The Wellness Edit
Focus on relaxation, rejuvenation, and holistic well-being.
Two Bunch Palms
This adults-only retreat in Desert Hot Springs is known for its mineral-rich soaking tubs, earth-toned design, and serene landscape of palms and ponds. A commitment to sustainability — including its own solar energy field — underscores the resort’s peaceful, regenerative ethos.
The Spring Resort & Spa
A quiet, 12-room escape built around healing mineral waters, The Spring blends spa indulgence with desert minimalism. Several rooms include private outdoor soaking tubs, offering a deeply personal way to experience the natural hot springs.
Sensei Porcupine Creek
Set on a former private estate in Rancho Mirage, this elite wellness resort blends evidence-based health programs with refined aesthetics and sweeping mountain views. Guests receive personalized itineraries featuring spa treatments, movement classes, and nourishing cuisine.
Hope Springs Resort
With just 10 rooms and a soothing midcentury vibe, this laid-back hideaway offers a tranquil place to unwind. The hot mineral pools and wide-open skies encourage guests to slow down and soak in the quiet.
El Morocco Inn & Day Spa
The eclectic property brings a playful spirit to the spa experience, with jewel-toned décor, lantern-lit nooks, and bubbling mineral pools. It’s an immersive stay that invites guests to relax and revel in its transportive charm.
Azure Palm Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa Oasis
Majestic mountain vistas. Big blue skies. Healing waters. Check, check, check. Miracle Hill is the backdrop for a few posh spa retreats, including Azure Palm, where a 100-foot-long pool filled with mineral water beckons lap swimmers and hillside hot springs abound.
Sands Hotel & Spa in Indian Wells.
Photo by Daniela Stallinger
Boutique Hotels
Intimate settings with plenty of charm.
Colony Palms Hotel and Bungalows
Steps from downtown, this Spanish Colonial–style retreat blends vintage charm with lush gardens and a serene, palm-framed pool. Originally a 1930s Hollywood hideaway, it now features 57 rooms and bungalows with Moroccan tiles, private patios, and designer touches by Steve Hermann. Striped awnings and poolside cocktails complete the timeless escape.
Sands Hotel & Spa
Designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, this Moroccan-inspired hideaway in Indian Wells charms with saturated pinks, patterned tilework, and lush greenery. The 46-room adults-only property wraps around a serene pool area with ample space to lounge. Treat yourself to a hammam-style service in the spa, then head to The Pink Cabana for cocktails and Mediterranean-meets-Moroccan fare in a glam vacation-worthy setting.
Avalon Hotel & Bungalows
This Spanish-style retreat blends Old Hollywood glamour with modern tranquility. Start your morning with coffee in the garden courtyard, then book a cabana to lounge the day away. Three pools and a full-service spa offer the perfect blend of relaxation and sophistication. Guests also have access to sister property Ingleside Estate.
The Paloma Resort
Centered around a historic, mission-style adobe that now houses The Paloma’s Spanish-inspired tapas restaurant and speakeasy, the boutique resort pairs a peppy palette with an effervescent pool scene. One-and two-bedroom bungalows dot the property, each with colorful murals of cactuses, agaves, and other plants, bringing vibrancy to the walls.
Skylark Hotel
Built in the 1950s, the 28-room Skylark Hotel embraces the cool factor of its retro setting while providing modern comforts like on-site restaurant Lost Property, with an elevated menu developed by L.A.-based chef Brandon Kida.
The Saint Boniface
Crisp, clean, and serene, The Saint Boniface in Indio feels like home. Its design nods to the East Valley’s love of art, music, and folklórico culture. The property contains five stand-alone, one-bedroom casitas, each with a full bath, full kitchen, washer and dryer, separate living room, and private yard. The real perk: It’s walking distance to the action and restaurants of downtown Indio.
Holiday House
The chic, adults-only Holiday House — a 2024 Michelin Key award winner — exudes a distinctive modern design and a playful, art-filled ambiance. Bold colors and prints complement ’50s-era warm stonework and crisp white private spaces. Their signature azure hue dots the grounds, from tile to wallpaper, upholstery to umbrellas. The pool area, lined with loungers oriented toward mountain views, is an idyllic spot to unwind with a frosé.
Storied Stays
Properties rich in history and character for a unique stay.
The Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn
Once the private residence of a Los Angeles millionaire, The Willows has amassed a star-studded guest registry over its century-long history — including Albert Einstein, who loved the place so much, a room was named to honor him. Guests can visit the famous theoretical physicist’s favorite lodging spot and bench and soak up the property’s cozy, intimate atmosphere before strolling to the Palm Springs Art Museum a short distance away.
Casa Cody
Casa Cody was founded in the 1920s by Harriet Cody, cousin of legendary Buffalo Bill, and is the oldest operating hotel in the area. Guests rave about the pet-friendly property’s history and walkable proximity to downtown’s modern hot spots.
Casa Cody in Palm Springs.
PHOTO BY LANCE GERBER, COURTESY CASA CODY
Indian Wells Resort Hotel
Founded by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, this historic hotel channels the classic Hollywood era with retro-inspired rooms and vintage flair. Live music in the supper-club-style lobby lounge adds to the charm. Golfers will appreciate access to the nearby Indian Wells Golf Resort as well as the private course at Indian Wells Country Club, which Arnaz also helped to found.
Ingleside Estate
Built in 1925 for the owners of the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company, Ingleside is a striking example of Palm Springs’ popular Spanish-style architecture. For Rat Pack vibes, visit the on-site restaurant, Melvyn’s, for a martini and live music.
Korakia Pensione
Built over a century ago and originally the home of artist Gordon Coutts, the Moroccan-inspired hideaway “has drawn artists for decades,” says general manager Paulette Monarrez. After a day of sightseeing, unwind with music from the resort’s vintage vinyl collection.
Ingleside Estate in Palm Springs.
PHOTO COURTESY Ingleside Estate
Indian Wells Resort Hotel.
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS
Mojave Resort
The Mojave is the retreat you imagine when you close your eyes and think “midcentury chic.” Its low-profile sprawl, with flat roofs, breeze-block accents, and cadmium orange details and décor, exudes the desert dream. Thoughtful details include starburst-patterned drinkware, terrazzo flooring, and roadside-motel-style key tags. Pets stay free.
L’Horizon Resort & Spa
A quiet and luxurious haven for midcentury modernism enthusiasts, the William F. Cody–designed L’Horizon Resort & Spa is an understated hideaway featuring individual bungalows, some with private patios. Lounge in a hammock while watching roadrunners and rabbits darting across the grounds. Enjoy poolside dinner (or room service) served by the hotel’s SO•PA restaurant.
Home Away From Home
These vacation rental pros have your stay covered.
ACME House Company
acmehouseco.com
Oranj Palm Vacation Homes
oranjpalm.com
Natural Retreats
naturalretreats.com/destinations/palm-springs
Vacation Palm Springs by Vacasa
vacationpalmsprings.com
Purveyors of Leisure
purveyorsofleisure.com
Poppy Vacation Rentals
staypoppy.com
Palm Desert Vacation Properties
palmdesert.itrip.co
Private Villa Management
privatevillamanagement.com
