Palm Mountain Resort & Spa

The grounds at the Palm Mountain Resort and Spa are beautiful and well-maintained starting from the entrance throughout the entire property. Flowers and vines decorate all the building's exteriors and lanterns hung from trees illuminate the walkways at night. The tiled lobby is small but inviting, with pendant lights and a fireplace. Set back from the main street, the hotel is surprisingly quiet for its proximity to downtown.

On South Belardo Road, right off the main drag, the Palm Mountain Resort is centrally located to all that sunny Palm Springs has to offer. Mount San Jacinto State Park is practically in its back yard. Lots of shopping, restaurants, and bars are right across the parking lot. In fact, all the attractions of this resort town are nearby, including regional destinations like Joshua Tree National park (45 minutes) and Coachella (35 minutes). Palm Springs International Airport is a 10-minute drive and it's a two-hour drive to Los Angeles.

All the rooms have a private patio or balcony with either views of the mountains or the pool courtyard. Compared to the landscaped grounds outside, the rooms are bland and dated. The decor befits a large chain, lacking all the desert garden style of the hotel's surroundings. Bathrooms are covered in granite and tile, but instead of modern fixtures or glass walk-ins, you'll find dated tubs and plastic shower curtains. The coffeemaker in the bathroom and a mini-fridge and microwave inside the closet are a bit odd, but they are nice touches. Most rooms have ample furniture, with a plush couch in addition to the typical table and chairs, a nice touch for families who need to spread out on longer stays.

As the name suggests, the Palm Mountain Resort and Spa has an on-site spa and salon with a variety of treatments available. There is no breakfast, on-site dining, or beverages of any kind, though the hotel has an arrangement with a local eatery across the street called Matchbox, which supplies room service. There is a fitness center available but it too is off-site (two blocks away) and has extremely limited availability, due to a two-guest limit from the hotel allowed at any given time. A comically cramped coin-operated laundry room and a computer with a printer for guest use in the lobby round out the on-site conveniences.