Palm Springs Palm Springs Travel Guide: Best Hotels, Restaurants & Experiences

Once Gene Autry's Melody Ranch estate, The Parker channels mid-century desert glamour through Jonathan Adler's eccentric interiors—think suit of armor in the lobby, groovy carpeting, and a seven-foot bronze banana sculpture. Three turquoise saline pools dot the grounds beneath San Jacinto mountain views, while the Palm Springs Yacht Club spa greets arrivals with chilled cucumber vodka before treatments. Croquet courts, rose gardens, and pétanque complete the retro-luxe tableau.

A 30,000-square-foot atrium lobby sets the tone at this Palm Desert resort, where Venetian-style waterways wind beneath glass walls framing the Santa Rosa Mountains. Gondolas glide past flamingos on freshwater lakes, while two Ted Robinson golf courses challenge players with dramatic waterscapes. The 38,000-square-foot spa houses 48 treatment rooms; every guest room opens onto a private balcony for desert sunsets.

Perched 650 feet above the Coachella Valley, this resort commands sweeping desert panoramas from its 24-acre bluff-top setting. SB Architects shaped the $500 million renovation around classic indoor-outdoor desert living, evident in three distinct pools—including an infinity edge and a 'Chill Zone' with submerged seating for sunset cocktails. The 25,000-square-foot spa serves bento boxes poolside, while Maddie the resident Labradoodle and candy-filled beakers signal a refreshingly relaxed take on luxury.

Spanish Revival architecture and Rat Pack nostalgia define this adults-only retreat, where 30 individually designed rooms feature fireplaces, private courtyards, and custom linens. Melvyn's restaurant channels Sinatra-era glamour, while guests access four pools—one on-site, three more at the neighboring Avalon Hotel. A jacuzzi and manicured garden complete this Old Hollywood escape for couples seeking desert sophistication.

A 1924 Moroccan villa at the base of the San Jacinto mountains, Korakia Pensione layers Greek, Mediterranean, and Spanish influences across three historic properties. Twenty-nine antique-furnished rooms hide within walled gardens and courtyards, while two pools, a fire pit, and a library encourage lingering. Adults-only and fiercely romantic, this is Palm Springs for those seeking seclusion over scene.

Concealed behind a sweeping bar at Yaamava' Resort & Casino, The Pines unfolds dining as theatrical narrative—servers present themselves as storytellers guiding guests through a seven-chapter menu of Midwestern cuts. Testani Design Troupe's interiors honor the Serrano tribe's heritage through basket-inspired chandeliers and undulating wood ceilings, while a Y-shaped cellar housing 2,500 bottles anchors the room's dramatic centerpiece.

Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart once frequented this Moroccan-inspired dining room at the Colony Palms Hotel, where elaborate floor tiles and bold wallpaper still channel old Hollywood glamour. The poolside setting draws LA visitors for weekend brunch and sunset cocktails, while the kitchen delivers unfussy American plates—grilled pork chop with cheesy polenta, edamame hummus—and a signature frosted carrot cake layered with pineapple and toasted pecans.

Perched on the Rowan Hotel's seventh floor—downtown Palm Springs' loftiest dining room—4 Saints pairs panoramic San Jacinto Mountain views with Chef Ysaac Ramirez's Southern-inflected Mexican cooking. The shareable menu moves from grilled purple sweet potatoes dressed in Alabama white barbecue sauce to hefty ribeyes with smoked onion and rosemary salsa verde, while the central bar pours date-infused Old Fashioneds that taste unmistakably of the desert.

Bacon smoke drifts across a perpetually packed patio where sunglass-clad locals gather for this daytime-only American spot. The signature bacon flight delivers five strips in rotating preparations—apple cinnamon, jalapeño, and beyond—while the weekly-changing menu might feature birria hash topped with poached eggs. Most produce travels less than 100 miles, and house-made cinnamon rolls tempt those grabbing breakfast on the move.

A former hideaway for Hollywood's golden-age stars, this poolside restaurant now welcomes outside guests by reservation. Communal tables under open skies set the tone for ingredient-driven California cooking: crisp salads, grilled cauliflower steak dressed in sauce vierge, and impeccable avocado toast. The compact menu shifts with the seasons, and dietary needs receive genuine attention from disarmingly gracious staff.

Eleven healing crystal journeys structure the treatment menu at this San Manuel Boulevard sanctuary, each stone researched for its specific energetic properties. The turquoise pathway delivers enzyme exfoliation, dry brushing for lymphatic circulation, and a heated cream wrap before a eucalyptus-lavender massage. Guests begin in the Tranquility Lounge with a grounding foot soak overlooking mountain panoramas, while an events calendar extends the experience through sound healing and full-moon meditations.

Perched on a bluff with sweeping views across the Coachella Valley, this desert sanctuary draws its aesthetic directly from the Santa Rosa mountains—a palm-lined stone façade, sandy interiors accented in blue and white, and a striking foyer chandelier composed of 222 quartz crystals. The relaxation room overlooks cascading waterfalls, while gentle water features at the entrance establish an immediate sense of stillness.