Hampton Inn & Suites Palm Desert

The Hampton Inn & Suites Palm Desert stays within the middle tier of the chain's design style. The most distinctive parts of the property's exterior are the palm trees and desert flowers that line the driveway. The building's colors are a mix of gold-sand stucco with off-white highlights. On the inside, the hotel doesn't do quite as much to reflect its location, with the usual marble-topped, dark wood reception desk that appears in several Hampton Inns. The seating options add color to the space with a combination of stripe- and flower-covered materials. In the hallways, the subdued, cream-colored walls are complemented with eye-catching, earth-tone carpets with swirling details. By the pool deck, mahogany colored wicker chairs are set around tables with umbrellas.  

Conveniently located within a five-minute drive of the Interstate 10 freeway, the Hampton Inn & Suites is a short ride to much of what Palm Desert and La Quinta have to offer. Classic Club, which has a golf course designed by Arnold Palmer, is a four-minute drive away. Desert Willow Resort, celebrated as one of the best courses in the country by "Golf Digest" magazine, is a six-minute ride. Another five golf courses are easily within a 15-minute drive. For guests who are tennis fans, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is a 14-minute ride from the hotel. Hikers will have to drive for about 30 minutes to check out the rocky trails of Indian Canyons. For shopping and dining, Old Town La Quinta is about 20 minutes away. Down the street from the hotel are fast food options such as Jack in the Box and Starbucks. Music fans will need to drive for just over 20 minutes to get to the Coachella Festival that happens in the springtime. Travelers arriving at the Palm Springs Airport should expect the ride to the hotel to take about 18 minutes.

The 88 rooms at Hampton Inn & Suites Palm Desert are big enough for a small family, with a few stylish details to keep it from being too generic. Most of the furniture is homey, contemporary, and brown -- except for the cherry-red couches topped with diamond-patterned pillows. Most guest spaces have king or queen mattresses, and many have two beds. Even in each Standard Room there's a separate living space with a couch, desk, and flat-screen TV. Suites add sofa beds and recliners and more lounging space. Kitchenettes come with microwaves, sinks, coffeemakers, and mini-fridges. Other amenities include alarm clocks, free Wi-Fi, and irons and ironing boards. Bathrooms are fairly forgettable with beige tiles, shower/tub combos, and granite vanities that recall countless other budget hotels. But they're equipped with hairdryers and individual Neutrogena toiletries. Depending on where a room is located in the hotel, there may be traffic noise. 

For a budget-level hotel, the Hampton Inn & Suites Palm Desert has several nice amenities. Breakfast is included (although it gets mixed reviews), and though there's no full restaurant, lunch and dinner could be grabbed at the hotel convenience store. The outdoor pool isn't quite big enough to do a lot of laps, but there's plenty of room to cool off and lounge around and a small whirlpool. The on-site gym has a small number of machines and some free weights. Business travelers can take advantage of the business center, which has a couple of computer stations and a printer, as well as the meeting rooms. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.