Hotel California — Hotel in Palm Springs

I don't normally write reviews online but my wife and I had such a great experience at the Hotel California that I am just compelled to share what a great group of people run this place and what a place this is. We stayed in room #3 (of 14 if I recall correctly) and it was a perfect little getaway studio. Very clean and open room, comfortable bed, excellent pink towels (the white towels were a little rougher but still nice), nice decoration touches and a couple of tables with chairs (one just outside our door in the patio area). It was close to the hot tub (about 25-30 feet away) and only a few more feet away from the pool (partial pool view). I can't say enough about Lucy and her Dad (Larry). They really made us feel welcome and became a big part of making our 1-night getaway special. We didn't get to take the free limo ($5 tip per person each way suggested) since we were running late for dinner and the limo service was only available until 10pm (which is understandable). You also need to know that besides hardworking and customer oriented they are honest - I left my wallet in one of the night stand drawers and didn't realize it until 8 hours after checking out. Lucy gave me a call only an hour after leaving (but I missed it) and she sent me an email to let me know. Unfortunately we were 40 miles away by the time I returned her call so she suggested that she would just mail my wallet back to me (and wouldn't accept a reward). Needless to say the Hotel California holds a very special place in our hearts as does the staff. If you're looking for a quiet place to enjoy some alone time in a quaint place with lots of character and ambiance...you've found this jewel. We haven't stopped talking about this place since we returned - ALL of our friends are hearing about what a great time we had in Palm Springs a few days ago. Again...THANK YOU Lucy, Larry and Jay - you made my wife's birthday really special this year. ...

Well, I had a terrible experience despite what the stars say (it is a five star hotel in my mind, but it was not a great experience, at least initially.) So here's the story: I was on a dark desert highway, with cool wind in my hair, and the highway smelled like colitas. I didn't know medical marijuana was legal, and it detracted from the environment. Anyway, I saw a light in the distance it was, really, sort of a shimmering light. My eyes grew tired, and I needed to stop for the night. There was a very attractive lady in the doorway when I checked in. She showed me to my room with a candle as a light (you need to update your lights, people.) The other guests at the hotel in the corridor said "Hey, Welcome to the Hotel California. It really is such a lovely place." Other guests seemed to express interest in the attractive hostess, and some guests were often found dancing in the courtyard. I then called up the captain and said "Please bring me my wine." He said "We haven't had that spirit here since 1969." I was confused. Wine wasn't a spirit. The people sang in the night, and it woke me up and did not make for a pleasurable sleeping experience. There were unsettling mirrors on the ceiling (baked your room like an oven.) There was also pink champagne (pink champagne but no wine?) and the hotel administration trying to eat meat raw, by stabbing a beast. The shrieks were annoying. The hostess told me, somewhat cynically, "We are all just prisoners here of our own device." The last thing I remember, I was heading for the door. I had to get back to the place I was before. The night man was friendly to the guests, but he said "Relax. We are programmed to receive. You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave." I exploited this loophole and checked out. Now I get a free hotel room and they can't kick me out! It was all worth it, and this new prison is...

I could not have been more pleased with this quaint little getaway! We were greeted by friendly staff (Thank you Terry and Korbin). Our room was ready, felt very large and had everything we needed. I appreciated the little bowl of snacks and treats, as well as the cold sodas and waters in the fridge! We headed straight out to the sunny pool and enjoyed the afternoon margaritas and fresh popped popcorn. We enjoyed the ambiance of the lit candles as the sun set past the mountain as we soaked in the hot tub. We utilized the bikes each day. It is so smart that they included a bike lock, so we felt comfortable leaving them outside Tyler's Burgers as we enjoyed a tasty burger! It was so fun to bike through the flat wide-open streets of the local neighborhood and along the Tahquitz Creek Channel. We also rode up to the Moorten Botanical Garden and enjoyed a $5 walk through the cactus. A pleasant surprise was the convenience and abundance of the community kitchen! It provided everything your heart could desire for quick bites to eat -- bagels, muffins, oatmeal, cereal, fruit, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, granola bars, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, honey, peanut butter (both chunky and smooth of course!). Then they had all the supplies needed if you wanted to bring your own piece of meat and grill (spices and seasonings, bowls, blender, griddle, the list goes on.) I saw a few guests use the main fridge to store their leftovers in and enjoy the next day. Oh, they also had many hummingbirds flying around, an air-conditioned room with many DVDs and a TV and some games. Overall, Hotel California was just a very cool retreat I'd love to revisit. Only request I would suggest is to replace the pool lounge chairs or put a pillow top cushion on top so you can't feel the metal supports. Thank you so much PS!...