These Palm Springs Hotels Are Perfect for a Balmy Winter Getaway

I go to Palm Springs for work several times a year, so I get to try out a different hotel each time. And I’m more impressed by the options with every visit. On my first stay some 20 years ago the offerings were good, but not great. My wife and I had a lovely and transporting babymoon at the visionary and pioneering Korakia, which has since expanded and still channels a chic Moroccan riad-meets-California bungalow aesthetic to this day. But beyond that the midcentury revival was in full effect, and while the atomic-age gloss on revived motels was fun, it could feel a little same-same. Today, the sheer variety of architectural styles, amenities, and dining options nearby and on-property are delightfully dizzying. Here are a few places I’ve stayed at recently that continue to set the high bar on Palm Springs hotels.

The Parker Palm Springs 

Courtesy of Parker Palm Springs

I return to this sprawling hotel again and again and never cease to be delighted by the whimsical design, the lush, mazelike landscaping with firepits, petanque courts, croquet, bars, restaurants, intrigue, and cavorting bunny rabbits waiting around every hedge. Once the horse ranch of Gene Autry, the 13-acre Parker Palm Springs started its life as the country’s first Holiday Inn. After being owned by TV titan Merv Griffin for years, it was overhauled by designer Jonathan Adler in 2004 and gets a re-styling by the designer on a regular basis. The steak house is one of the most brooding and decadently satisfying in town and the intimate, 22-seat Counter Reformation has recently re-opened after a thoughtful revamp, leaning even harder into after-dark indulgence—complete with salvaged church confessionals—and it pairs globally inspired small plates with an eclectic, hard-to-find wine list. Fun fact: The hotel’s carpet is the same design used in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. 

The Drift Palm Springs 

Courtesy of The Drift Palm Springs

This relative newcomer is situated in the thick of it all and feels like a stylish campus for grown-ups. In addition to well-appointed minimalist rooms, groups will love the apartment-style suites (some with four bedrooms and full kitchens), which offer a smart alternative to vacation rental homes. There’s a massive pool with cabanas, firepits dotting the property, and the excellent Mexican restaurant Maleza with mod CDMX-style food and craft cocktails. All in all it makes for a one-stop social HQ. Pour-over coffee in the rooms, house wines, Hay furnishings, and bold murals keep things upscale and interesting. 

Thompson Palm Springs

Courtesy of Thompson Palm Springs

While this property is situated right on Palm Canyon Drive in the heart of downtown Palm Springs, you’d never know it once you step inside this urban desert oasis. The lobby is a breezy, almost Mexico City-style indoor-outdoor affair you could linger in all day. On the culinary front, the hotel houses Lola Rose Grand Mezze, a bold Eastern Mediterranean restaurant and lounge serving Levantine-inspired share plates, fresh seafood, spiced meats, and vibrant cocktails—set in a stylish indoor-outdoor space where golden hour views and social energy converge. Nearby you’ll also find Hall Wines at the on-site Hall Napa Valley Tasting Room & Wine Lounge, an intimate spot to savor curated wines in a relaxed setting. In addition, Bar Issi is a breezy coastal Italian restaurant and bar with house-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and a specialty cocktail program. For those seeking an elevated adults-only experience, the hotel’s Upper Stories section offers spacious suites with sweeping city and mountain views, plus access to a secluded pool, providing a tranquil retreat above the vibrant downtown energy.

Terra 

Courtesy of Terra

Terra feels like a boutique hotel crossed with a desert wellness retreat, designed for an easy, all-in reset. Guests have access to a rain room, salt sauna, and cold plunge, while rooms come stocked with yoga mats and, in some cases, private outdoor workout spaces. A calming palette of earth tones sets the mood, and an on-site café and cocktail bar make it easy to grab something nourishing—or linger over a final sip and dip before checkout.

For more boutique Palm Springs hotel offerings, check out this handy guide.