Desert Hot Springs Spa Hotel

What to expect

Desert Hot Springs Spa Hotel is the old-school option in a town full of small spa motels. It has been on Palm Drive since 1950, and it still looks the part: a two-story block of rooms with balconies wrapped around a big central courtyard. In that courtyard are eight mineral water pools, and that is the reason to come.

The pools vary in size and heat. One is a larger swimming pool kept on the cool side, and the rest are soaking pools that step up in temperature toward about 104°F40°C. The hotel says its water comes from an aquifer roughly 300 feet below ground, rises at an average of 140°F60°C, and is cooled to between 90°F and 104°F32°C and 40°C before it reaches the pools. It pumps around 200 gallons a minute. The water is clear and has no sulfur smell. Independent guides describe it as an alkaline sodium sulfate water with about 1,000 ppm of dissolved minerals, and note that the pools are chemically treated, as most commercial pools in town are.

Do not expect polish. Recent guest reviews call the rooms dated, mention worn carpets and old air conditioning, and still praise the pools and the low prices. The feel is closer to a busy community pool than a quiet spa. Kids splash in the big pool, regulars park themselves in the hottest tubs, and on weekends the hotel advertises live music in the courtyard. If you want silence and an adults-only crowd, one of the small boutique spa inns on the hillside streets of town will suit you better.

The pools

All eight pools are outdoors and share the same courtyard, so you can see the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio mountains from the water on a clear day. There is no single published list of each pool’s temperature, but the spread from about 90°F to 104°F32°C to 40°C gives you a cool pool for swimming, a few warm ones for long soaks and a couple of hot ones for short stints.

Food and drink are sold poolside. The day pass page mentions a cafe and bar serving the courtyard, and the hotel runs the Sunshine Cafe on site. Glass in the pool area is a bad idea at any hot spring, so order drinks in whatever cups the bar provides.

Prices and booking

The hotel’s own pages do not fully agree on day pass terms, so treat these as a guide and call 760-329-6000 to confirm.

• Day pass page: $15 per person for ages 3 to 64. Seniors 65 and over pay $10, or $5 on Tuesdays. Children 2 and under are free. During holiday periods the price is $20 for anyone aged 3 and up. Availability is listed as 9 AM to 8 PM.
• FAQ page: quotes an $18 day pass and says day pass guests must be 21 or older.
• Overnight stays: room rates change with the date and are booked through the hotel website or by phone. Check-in is at 4 PM and checkout at 11 AM. The hotel takes one night’s deposit when you book and a $100 security deposit at check-in, and the first night is refundable if you cancel at least 72 hours before arrival. Cards only.
• Taxes: the city adds a 12% occupancy tax, a 3% tourism district charge and a 0.9% park maintenance fee to room bills.
• Parking: the FAQ says a self-parking fee may apply.

Room types range from standard two-queen rooms facing the pool or the mountains to two-room suites of about 800 square feet. Only one room type, the King Mountain View, is listed as pet-friendly.

The whole property is non-smoking, including balconies, patios, the pool deck and e-cigarettes.

Getting there

Desert Hot Springs sits on the north side of the Coachella Valley, across Interstate 10 from Palm Springs.

• From Palm Springs: Take Gene Autry Trail north across I-10, where it becomes Palm Drive, and keep going uphill into Desert Hot Springs. The hotel is at 10805 Palm Drive, on the main road through town. The hotel says it is about 20 minutes from Palm Springs International Airport.
• From Los Angeles: Drive east on I-10 past Banning and Cabazon, take the Palm Drive exit and head north into town. Plan on a little under two hours without traffic, and much longer on Friday afternoons.

The hotel has its own lot off Palm Drive. Everything is on one level around the courtyard, so the walk from car to pool is short.

When to go

Winter and spring are the main season in the Coachella Valley. From November to April, days are mild, nights are cool, and the hot pools feel right. This is also when the hotel is busiest, especially on holiday weekends, when day pass prices go up.

Summer is a different place. Afternoon highs in the valley regularly pass 100°F38°C from June to September, and sitting in 104°F40°C water in the sun is hard work. If you visit then, come at opening time or use the cooler pools, drink plenty of water and leave the hottest tubs for the evening.

Weekday mornings are the quietest time all year. Weekends bring local families and live music.

Where to stay nearby

The hotel itself is the obvious base, with about 50 rooms and a few villas. If you want something different, Desert Hot Springs has a cluster of small mineral water spa motels within a few minutes’ drive, many of them adults-only and much quieter. Miracle Springs Resort and Spa, the sister property next door, has its own pools and the spa treatment rooms. Palm Springs, about 20 minutes south, has the widest range of hotels and restaurants in the valley.

For camping, the closest large option is Joshua Tree National Park. The park’s west entrance near the town of Joshua Tree is under an hour away by Highway 62, and its campgrounds fill early on winter weekends.

Safety notes

• Heat: Short soaks in the hottest pools, then cool off. Drink water between pools, especially in summer or if you have been drinking at the bar.
• Children: The big pool is the busiest spot for kids. Keep an eye on them in the hotter tubs, which are too warm for small children for more than a few minutes.
• Wet decks: Pool surrounds get slippery. Wear sandals and walk.
• Health: Skip hot water if you are pregnant or have heart or blood pressure problems unless your doctor says otherwise.

Nearby stops worth adding

Cabot’s Pueblo Museum is a few minutes from the hotel. It is the hand-built adobe home of Cabot Yerxa, the homesteader who struck hot water in the area in 1914, and it explains how the town grew around its wells. Joshua Tree National Park is close enough for a morning hike followed by an afternoon soak.