Looking for a stay that’s as unique as your getaway? In Greater Palm Springs, vacation rentals come in all styles — you just have to know where to look to find something a little different. If scrolling through endless listings is giving you “same old, same old” vibes, consider these unique vacation rental homes that combine all the most-wanted experiences (think: cool blue pools and breathtaking mountain views) with a built-in, photo-worthy theme. Every facet of your stay at these themed vacation rentals is designed to be transportive, unforgettable, and anything but typical!
The English Cottage
Tudor-Style Gem of the Desert
Courtesy Natural Retreats/STR #2290
Anglophiles with a soft spot for Julian Fellowes dramas, the latest royal sagas, and those cute little crust-free sandwiches served at high tea will be especially pleased to find a traditional English estate in palm-tree studded Palm Springs. Settle into this grand yet cozy architectural anomaly and let the world slow down behind the privacy hedges. Wander the rose garden, prep a feast in the king-sized kitchen lined in stained-glass windows, or opt for billiards and a nightcap in the stately game room before retiring to one of four bedrooms with marble-clad bathrooms. This Tudor-style retreat represents a renaissance of elegance and charm, complete with a pool, hot tub, fire pit, and outdoor kitchen.
Hacienda Hideaway
Relax in Bohemian Bliss
Courtesy of Vacasa
Sometimes, all you want is to disappear into a spa-like sanctuary where daily demands fade away. This is the place. Lush landscaping encircles a peaceful outdoor oasis centered around a sparkling pool. Birds in the trees and splashing fountains instill a sense of calm, whether you’re napping in a hammock, reading in the shade of a cabana, or slipping into the copper bathtub in a private outdoor courtyard. Indoors, wood-beamed ceilings, hanging lanterns, and rustic stonework lend earthy comfort to this four-bedroom Zen haven in centrally located Rancho Mirage. By night, the home and its grounds glow. An outdoor shower, fire pit, pool table, gas grill, and alfresco dining complete the dream. Can’t unwind without your dog? Relax. This hideaway is pup-friendly.
Pink Paloma
Pop Art, Hot Pink, & Poolside Fun
Courtesy Natural Retreats/STR #5246
Bachelorettes and Barbie fanatics aren’t the only ones drawn to the ultra-pink playfulness of this 1960s diva in South Palm Springs’ Indian Canyons. Sizzling with electric colors and pop art, the upbeat midcentury home sends an instant message: It’s time to get fabulous and have fun. Wonder Woman greets you in the entryway. Audrey Hepburn welcomes tell-all conversation in the living room and its adjacent bar. Outside, sip cold drinks under the swaying palms, where hot pink loungers face the pool and hot tub. Five glamorous bedrooms – including one in the casita – host up to 10 besties, with plenty of nods to girl power throughout. Even the pink-and-green gym encourages your Peloton efforts, with a neon “Hello Gorgeous” lighting the way.
The Shag House
Like Stepping Inside the Artist’s Mind
Photo by Andrew Cabral
If you know, you know. The artist Josh Agle — better known as Shag — is inseparable from Greater Palm Springs. His saturated colors and swanky retro scenes of tiki bars, mid-mod homes, pools, and cocktail parties bridge the area’s storied past with its modern heyday. When Shag stamped his signature on this luxury-level Alexander home and its expansive yard, he infused it with his stylized point of view from every angle. Part Polynesian fantasy, part technicolor cartoon, the home brims with whimsical details and layered delights: four themed bedrooms, multiple gathering spots, a six-seat bar, and a swinging bed by the pool. Dogs, who make cameos in some of Shag’s artworks, are welcome here, too.
West Elm House
Indoor/Outdoor Design Inspiration
Photos courtesy Drew Metzger and ACME House Company
Like a great store that makes you want to buy everything in sight, this curated concept house by West Elm might just jumpstart your next interior refresh. Featured during several Modernism Weeks, the three-bedroom home with midcentury bones and next-century updates is billed as a “mini resort.” It fulfills that promise, inside and out. Vacation-ready living spaces flow into day-to-night outdoor lounges, all effortlessly styled to spark inspiration in even the most design-savvy guests. Add in fire features, outdoor showers, and play spaces for bocce ball and corn hole, and you’ll leave full of decorating ideas for true resort-style living back home.
Planning your perfect getaway? Don’t miss our guide to vacation rentals with the unique pools in Greater Palm Springs
