The Monkey Tree Hotel by AvantStay — Hotel in Palm Springs

This past Sunday my husband and I had the pleasure of staying the night at The Monkey Tree Hotel, the grooviest and coolest hotel in all of Palm Springs. We were so excited to have our first night away from our two year old son and have some much needed “us time” at this adults-only paradise. We were greeted by the incredible Kathy, who we learned owns the hotel with her husband Gary. Since my husband and I are major geeks for vintage design, it was awesome to hear firsthand how they acquired the iconic property, which was originally built in 1960 and designed by acclaimed architect Albert Frey. Five years ago when Kathy and Gary purchased the hotel, it was drenched in mauve pink from its makeover during the 80s and operated as a nudist resort—and while there’s nothing wrong with loving Art Deco or being naked—the couple had a different vision for the space. They wanted to refurbish it back to its mid century roots, which involved a name change (back to the original name, of course) and a lot groovy pops of color (think: yellows and blues). The end result is an immaculately decorated and thoughtfully managed vintage oasis that oozes sunshine, peace, and pure bliss. Our room was full of vintage treasures (that Kathy herself sourced from local spots, like the Palm Springs Vintage Market), as well as modern upgrades like an extremely comfortable mattress and multiple pillow density options to choose from. We lounged in the pool all morning while music played and enjoyed the most breathtaking view of palm trees and mountains. The hot tub was beyond relaxing, and we even tried the cold plunge three times—we highly recommend giving it a shot, it’s exhilarating! My husband and I were deeply in love and impressed with our stay here and we couldn’t recommend it more for anyone traveling to Palm Springs—especially those with a penchant for vintage design. It’s ideal for couples since it’s adults-only, and added bonus: it’s extremely secluded and private for anyone needing a much needed getaway. Rest assured they are following all guidelines for cleanliness and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, everything was sparkling clean and Kathy and Gary wore their masks the entire time. This hotel is quintessential Palm Springs, it’s impossible to take a bad photo of anything—it’s all so dreamy. Thank you endlessly to Kathy and Gary for being the absolute coolest and kindest people (side note: you MUST try Gary’s complimentary homemade muffins in the morning—they are insanely delicious!), and especially for the labor of love they put in to restore this historic hotel back to its original mid century roots. We are already planning our next trip out there, we cannot wait to be back at the most magical hotel...

I'm still here at 6am writing this review from the hotel. Extremely uncomfortable stay. Someone else's Netflix account was locked on the TV so I had to call their customer service number where he had to look into the answer and get back to me. I figured it out on my own after a while. I paid for the biggest room, 1 bedroom king suite with separate living area and kitchen. The kitchen had visible layers of built up dust on the shelving. I went to use dishes after picking up food and the dishes were dirty with food buildup. I had requested early checkin when I first booked this room and they denied it because they needed to get it ready all the way up until 4pm. Huh? The couch is visibly VERY grimy and stained. White stains, black stains, pet hair, clearly not properly cleaned in a VERY long time. And certainly not before our stay for $200+ for one night. The reservation AFTER booking said no kids under 21. When I contacted them about this, they said only the person booking needs to be above 21. Then I get floods of emails and texts after booking and before our stay reminding me of no one under 21 allowed. I don't have time for these puzzles. No front desk. Check in was not streamlined. Numbered coding to get inside gate from a very small parking lot and numbered coding to the room makes it difficult with lots of luggage or many trips. My feet were black after walking around barefoot inside. The small patio was not well kept or maintained at all. There are ways to preserve the history of palm springs and still make guests happy. This was not it. I called the customer service number AGAIN after trying to figure out Netflix, sending photos of the nasty couch, and catching a large cockroach crawling on my son's would-be bed. They offered me $25 back to my card. That fixed EVERYTHING. Thank...

I recently stayed at this hotel over Memorial Day weekend, and I would honestly rate it 3.5 stars. While it wasn't bad, there were definitely areas that could have been improved.

Let's start with the pool. It was slightly dirty, but still manageable for a swim. However, the hot tub was a disappointment as it was cold and not at a reasonable temperature. I was really looking forward to a relaxing soak, but unfortunately, that wasn't possible. To make matters worse, the saunas were out of order, which was quite inconvenient.

On a positive note, the rooms were nice and clean, and the bed was comfortable. I had a pleasant night's sleep and felt refreshed in the morning. Additionally, the game room was a fun spot to hang out with friends. They had a Photo Booth, a karaoke set, and a variety of games to keep us entertained.

One unique aspect of the hotel was the Remembrance wall, where guests could leave their artistic impressions of their stay. It was a nice touch and added a personal touch to the experience.

However, one disappointment during our stay was the absence of breakfast. It would have been great to have a complimentary meal to start the day, but unfortunately, that wasn't offered.

In conclusion, this hotel has its pros and cons. While the pool and hot tub experience left something to be desired and the saunas were out of order, the clean rooms and comfortable bed were definite highlights. The game room with its various entertainment options was a fun addition, and the Remembrance wall added a unique touch. However, the lack of breakfast was disappointing. Overall, the hotel has potential but could certainly be improved to provide a more satisfying...