Ace is almost so hip that it’s becoming a caricature of itself — if you’re down to party all night with trendy 20-somethings, this is your spot, but the more sophisticated (or relaxed) traveler might look elsewhere. Unless you want to relive your youth? Go on, you only live once.

The Saguaro Palm Springs

The Saguaro is way less cheesy than it looks. A bright, color-blocked facade and blue bedrooms with lime furniture (yes, we said lime) and purple carpeting might sound like a designer’s worst nightmare, but somehow this place pulls it off. The hotel is massive, but the amenities are plentiful, the staff is friendly, and the spa and pool are extra nice (though they do blare poolside music rather loud). The food is nothing to write home about, but there are plenty of other Palm Springs restaurants in town to keep you satisfied. If you’re here over the weekend, it may feel a little Jersey Shore-ish, with lots of bachelorette parties and booze-fueled bros, but the place is set up so you can mostly avoid anyone you don’t care to see — or for that matter, hear.

Colony Palms Hotel

Making the drive out to Palm Springs always lulls us into a dreamy, carefree stupor—and this intimate spot only adds to the town’s glitzy appeal. Originally built by mobster Al Wertheimer in the 1930s (the pantry had a secret door leading to a brothel), the hotel has come a long way in its near-90-year history. Today, the rooms are luxurious without being over-the-top, while the thick greenery will make you feel like you’re tucked away in a rustic Spanish hacienda (even though the town’s main drag is a block away). The tree-shaded pool gets lively on the weekends, but never out of hand—and the downstairs speakeasy-style restaurant, Purple Palm, makes for a classy dinner spot after a day of bikini lounging. We think you’ll like it here. A lot.

Avalon Palm Springs

Making the drive out to Palm Springs always lulls us into a dreamy, carefree stupor — and this intimate spot only adds to the town’s glitzy appeal. Originally built by mobster Al Wertheimer in the 1930s (the pantry had a secret door leading to a brothel), the hotel has come a long way in its nearly 90-year history. Today, the rooms are luxurious without being over-the-top, while the thick greenery will make you feel like you’re tucked away in a rustic Spanish hacienda (even though the town’s main street is a block away). The tree-shaded pool gets lively on the weekends, but never out of hand — and the downstairs speakeasy-style restaurant, Purple Palm, makes for a classy dinner spot after a day of bikini lounging. We think you’ll like it here. A lot.