The Hotel California is a romantic oasis with a no young kids policy. The entrance, with a Spanish mission facade and a front yard landscaped with funky desert cactuses, promises a quirky experience. The lobby includes a guest lounge with rustic wood wall treatments and a wrought-iron chandelier. There are old-fashioned maps and sports equipment, as well as sepia photographs of Old Palm Springs. There are board games, a chess set, and a huge flat-screen TV with rustic wood tables and chairs, and big comfortable upholstered furniture that invites guests to curl up and socialize.

The pool and hot tub area feel very Old Southern California, with mosaic tiles, and torchlights in the evenings. Fluffy pink towels and sunscreen are provided to guests free of charge. There is a lovely cabana housing a wicker sofa and mosaic side tables, lit by hanging Moroccan lanterns. Although the pool and fire pit area is open 24/7, there is a low noise policy after 9 p.m. Two gas grills and a community kitchen are available to guests who want to cook, and, throughout the day, fruit, coffee, tea, pastries, and red licorice are put out for guests to enjoy.

The Hotel California is located one mile from downtown Palm Springs, which has fantastic shops and an eclectic mix of bars and restaurants. The hotel is surrounded by hotels, but the area is peaceful, quiet, and clean. There is free parking on-site, and the hotel will arrange free transportation by limo to and from local nightlife hot spots, so guests can enjoy cocktails without having to worry about the drive home. Golf, tennis, hiking, rock climbing, botanical gardens, and an assortment of world-class spas are all within a short distance.

Rooms at the Hotel California are charming and individually designed and decorated with lots of local character. Upstairs rooms have patios and spectacular mountain views, while ground-floor rooms are steps from the pool and hot tub. The decor is rustic, with warm touches in the linens and upholstery, and comfy-looking wrought-iron beds with pillow-top mattresses. Bathrooms are clean but small, and some have only showers and no tubs. Air-conditioners are quiet, and rooms have microwaves, mini-fridges, and flat-screen TVs;  a few rooms come with full kitchens. The hotel offers a large DVD library for borrowing.

The Hotel California has a fleet of adorable beach cruisers with handlebar baskets for guests to borrow and explore Palm Springs in style. The hotel provides two state-of-the art gas grills for guests who want to barbecue, and an enormous community kitchen for shared use, complete with a toaster, panini press, and wide assortment of spices and staple ingredients. The guest lounge is stocked with board games and a huge DVD library, as well as books and magazines. Free limo transportation can be arranged for guests who want to do the town by night and not worry about the drive home.