Caliente Tropics Hotel

The room was clean and had a good feel, though it was basic. The tiki theme is a lot of fun, and after exploring Palm Springs, the pool was a great spot to recharge in the afternoons and evenings. Staff were helpful, and The Reef Bar had tasty tropical drinks and food. There’s a Mexican restaurant on site too, but we didn’t get to try it. Highly recommend this place if you like tiki.

Our stay was marred by poor communication, rude service, and some avoidable hassles. The biggest issue for me was the front desk experience. I took three days off for my kids’ spring break expecting a relaxing visit, but the way we were treated felt stressful and unwelcoming. This isn’t about having rules, it’s about basic hospitality. A friendly smile and professional manner help guests feel welcome, and we didn’t get that. I hope this gives people a realistic idea of the service they might encounter at this motel called Resort. At 2:30 PM on March 23rd, I walked into the lobby of this average motel called Resort and asked about checking in. The front desk employee immediately asked whether I had completed early check-in online. I hadn’t, and took out my debit card to pay for early check-in, but she said she needed my ID first. When I asked how much it would cost, she curtly told me I should have done it online. She put me on a waiting list and said I was fourth, with no idea when a room would be ready, then suggested I return at 4:00 PM. My wife and kids were waiting in the car. Her manner was extremely unfriendly. When I asked her name, she said “Edna,” but refused to give her last name, saying she wasn’t allowed to. As I left, disappointed, I asked her to call me when the room was ready. I said my name was Dr. Riahi and repeated the request so she’d acknowledge it. A short while later, just as I was about to leave the lobby, she reluctantly offered towels so my family and I could use the pool while waiting for her call. There were other problems during our stay as well. On the second day, the water in our room was shut off. I called the front desk twice and nobody answered. Eventually Jose called back after the water had been restored. There’s no restroom by the pool, so you have to dry off, walk through the Reef Restaurant to use its restroom, and then return to the pool. That’s really inconvenient and poorly planned. Management needs to hire and train staff who treat guests respectfully and professionally, without making them feel judged by their social status. There may be other things to improve at the property, but the front desk service was the main problem for us. I’d caution anyone considering a stay here.

The pool and atmosphere are incredible, and this is a really fun tiki hotel. If you’re into tiki, it seems like a perfect place to stay in Palm Springs. The rooms are a little worn and it shows, though ours was reasonably clean.

After 12 days camping through the southwest with an Airstream, my brother and I were exhausted and decided to get a hotel for the last night of the trip. We both enjoy Hawaiian kitsch, and this place delivered. The cocktail lounge was playing the original Hawaii 5-0, which was the cherry on top. We had a fantastic, fun evening with other hotel guests. The next morning we walked to breakfast at Elmers, then checked out a few boutique motels on the way back for a possible future trip. It’s not perfect, but it’s a great place and we’d definitely recommend it.