Greater Palm Springs is home to so many amazing pools! Just in time for summer, here is your guide to finding the perfect pool setting for your mood.
PARTY VIBES
ARRIVE Palm Springs
Enjoy DJs spinning poolside every Saturday and Sunday from 12-5pm at ARRIVE Palm Springs. You can also catch a dive-in move at the ARRIVE pool on the last Friday of each month.
Saguaro Palm Springs
Grab your favorite pool float and check in at the Saguaro Palm Springs for a pool scene that’s as colorful as their rainbow-hued buildings. They just added new poolside cabanas that feature lounge furniture, a dedicated server, TVs, USB outlets, fans and safes for your valuables.
Ace Hotel & Swim Club
Ace Hotel & Swim Club has some of the best music programming in the desert, including DJs from around the country playing poolside on the weekends. If the main pool gets too scene-y for you, there’s a second, smaller pool available at the Commune event space.
Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs hosts a calendar full of live bands and acoustic performances by the pool throughout the week. They also offer poolside service for delicious food and refreshing drinks. View their upcoming calendar here.
EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY
La Quinta Resort & Club
The La Quinta Resort & Club rests below the Santa Rosa Mountains and is home to 41 unique pools that have something for everyone during your stay. Enjoy much-needed family time at the main pool, or enjoy a cocktail by the 21-and-over adult pool.
Rum Coconut at Avalon Hotel
Chi Chi at Avalon Hotel & Bungalows Palm Springs serves delicious (and photo-worthy!) poolside cocktails, including the Spicy Cactus (pisco, agave, lime, cucumber, serrano pepper) and the Rum Coconut (fresh whole young coconut filled with dark rum).
Experience a unique view of the valley from the area’s only rooftop pool, located on the sixth floor of the Kimpton Rowan in downtown Palm Springs. You can enjoy cocktails and bites from the hotel’s High Bar, located adjacent to the pool.
CHIC & SERENE
Sands Hotel & Spa
Call me biased, but I think Greater Palm Springs boasts some of the most gorgeous pools anywhere, with details to impress even the most discerning design-lover. My list of favorites is quite extensive! The recently opened Sands Hotel & Spa in Indian Wells is a don’t-miss spot, with Moroccan-influenced style courtesy of celebrity interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Bullard is also behind the design of the lovely Colony Palms Hotel in Palm Springs, which features an excellent restaurant called the Purple Palm just next to the pool.
Everyone should experience the pool scene at Parker Palm Springs at some point in their life! There are actually two outdoor pools at the resort – one that allows children, and one adults-only pool. Both are beautiful, with top-notch poolside service.
Holiday House Palm Springs is a newly-renovated property with gorgeous interior and exterior spaces designed by Mark D. Sikes. If you get tired of the pool, there’s a shuffleboard court or complimentary bikes for a tour around the neighborhood. Other great recently-renovated properties to check out are Villa Royale and La Serena Villas – both are very pretty settings for a serene pool day.
L'Horizon Resort & Spa
L’Horizon Resort & Spa in Palm Springs was originally built by architect William F. Cody as a private compound, but the midcentury property was then converted into a gorgeous boutique hotel with a central pool and outdoor bar.
The pools at the Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage have beautiful views of the valley below, with great poolside food and beverage service. The main pool is for all ages, while the Vista Pool is 18 and over.
I love the Mediterranean and Moroccan vibes at Korakia Pensione in Palm Springs, where there are two saltwater pools amidst the winding, romantic property.
LOW KEY RELAXATION
Sparrows Lodge
Sometimes you just want a great mellow pool vibe, and we have some favorite spots for that! Sparrows Lodge, Casa Cody, Alcazar and the Rossi all have low key vibes in pretty settings.
Hotel Paseo
For something a little different, at Hotel Paseo in Palm Desert you can rent their Airstream as your guest room, which is located adjacent to the pool.
FUN WITH A SIDE OF WELLNESS
The Monkey Tree Hotel
Looking to combine a little wellness with your pool time? At the Monkey Tree Hotel in Palm Springs, in addition to their main pool, they have hot and cold plunge pools available for hydrotherapy in the centuries-old Nordic tradition of alternating hot and cold to alleviate stress, and eliminate toxins and rejuvenate tired muscles.
If you haven’t visited the mineral-rich hot springs in Desert Hot Springs, you’re really missing out! These world-renowned hot springs are tapped into by local resorts and spas, each offering different environments and experiences. Two Bunch Palms is the oldest hot mineral spa in the country, with restorative treatments and unique wellness classes in a luxurious setting. The Spring Resort & Spa is another great spot, with three mineral pools on the property and a full-service spa.
SOMETHING FOR THE WHOLE FAM
Heading to the desert with kids in tow or with a big group? There are a number of large resorts with great poolside service, multiple pool areas, and even activities specifically for the kiddos, including Omni Rancho Las Palmas in Rancho Mirage, Hyatt Regency Indian Wells, Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells and JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert (and they also have flamingos living on the property at JW Marriott!).
I hope you get the chance to enjoy some fun in the sun this summer in Palm Springs!
Photography by Camron Carrier, Jeff Mindell and Nichole Gawalis.
