One Battle After Another

It can be a struggle booking a cool, kid-friendly boutique hotel in Palm Springs. When planning your next visit, don’t get caught off guard. Consider these great options.

The following words, like all of our words, were written by a real human person.

You think I would’ve known, given my job, that kid-friendly boutique hotels are few and far between in Palm Springs. But that fact eluded me until a couple of months ago, when I planned my first visit to the area since my daughter was born. My wife and I had been to Palm Springs a number of times in the years prior, but we took little notice of the lack of children at the hotels we stayed in. Things were just nice and normal and, in hindsight, awfully chill.

This time around, we were caught completely off guard. Most of the cool boutique hotels in Palm Springs are as proudly adults only as we were once proudly ignorant of the challenges of traveling with children. Nevertheless, there are options. If, like us, you’re looking not for a big-name resort but something more intimate and closer to the heart of town, consider the hotels listed below.

And if you really want to wow your children, consider Pioneertown and its old western movie set turned boutique motel, an easy detour on the ride in from Los Angeles (from there, you’re also not too far from Joshua Tree National Park, an obvious must-see, and a place with some worthy hotels of its own). For a cinema site from more recent history, head south toward the art town of Borrego Springs and drive the dramatically rolling hills of the Texas Dip, a stretch of highway made famous during the climactic car chase of Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. Your kids may lose their lunch, but they’ll have a blast doing it.

Traveling without children? Check out our entire selection of boutique hotels in Palm Springs.
 

Ace Hotel & Swim Club

Palm Springs, CA, USA

The Ace lifestyle feels democratic, participatory, accessible. Maybe it’s a product of the brand’s origin in the Pacific Northwest, a region that’s known for an egalitarian, community-oriented philosophy. At Palm Springs and all other Ace outposts, this inclusive approach makes for an interesting crowd, as does the very reasonable price point.

Drift Palm Springs

Palm Springs, CA, USA

Drift is a stylish boutique in a surprisingly quiet location just off the main drag. Instead of mimicking the neighbors’ midcentury modern aesthetic, the designers went for a minimalist industrial look, softening the white stucco buildings’ geometric lines with vibrant murals, handmade Mexican textiles, and an abundance of native succulents.

Royal Sun Palm Springs

Palm Springs, CA, USA

Royal Sun is a longtime fixture on the local scene, and many of its best features date back to its sixties-era origins. The interiors are eye-catching, notably the sleek bar and restaurant with checkered floors, curved booths, and retro barstools. Rooms are every bit as smart-looking, with minimalist pale-wood furnishings and decorative accents.

Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs

Palm Springs, CA, USA

At seven stories high, and containing some 153 rooms, the Rowan is sizable by boutique standards, but it’s far from crowded. The rooms are spacious, and light is plentiful, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows; there’s a yoga mat in every room, and the elevated views offer an unusual perspective on this low-rise town — as does the rooftop swimming pool.

Avalon Hotel and Bungalows

Palm Springs, CA, USA

The Avalon’s hacienda-style Spanish tile roofs and whitewashed stucco walls hide stylish interiors, a modern take on the Hollywood Regency style of the resort’s golden age. Surrounded by manicured gardens and citrus trees, the eponymous bungalows are nearly palatial, sleeping four to six, and feature outdoor banquette seating and parlor rooms.

Pioneertown Motel

Pioneertown, CA, USA

Pioneertown was born when Hollywood stars got sick of traveling long distances to find Old West atmosphere, and established their own Westworld in the desert. Those days are long gone, but the town is newly resurgent, as is the stylish and comfortable Pioneertown Motel. Its rooms trade Hollywood-style glamour for vintage charm with a contemporary design eye and custom furniture.

AutoCamp Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree, CA, USA

AutoCamp Joshua Tree combines both Airstream trailers and permanent suites, and the two differ less than you might think — the latter are stylish and minimalist, somewhat utilitarian but still plenty comfortable, while the former pack more luxury than you might imagine can be squeezed into a mobile home, including walk-in rain showers and kitchenettes.