Lido Palms Resort and Spa

What to expect

Lido Palms is one of the small, owner-run spa motels that make up much of Desert Hot Springs. It has 10 rooms around a courtyard on Tamar Drive, a quiet residential street on the east side of town, and it is adults only. The appeal is simple: hot mineral water, low-key surroundings and a room with a full kitchen so you can stay a few days without eating out every meal.

Desert Hot Springs sits on top of a large hot water aquifer, and most spa hotels here pump from their own wells. Lido Palms says its water comes up at about 120°F49°C and is cooled before it goes into the pools. The hotel uses the minimum chlorine required by law and says it keeps the water clean with daily maintenance rather than heavy chemicals.

The pools

There are three places to soak, plus a dry sauna:

• Outdoor hot tub: The hottest water on the property, at about 103°F39°C, with jets.
• Indoor hot tub: A jetted mineral pool at about 99°F37°C, under a roof. Useful on windy days and in summer heat.
• Outdoor pool: A warmer-than-usual swimming pool, listed at about 88°F31°C on the day pass page and about 90°F32°C on the FAQ page.

Around the pools are lounge chairs, outdoor grills and a shaded lounge area. The waters are open 24 hours for overnight guests. One quirk worth knowing: the hotel does not maintain temperatures between 10pm and 7am, so a late-night or pre-dawn soak may be cooler than the posted numbers.

Prices and booking

Day pass: The hotel’s own page lists the day pass at $55 per person. ResortPass sells it from $62 per adult including fees, valid from 11am to 6pm. The hotel’s day pass page says day visitors must leave by 7pm, so check the time window on whichever booking you make. The pass includes:

• Both hot tubs, the outdoor pool and the sauna
• Pool towels, sauna towels and robes (bath towels on request)
• Use of the public restroom and massage room to change and shower
• Lounge chairs, first come, first served, and free parking

You can book online, call the front desk, or walk in. Bring ID and a credit card; the hotel asks for both on arrival and checks that everyone is 18 or older.

Rooms: Each of the 10 rooms has a private bathroom and a full-size, fully equipped kitchen. Booking sites list check-in from 3pm and check-out at 11am, with a minimum check-in age of 20. Overnight rates vary by season, so check the hotel’s booking link for current prices.

Massage and spa: Treatments are extra and must be arranged in advance by phone, at the front desk or online. From the current spa page:

• Therapeutic massage: $160 for 60 minutes, $190 for 80 minutes
• Deep tissue: $180 for 60 minutes, $220 for 80 minutes
• Lymphatic drain: $160 for 60 minutes
• Lido Palms Special (facial and full-body massage): $250 for 90 minutes
• Natural sea salt scrub: $180 for 75 minutes

House rules: Clothing is required. No children, no pets, no smoking or vaping anywhere on the property, and no glass or food in the pools or hot tubs. Staff can turn away guests who are loud, drunk or disruptive. The front office is staffed from 8am to 8pm daily.

Getting there

Lido Palms is at 12801 Tamar Drive in Desert Hot Springs, north of Palm Springs across Interstate 10.

• From Los Angeles or Palm Springs: Take I-10 to the Palm Drive exit and head north into Desert Hot Springs. Turn east off Palm Drive onto the cross streets toward Tamar Drive. The hotel is in a residential area a few minutes’ drive from Cabot’s Pueblo Museum and the town center.
• From Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley: Come south on Highway 62 and follow the signs into Desert Hot Springs.

Parking is free on site, and the pools are a few steps from the lot.

When to go

Winter and spring are the comfortable months in the Coachella Valley. Days are mild, nights can be cold, and the 103°F39°C hot tub feels right. This is also when Desert Hot Springs is busiest, especially on weekends and holidays.

Summer is very hot. Daytime highs in the valley are regularly above 100°F38°C, and many visitors find the outdoor hot tub too much in the afternoon. The indoor hot tub and the 88 to 90°F31 to 32°C pool are better choices then, and early mornings are the most pleasant time to soak.

Where to stay nearby

Staying at Lido Palms gives you round-the-clock access to the pools and a kitchen, which suits longer stays. If it is full, Desert Hot Springs has many other spa hotels on its own wells, including El Morocco Inn and Spa, Aqua Soleil Hotel and Mineral Water Spa and the larger Desert Hot Springs Spa Hotel. Palm Springs, across I-10, has a much wider choice of hotels and restaurants.

For camping, Joshua Tree National Park is a short drive north up Highway 62, with campgrounds inside the park.

Safety notes

• Heat: Combining a 103°F39°C hot tub with desert air temperatures over 100°F38°C can cause overheating quickly. Keep soaks short, drink water, and cool off in the pool between sessions.
• Alcohol: Glass is banned around the pools, and drinking while soaking increases the risk of dizziness and dehydration.
• Medical conditions: If you are pregnant or have heart or blood pressure problems, check with a doctor before using hot tubs at these temperatures.
• Night soaks: Water temperatures drift overnight when they are not maintained, and the pool deck can be dark. Watch your footing.

Nearby stops worth adding

Cabot’s Pueblo Museum, a few minutes away, is the hand-built adobe home of homesteader Cabot Yerxa and a good introduction to the town’s history. Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, up Highway 62, has boardwalk trails through a desert wetland that is good for birdwatching. Joshua Tree National Park makes an easy day trip from town.