I’ve been wanting to check out the Hilton Palm Springs for a long time now.
I’ve tried to book there several times, but I’ve always ran into one of the following road blocks: It was sold out, it was too expensive, or it cost too many points to redeem.
I finally went ahead and booked it, but was it a good choice?
Review: Hilton Palm Springs (California)
Full Disclosure: We visited this hotel during the pandemic (when resort services were limited).
The Hilton Honors Redemption
Average Price Per Night During Stay: $290.24
Room Type: “1 King Bed Mountain/City view”
Hilton Honors Points Required: 41,000 points
CPP for Redemption: .71 CPP
Point Redemption Value: Average
The Lobby & Check-In
The lobby was large and attractive (if not unremarkable for a Hilton).
Once through the entrance, the front desk was positioned on the immediate left.
I was warmly greeted by the staff at the front desk and thanked for my Hilton loyalty.
To my surprise, I was told I had been given one of the larger rooms on the property as a Diamond Member.
I was informed of my Diamond benefits (see below), given a room key, a welcome bag, and several maps.
The Diamond Member Benefits
The Diamond Member Room Upgrade
Price Per Night During Stay: $428.01 (or 116,000 points)
Room Type: “1 King Bed Alcove Room W/ Patio Nonsmoking”
Value of Room Upgrade: $137.77
The Property & City Maps
The Hilton Honors Elite Welcome Bag
The Hallway
The 1 King Bed Alcove Room W/ Patio Nonsmoking (Upgrade)
Let me first state, I was pleased to find the room upgrade was larger than I expected.
I could also tell right away that this room, like the rest of the hotel, was also on the “older side”.
That, and that it also been semi-recently renovated so that it was classically “vintage Palm Springs” in terms of the décor.
Immediately upon entering, there was a small hallway that led to the room and the living areas.
If that doesn’t scream “Palm Springs,” I don’t know what does.
The Bedroom Area
As you can see, the bedroom area was really large and well-lit.
Aside from the curtains looking like they were straight-outta 1983 (they may actually have been, who knows), the rest of the room was obviously semi-recently refreshed to only appear like they were from 1983.
There was also a large dresser/bar combo with a huge [strategically placed] horizontal mirror.
Come to think of it, that phone may be from the 1983 as well
The Living Area
The living area consisted of a couch (which was larger than it looks in the photos below), a coffee table, a drawer/refrigerator combo, and a large flat screen TV.
The Desk
The Wallpaper And Carpet
The Vanity & Coffee Station
The Bathroom
Like the room, the bathroom was large and bright.
The toiletry brand of choice was the Crabtree & Evelyn line with the “Verbena and Lavender” scent.
We did notice an unpleasant scent emanating from the shower at one point, but we mitigated it by closing the shower door and closing the bathroom door to the room.
The Room Condition
As I mentioned earlier, the hotel was on the “older side”.
You could see it in the chair at the desk and you could see it in the scratches on the glass.
There was nothing “fatal” about the condition of any of the furniture, but it was clearly “lived-in”.
The Patio
One of the best features of the room was the patio facing toward the pool and the hotel’s immense courtyard.
I mean, check out the view below.
Walking The Property (Interior)
The Business Center
Walking The Property (Exterior)
Can you spot the gray hummingbird in the tree?
Terrace Restaurant & Bar
Image: hilton.com
Breakfast At Terrace Bar
As Diamond Members, we received free daily breakfast at the Terrace Bar.
The deal was you could either order the $16 Hilton Breakfast (eggs, sausage, and potato) OR receive a $12 credit (per person) toward any other item(s) on the menu.
We opted for one Hilton Breakfast and one Avocado Benedict. Both were good, but the Benedict was better.
The Swimming Pool Area
As great as the room patio in the courtyard was, the very best thing about the Hilton Palm Springs was the swimming pool area.
It may be the best pool in all of Palm Springs (and that’s saying a lot).
Think of it as a temple for the sun worshipers.
Image: hilton.com
A pool cabana
The Fitness Center
Image: hilton.com
The Bottom-Line Review: Hilton Palm Springs (California)
OK. I get it. I see why Hilton Palm Springs regularly commands higher prices than even other “more luxurious” resorts in Palm Springs and why it routinely sells out.
Although it wasn’t one of the newest hotels, or one of the best-conditioned hotels, it was one most archetypal “Palm Springs” hotels (and one of the most fun).
The overall vibe of the hotel was great, the service was “above and beyond”, and the benefits for Hilton Honors elites (Gold and Diamond) were great.
Its location among a row of hotels very near the “dual strip” sections S Palm Canyon Drive and Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs proper was “solid”.
Overall, I’d say this is a great spot that will check a lot of boxes for couples, families, and singles alike.
Final Rating: 8 out of 10.
