In an exclusive group of people over in Blog Land/Instagram, Palm Springs, California is the Bee’s Knees. It’s a desert oasis filled with color, coolness, and mid century design. To everyone else, it’s a city where old folks go to play golf and/or tennis. It’s a city to escape from rather than run to. On a pre-vacation phone call with my mom, she asked what there was to do there and wouldn’t it be too hot to even enjoy anything; adding “do you even play golf?!” at the end of the conversation.
Palm Springs is one of those places that, if you think it’s for you, YOU WILL LOVE IT no matter what. It’s been at the top of both mine and Joel’s list of U.S. cities to visit for years, and I am happy to report we finally got to go! Was it hot AF? Of course, we went in mid-August. Did it bother us? Not really! If you go to the desert and make “it’s a dry heat! it’s a dry heat! it’s a dry heat!” your constant mantra, you’ll (fingers crossed) be able to trick yourself into being comfortable enough.
There are a ton of really cool, kitschy hotel options in this small city as well as airbnbs (like the one my sister-in-law stayed in on her babymoon), but I had my heart set on the rainbow one. The Saguaro exceeded my expectations and then some.
We didn’t have a “horrific” travel day, but on the flight to LAX from Pittsburgh, a toddler threw milk in my hair and then the 1.5 hour drive to Palm Springs (in the smallest rental car one can possibly get) took much longer than expected (LA TRAFFIC CAN SUUUUCK IT). Maybe I was just hangry because I was fasting for In-N-Out, but the getting to Palm Springs part of the day was pretty annoying. As soon as we got there, however, all of my bad feelings melted away (along with any residual makeup I had on, it’s sooo hot, y’all).
I usually like to take a nap as soon as we check in to a hotel/airbnb, but I didn’t want to waste any time sleeping at the Saguaro. It’s a mighty fine feast for the color lover’s eyes. Everywhere you look, you see something beautiful! Kudos to the interior designers of this place, I tip my cap to you! From the neon plant life to the cutest employee uniforms I’ve ever seen to the rainbow hammocks next to an extra long bocce court, this place was nothing short of amazing. Bonus points for free bike rentals!!!! And don’t even get me started on the hotel’s restaurant, El Jefe…. that place is incredible!
I’ve definitely read reviews of this place complaining about the “dirty, smelly purple carpet everywhere”, but they looked hella clean and smelled fine to me. I did have the living crap scared out of me when after we took a late night dip in the pool we sat to drink beers in the hammocks and I looked up to see a massive cockroach crawling on the canopy… But I feel like those assholes just come with the desert territory and that that shouldn’t reflect poorly on The Saguaro at all.
The Saguaro also proudly carries a reputation as a “party hotel”. OHHH HELL YEAH, IT IS. It’s loud and crowded when they host pool parties, but I definitely saw a couple of families staying there too. It’s fun for all ages, but more so if you’re over 21.
true story: a stranger swam up to me and told me she’d buy me and Joel drinks if I braided her hair! Of course I obliged (would have done it for free).
Listen, we’ve been hashtag blessed enough to stay in really cool places in equally cool cities (like here and here), but this one takes the cake. Not only was I in hog heaven, but Joel loved it just as much as if not more than me! That’s saying a lot. Homeboy didn’t want to leave and was kicking himself for only booking the Saguaro for one night (we did save $100 by spending the night at the Hyatt down the street our other night in town).
I’m considering spending my 30th birthday in Palm Springs and how cool would it be if a bunch of friends could come with and stay at this place?! Let’s all mark our calendars for December 2019 and make that happen.
And Palm Springa!!!! I wish I did more down there since we’re usually down for 1 night. ….and it was the same with me. My ex loved that place than I did. Haha.
If you do come down for your 30th, let me know! I’d love to meet ya!
Oohh….oh, wait. I was oging to say, you can do the tram and see the snow and what not! ….but then I remembered you over snow.
Also, have you seen the saguaro in scottsdale!???? I want to go to that one so bad!!
I want to ride the tram ANNNNDDD visit Salvation Mountain since we had to skip it this time!
yes!!!! i’ve been wanting to hit up Salvation Mountain FOREVER but no one wants to go and i’m TOO much of a chicken.
but i can definitely recommend the tram. we were surprised and i was bummed that i wasnt properly dressed to be up there.
i also heard there’s a lot to see in slab city and the salton sea, you just need like a 4×4 basically lol.