The Best Budget-Friendly Hotels in Palm Springs, California

This tropical island-themed hotel on the west side of town offers “modern luxury rooms with a dash of tiki charm.” Of course, it has a big pool, along with a large lawn, gym and indoor and outdoor wedding venues. The hotel was built in the 1960s when Palm Springs legend Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack were frequent visitors. Amenities include the Reef Bar, which serves all sorts of tropical libations – try the Palm Springs Punch, touted as “the official cocktail of Palm Springs.”

This hotel right by downtown claims to be the oldest in Palm Springs, and it certainly has a great story behind it. It was originally the home of Harriet Cody, cousin of Buffalo Bill, who arrived by wagon in the early 1900s and made a house together with her husband. It became a hotel in the 1920s, and early guests included Charlie Chaplin. There are gardens with blossoming citrus trees, 1930s cottages that started life as accommodation for the LA Olympics and the early Spanish Revival-style Adobe House. You can even stay in Harriet’s Cottage, with a fully equipped kitchen.

Hotel California is a great value holiday apartment option, with beautiful gardens below the San Jacinto Mountains and an old Spanish mission vibe. There are only 14 rooms, making it quiet and intimate. Upstairs, you’ll have mountain views, while downstairs, you’ll be just a few steps away from the heated pool and jacuzzi. The hotel also has an outdoor gas grill patio, a guest kitchen and a lounge with a DVD library and games.

As well as being a great value option, Alcazar is up there with the best boutique hotels in Palm Springs. In the retro Uptown Design District, it has Spanish colonial architectural elements on the outside, including whitewashed walls and terracotta roof tiles, and a modernist flavor inside, with minimalist decor, flatscreen TVs and fireplaces. Fresh pastries are delivered daily, and there are Townie bikes available for exploring the neighborhood. Attached is the Italian restaurant, Birba – try the roasted chicken with local dates, castelvetrano olives, preserved lemons and capers.

Just off Palm Canyon Drive, the tree-lined main thoroughfare through the heart of downtown, the Palm Mountain Resort and Spa has a pool with a terrace, misters to keep you cool, an attractive courtyard, firepits and a hot tub. There’s also an on-site spa using natural, non-animal-tested and organic ingredients; its range of treatments includes desert specialties such as the Golf Ball Massage and the Sunburn Rescue & Repair.

The Marquis Villas Resort is a favorite due to all of its amenities. It has an outdoor heated pool, a hot tub and a children’s pool – not to mention the tennis and basketball courts, pool table, fitness center and barbecue area. You’re in the heart of downtown as well, right by the Palm Springs Art Museum and the famous Movie Colony neighborhood a few blocks north.

This Fairfield Inn and Suites is handy for the Empire Polo Club, where the country music Stagecoach Festival and Coachella take place. It has a pool and a fitness center and offers a free continental and hot breakfast. In your room or suite, you can watch all of your Netflix and Hulu favorites on the large smart HDTV.