The Best Hotels in Palm Springs (2026)
The best hotel in Palm Springs is Parker Palm Springs, a 13-acre Jonathan Adler-designed estate with two pools, a great spa and the best grounds in the desert. L'Horizon is the pick for adults-only luxury, Thompson Palm Springs is the best base downtown, and La Quinta Resort & Club is the classic family resort. Below are the ten hotels and resorts we'd book first across Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, with who each one is right for.
Best Hotels in Palm Springs at a Glance
Best overall: Parker Palm Springs.
Best adults-only: L'Horizon Resort & Spa
Best downtown: Thompson Palm Springs
Best for families: La Quinta Resort & Club
Best for wellness: Sensei
Palm Springs has been the desert escape for Los Angeles since the Rat Pack days, and its hotels still trade on that history. The difference now is range. You can stay in a restored mid-century bungalow, a Moroccan-style hideaway, a 1920s resort or a brand-new design hotel on Palm Canyon Drive, all within a half-hour drive of each other.
The first choice is where in the valley to base yourself. Palm Springs proper has the walkable downtown, the architecture and most of the boutique hotels. Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells and La Quinta, farther down the valley, are where the big resorts, golf and spas sit. Desert Hot Springs, just north, is all about mineral water. Our list covers all of it, judged on setting, service, rooms, food and whether the experience earns the rate.
The best hotel in Palm Springs is a former Gene Autry estate that Jonathan Adler turned into the most fun address in the desert. There are 144 rooms, suites and villas spread across 13 acres of gardens, with croquet and pétanque lawns, clay tennis courts and new padel courts, the only ones at a hotel in town. The Palm Springs Yacht Club is the spa, nautical-themed and very good. Norma's does breakfast, and mister parker's is the moody dinner spot. It's ten minutes from downtown, which is exactly why it feels like an escape. Rates sit at the top of the market in high season.
2. L'Horizon Resort & Spa
William F. Cody built this as a private retreat in 1952, and Marilyn Monroe was among the Hollywood guests who came to stay. Designer Steve Hermann has since restored it into 25 bungalows on three acres, finished with Frette linens, marble baths and a mix of custom and vintage furniture. It's strictly 21 and over, and the mood is calm and glamorous. The open-air spa has white canvas cabanas and outdoor showers, and SO•PA serves dinner under the stars with the San Jacinto Mountains as the backdrop. For couples, it's the best stay in town.
3. Thompson Palm Springs
If you want to walk to dinner, stay here. Thompson opened in late 2024 right on North Palm Canyon Drive, with 168 bungalow-style rooms, two pools and a curated art collection. Lola Rose Grand Mezze is the all-day restaurant, and there's a HALL wine lounge downstairs. The real find is Upper Stories, an adults-only wing of 42 rooms with its own private pool. It gives you a boutique-hotel stay inside a big, buzzy one.
4. Sensei Porcupine Creek
This is Larry Ellison's former private estate at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains in Rancho Mirage, now a wellness retreat. The art collection is extraordinary, meals are catered by Nobu, and the whole stay is built around guided wellness programming. We stayed and came away with a mixed verdict. Our full Sensei Porcupine Creek review covers what delivered and what didn't. It's expensive and very structured, so it's for travelers who want a program, not a pool weekend, but we had an incredible time here.
5. The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage
The Ritz-Carlton sits high on a bluff above Rancho Mirage, with some of the widest views in the Coachella Valley. It's somewhat dated, but also quiet and built for people who want full five-star service with a big spa and a proper resort pool. It's the safe, reliable luxury pick when you'd rather skip the scene in town. Bighorn sheep often wander the hills nearby. Read our full review from a recent stay here.
6. Korakia Pensione
Korakia is the outlier in mid-century Palm Springs. Scottish painter Gordon Coutts built half of it in the 1920s to recreate his life in Tangier, and it still feels more Mediterranean than modernist. There are just 28 rooms split between a Moroccan side and a Mediterranean side, with whitewashed villas, bougainvillea and antiques. Breakfast is included, there's afternoon tea, and the Tennis Club neighborhood puts you a short walk from downtown. No children under 13. It's the most romantic small hotel in town.
7. La Quinta Resort & Club
La Quinta opened in 1926 and celebrates its 100th year in 2026, which makes it the grand old resort of the desert. Spanish-style casitas are spread across the grounds, with pools scattered between them, plus tennis and some of the best golf in the valley. It's about 40 minutes from downtown Palm Springs, so think of it as a resort stay rather than a town base. For families who want space, pools and room to roam, it's the easy choice.
8. Sands Hotel & Spa
Martyn Lawrence Bullard took a 1950s motel in Indian Wells and turned it into a pink, Moroccan-meets-mid-century jewel box. There are 46 rooms, many with patios or balconies, a pool lined with cabanas, a small spa and the Pink Cabana restaurant. It's adults-only (18 and up) and close to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and El Paseo shopping. Rates are more reasonable than the big resorts around it.
Check rates at Sands Hotel & Spa
9. Two Bunch Palms
Two Bunch Palms sits on 77 acres in Desert Hot Springs, about 15 minutes north of downtown Palm Springs. Mineral-rich hot springs water flows through the property into a rock-lined grotto, which is the whole point of coming. Rooms are simple and natural, built with vintage tile and ipe wood, and the spa menu is long. It's adults-only and very quiet. Come here to soak and switch off, not for nightlife.
10. Ingleside Estate Hotel & Bungalows
Ingleside is a classic Palm Springs hotel, with a brat-pack style restaurant and cute bungalows. We’ve stayed here for birthday celebrations, and it’s a wonderful adults-only option. It's a smart base for a short, social weekend.
Check rates at Ingleside Estate Hotel
When to Go and When to Book
Palm Springs season runs from October through May. February through April is peak, with warm days, cool nights and the most going on. Modernism Week in February and the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals in April push rates sharply higher and fill hotels months out, so book those dates early or avoid them.
Summer is a different place. Daytime highs regularly pass 100°F from June through September, and rates at the best hotels and resorts often fall to a fraction of their winter prices. If you only want the pool and the spa, it's the best-value window of the year. October and early November are the sweet spot, with warm weather, open restaurants and shoulder-season rates.
For winter and spring weekends, book two to three months ahead. Small hotels like L'Horizon and Korakia sell out first.
How to Choose
Start with the kind of trip. For a couples' weekend with design and good food, book L'Horizon or Korakia and walk into town. If you want to be in the middle of things, Thompson and the Rowan are on Palm Canyon Drive. For the full resort experience, Parker Palm Springs is the best of both worlds, close to town but with grounds you won't want to leave.
Traveling with kids? Most of the boutique hotels here are adults-only, so look down the valley. La Quinta Resort & Club is the classic family pick, and our guide to the best family resorts in California covers more options across the state. If the trip is about resetting, Two Bunch Palms is for soaking and Sensei Porcupine Creek is for a structured wellness program.
Most hotels and resorts here run roughly $400 to $800 a night in high season, with suites and villas at the top properties climbing well past that. Summer rates can drop by half or more.
FAQ
What is the best hotel in Palm Springs?
Parker Palm Springs. Its 13 acres of gardens, two pools, spa, restaurants and playful Jonathan Adler design make it the most complete luxury stay in the desert.
What is the best adults-only hotel in Palm Springs?
L'Horizon Resort & Spa, a restored 1952 estate with 25 bungalows for guests 21 and over. Korakia Pensione and Sands Hotel & Spa are also adults-only.
Where should I stay in Palm Springs?
Downtown Palm Springs if you want to walk to restaurants and shops. Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells or La Quinta for big resorts, golf and spas. Desert Hot Springs for mineral-water retreats.
What is the best resort in Palm Springs for families?
La Quinta Resort & Club, with casitas, multiple pools and plenty of space. Most boutique hotels in Palm Springs are adults-only, so families usually do better at the resorts down the valley.
When is the best time to visit Palm Springs?
October through May. February through April is peak season. October and early November offer warm weather and lower rates. Summer is very hot but the cheapest time to book.
How much do luxury hotels in Palm Springs cost?
Roughly $400 to $800 a night in high season at most hotels on this list, more for suites and villas. Rates often drop by half or more in summer.
How far is Palm Springs from Los Angeles?
About two hours by car without traffic. Palm Springs International Airport is a few minutes from downtown and has nonstop flights from many U.S. cities.