Hotels in Palm Springs, CA

Best time to visit Palm Springs

The best time to visit Palm Springs is during the winter months from January – April when average temperatures range from 45 – 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and the weather is suitable for all the outdoor activities in the area. This is also the peak tourist season, and several events and festivals take place during this time. Expect to see crowds at the attractions, and premium hotel rates. The long summer months from May – September regularly experience average temperatures of 100 – 105 degrees Fahrenheit. From October – December, you will see a lot of business travelers and conventioneers in the city. Temperatures are warm but bearable, and hotel prices are also slightly more reasonable at this time.

Getting around Palm Springs

Although you can walk to most places in the downtown area, you will need a set of wheels to explore the rest of Palm Springs. SunLine Transit Agency operates around 15 bus routes in Palm Springs and Coachella Valley. Pay $1.00 USD per ride or buy a Day Pass for $3.00 USD for unlimited rides within 24 hours. On most weekends in Downtown Palm Springs, you can hail a taxi at any time, but on weekdays, and in other parts of the city, you may have to book one through reputable taxi companies such as American Cab, Desert City Cab, or Yellow Cab of the Desert. Ride share options such as Uber and Lyft are also available in the area. For more flexibility and freedom to move around in the city, it is best to hire your own vehicle. Check out the best possible deals and discounts on rental cars with momondo.

Best places to stay in Palm Springs

An oasis in the Palm Desert, Palm Springs offers year-round sunshine, luxurious spas, specialty chef restaurants, and see-and-be-seen pool parties. This extravagance makes it an attractive destination not just for Hollywood A-listers, but also for those seeking a luxurious weekend getaway. Stretching south and east of the city along Highway 111, Palm Springs has several desert resort towns that cater to a diverse set of travelers.

Palm Springs

Palm Springs blends modern with mid-century, offering world-class museums and attractions, distinguished signature festivals, and a vibrant downtown area. You’ll find a wide range of dining, nightlife and entertainment options. Amid chic shops, art galleries, and sidewalk cafés, you have the Hilton Palm Springs hotel. This modern downtown hotel features spacious rooms with desert-inspired décor, and several other on-site facilities and services. Consider the swanky rooms and themed suites of The Riviera Palm Springs, A Tribute Portfolio Resort set on 24-acres of lush landscape in the heart of the art and antique district of Palm Springs. The resort offers world-class dining, an award-winning spa, 2 sparkling pools, 2 retail boutiques, and an array of recreational activities.

Cathedral City

Home to several luxury resorts, scenic golf courses, dining, shopping, and art galleries, Cathedral City is an inviting town with a hometown vibe. Enjoy mountain views from private patios, and balconies of lavish rooms in the award-winning DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Golf Resort Palm Springs. This expansive resort boasts a 27-hole championship golf course, a luxurious spa, and plenty of on-site dining options. Check out the cozy, 1-bedroom villas with world-class amenities in Welk Resorts Palm Spring, a luxury resort set at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains and adjacent to the Cathedral Canyons Golf and Tennis Club.

Rancho Mirage

Rancho Mirage shines with its diverse offerings, including lush outdoor gardens, exceptional golf courses, indoor and outdoor shopping, and dining and entertainment. Stay in upscale rooms that feature contemporary décor, high ceilings, and wall-to-wall windows with mountain views at the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa. 650 feet above the Palm Springs valley, enveloped in the Santa Rosa Mountains, you have The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage hotel that features a 25,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, cliff-side swimming, and lavishly furnished rooms and suites.

Palm Desert

Palm Desert is a versatile resort town that features shopping districts, theater, art galleries and museums, hiking trails, golf courses, and family-friendly resorts. A 7-minute walk from the Santa Rosa Golf Club, you have The Westin Desert Willow Villas that offers fully equipped 1 – 2 bedroom villas with private patios or balconies. Set among streams, waterways, and a picturesque lake, is the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa. This resort features exotic birds, lush landscaping, fine dining, championship golf courses, and a state-of-the-art spa.

La Quinta

The charming La Quinta town is renowned for its arts shows, remarkable hiking trails, and legendary golf courses. Across from Old Town La Quinta, you have the Embassy Suites by Hilton La Quinta – Hotel & Spa, a plush all-suite hotel that boasts a large open-air atrium, and offers several complimentary amenities. For the ultimate luxury, consider the hacienda-style bungalows and suites clustered around 41 pools at the La Quinta Resorts & Club. This resort is set on 45 acres of vibrantly-colored gardens and pathways, and boasts 5 top-rated championship golf courses.

Cheap hotels in Palm Springs

The mention of Palm Springs usually conjures up images of ultra-glamorous resorts and ritzy, exclusive getaways. Yet, if you search carefully, you’ll find several reasonably priced hotels and affordable luxury resorts with rooms for as low as $70 per night. Modeled after a posada (traditional Mexican inn), you have the Los Arboles Hotel, a boutique resort that combines family-style warmth with ultra-modern amenities. Check out the ultra-sleek Alcazar hotel that offers elegantly furnished rooms with stunning mountain views. You can also consider the spacious rooms with mid-century furnishings at the Del Marcos Hotel.

With a generous dose of round the year sunshine, lush green palm trees, and proximity to Los Angeles, Palm Springs continues to be a favorite destination amongst celebrities. However, in recent years, the city has transformed into an oasis that caters to all kinds of visitors, and a wide range of budgets. There is something for everyone, including art lovers, history buffs, golf aficionados, nature lovers, outdoor adventurers, and nightlife revelers. Here are a few not-to-be-missed activities when you visit Palm Springs.

• Book a Desert Adventure Tour to discover the desert’s wildlife, environment and history. Most tour companies operating in the Coachella Valley include tours of Joshua Tree National Park, the Agua Caliente Indian Canyons, Mecca Hills, and exclusive access to parts of the San Andreas Fault Line.
• Head to the South Palm Canyon Drive that transforms into a weekly open-air street fair every Thursday evening during Village Fest. Browse through stalls selling arts and crafts, and local produce, sample delicious local fare at the variety of food stalls, and enjoy performances by street-side musicians, local youth choirs, and budding artists.
• Visit Cabot’s Pueblo Museum that features rooms filled with Indian artifacts, artwork, and memorabilia. One exhibit you should not miss is Waokiye, a 43-foot sculpture of a Native American head.
• Set your inner child loose and let your kids be inspired at the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert. With over 50 hands-on activities, the museum promises to peak your curiosity, and keep the entire family entertained for hours.
• Get interesting insights into the desert environment and native Cahuilla people at the Palm Springs Art Museum. The museum also focuses on wildlife and features a botanical garden as well as an on-site performance venue, the Annenberg Theater, where various musicals, plays, and concerts are held throughout the year.
• Spend a day soaking in the sunshine and enjoying several water rides and attractions at the 16-acre Knott’s Soak City Water Park.
• View the largest collection of flyable WWII planes in the world, at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
• Indulge in a picnic, hiking, or horseback riding at Indian Canyons. Enjoy the multitude of streams, natural palm oases, and canyon formations along the trails.
• Get extraordinary views of the Coachella Valley when you take a cable car at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The 12.5-minute ride in the world’s largest rotating aerial tramway covers a 2.5-mile climb to Mountain Station in Mount San Jacinto State Park.
• Learn about North American and African desert animals such as giraffes, warthogs, jaguars, and bighorn sheep at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. The gardens showcase a variety of cacti and native plants, and you can also hike or walk along a number of nature trails that are seasonally open to public.