Palm Springs in its Hollywood heyday was awash with glamour and luxury, and plenty remains today, so our Gurus had some seriously gorgeous hotels to choose from when it came to putting together their recommendations for the best luxury hotels in Palm Springs. Spoiled for choice between huge spa hotels with their own hot-springs, wonderfully revived mid-century icons, and converted movie mogul retreats, their final list of the best luxury hotels in Palm Springs has something for luxury-loving families as well as glamorous couples.
For the Album
- The Parker Palm Springs is a large, low rise resort, sprawling elegantly amongst lush, colourful gardens, and close enough to the edge of Palm Springs to feel like you’re staying in an oasis, right up against the desert. Its 144 rooms and suites are some of the most opulent in Palm Springs, harking back to this town’s Hollywood heyday, with super cool 1960s vintage furniture and modern art. The Parker has three pools and two restaurants, and a spa that also harks back to 60s cool, whilst also providing the latest in spa-treatments.
For the Views
- The Rowan is one of the few contemporary, high rise hotels in Palm Springs, and thus gets to overlook the sprawling city and its surrounds without much obstruction — the chic roof terrace and pool have fantastic, panoramic views. Inside are 153 rooms and suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows, and light, contemporary decor. The Mediterranean restaurant is relaxed and stylish, and your pet stays for free. Kids are welcome too!
For a Desert Retreat
- L'Horizon Resort & Spa has been converted from the luxurious 1950s private residence of a Hollywood mogul. This would have been some desert retreat, and it still is: 25 rooms and suites arranged around a central infinity pool and terrace, complete with day beds, palm trees and sun loungers — all in white. Each rooms is different, but all are elegant and luxurious, with a collection of chic vintage furnishings, outdoor showers, fireplaces and fire pits. The restaurant and spa are really something too.
- The Willows Historic Inn is a Spanish mission style villa turned eight room boutique hotel. Historic and intimate, The Willows feels sufficiently off centre to say it’s quiet, while also being within walking distance of plenty of places to eat, drink and be merry. There’s a relaxed sitting room with a beamed and vaulted ceiling, and a breakfast room that spills out onto a rocky terrace. Grown-up, intimate and perfect for total relaxation.
For Palm Springs Style
- Palm Springs is a fantastic destination for anyone with a taste for mid century architecture and design, and the Dive Hotel has mid century style in spades, with a collection of 11 rooms and suites done up like something from St Tropez in the 1960s. The building is a modern, white bungalow, arranged around a central palm-fringed pool, with cute parasols and candy stripe sun loungers. Inside you’ll find a fantastic collection of retro rattan furniture and vintage Parisian picks. The suites have private hot tubs and sun terraces too.
For a Spa Break
- The Avalon Hotel Palm Springs is low-rise, 67 room resort hotel encircling a chic pool terrace, complete with day beds, chic cabanas, elegant tents, a cool bar, plenty of brightly coloured plants, and three pools. Kelly Wearstler has put her stamp on the hotel’s design, with a black and white theme and the odd splash of yellow. The Californian restaurant spills out onto the terrace, and the spa is well and truly something to write home about.
For Romantics
- La Serena Villas is a collection of beautiful, white, Spanish mission-style villas, arranged around a luxurious looking pool and a cool Mediterranean restaurant. 18 rooms and suites make up the accommodation; they’re all spacious, light and comfortable, with Moroccan-style furniture and antiques and carefully selected linens and soft furnishings. Some have private patios, vast bathtubs or fire pits. The rooftop terrace offers incredible views over the surrounding dessert, with one of Palm Springs’ trendiest neighbourhoods in the foreground.
For Families
- Perched on a rise on the edge of Palm Springs, the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage looks over it, and into the desert and mountains beyond — it’s quite a view! This is a large resort, with 244 rooms, suites and villas; a huge landscaped pool area for families, and an adults only infinity pool with views over the desert; an impressively thorough spa with a view; a choice of bars and restaurants; hotel bikes, and a kids club with a great list of activities and adventures. The best rooms have private terraces and fire pits, plus double-sized tubs.
- Set between the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains and Downtown Palm Springs, the Ingleside Inn is a small, elegant inn with great views of both. Some of the best views are out in the gardens by the stylish pool. Its 30 rooms and suites are quite traditional, with whitewashed walls, beamed ceilings, tiled floors and dark wood furniture. The restaurant, Melvyn’s, is a local stalwart. If you’re not looking for a kids club or special features, this hotel is a good size for a family-friendly pick. For families, there are complimentary cribs and some connecting room options.
For Great Value
- Colony Palms is an affordable pick amongst the luxury set. Its Moroccan themed decor sets the scene of a desert oasis, and the backdrop of the San Jacinto Mountains, and the striped awnings around the pool and restaurant add to the atmosphere. It has 57 rooms and suites, all individually decorated with Moroccan-style antiques and patterns. Plus the elegant pool terrace and restaurant, and an impressive spa, which also has a Moroccan hamman theme.
Still not sure where to book?
