Caliente Tropics Resort
A retro tiki-themed roadside resort featuring a large mountain-view pool and on-site dining at The Reef.
The verdict
Pick a traveller type to re-weight the scores and re-rank the rooms around what you actually care about.
Caliente Tropics Resort is a vintage mid-century tiki-style hotel on Palm Canyon Drive near downtown Palm Springs. Guests enjoy the large heated outdoor pool with mountain backdrops, reasonable rates, and on-site meals at The Reef. However, rooms show clear signs of age, with persistent complaints about worn carpets, dated bedspreads, and small bathrooms. 15141620
Every line below traces back to something a traveler actually wrote — open a line to read the original sentence and follow it to the source.
What travelers noticed
- The large outdoor pool is a central highlight, featuring cabanas, lounge chairs, and direct views of the San Jacinto Mountains. 72016
- On-site dining earns high marks, particularly the cocktails, fish and chips, and coconut shrimp at The Reef alongside tacos at Sancho's. 8
- The Palm Canyon Drive location is praised for convenient access to downtown Palm Springs, shopping, and hiking. 201516
- Staff members consistently receive positive feedback for quick check-in and friendly, helpful service. drawn from the full read
The catch
Who it's for
- — Retro tiki culture enthusiasts
- — Budget-conscious road-trippers
- — Lounging by a large mountain-view pool
Skip it if
- — Travelers expecting modern luxury decor
- — Anyone who dislikes small bathrooms with shower curtains
- — Guests needing reliable high-speed internet
Seen on camera
9 moments · 2 videos · Caliente Tropics Resort
Each moment is pulled at the second a cited reviewer said the words. Play it here, or open the original video at that timestamp.
“Honestly, if if I came back here to Palm Springs, I'd probably stay here again. It's convenient having these restaurants…”
youtube.com7:20“and look at these cool vintage photos up above the door it's fun to see that the hotel hasn't changed much over the year…”
youtube.com3:37“I love that they have these little these little tiki statues sprinkled throughout this this resort.”
youtube.com0:35“Dude, this is so pretty with the mountains in the back and the lighting. It's really nice.”
youtube.com1:08“All right, so here's my room. I'm very very basic. But I love it. I I love the tiki feel to it.”
youtube.com1:28“I didn't show you the refrigerator down here. It's really low to the ground, even for me who's kind of short. That's pre…”
youtube.com2:39“Not going to lie, guys. I was not planning on e- eating at Sancho's. I was going to eat at the Reef the this is going to…”
youtube.com6:39“Got to say that the chicken the chicken was easily the best part of that and the friendly friendly staff.”
youtube.com6:49“today what was once called the conga room is now called the reef the tiki bar has one of the best views in palm springs…”
youtube.com4:41Frames are citations: each one links to its second in the source video, attributed to the creator who filmed it. Nothing here is supplied by the hotel. Creators who want a moment removed can ask and we take it down.
How to book
No loyalty currency of its own — this one is a cash or card-portal booking.
Score breakdown
How the 80/100 is built, category by category — each one with the strongest thing travelers actually said, and the source it came from.
Bathroom
84Nothing quotable yet on this one — the score leans on the rest of the coverage.
Food
87- “Not going to lie, guys. I was not planning on e- eating at Sancho's. I was going to eat at the Reef the this is going to be my But I actually loved that food. Those tacos were amazing.” 66:39
- “Mid-century tiki decor defines this vintage resort, centered on a large, heated pool with an adjacent hot tub. The Reef restaurant serves meals poolside within lush gardens. Best for retro enthusiasts, less so for anyone needing reliable water pressure.” 15
Location
86- “Honestly, if if I came back here to Palm Springs, I'd probably stay here again. It's convenient having these restaurants right here on on property. And this is a good location for a lot of things that you're going” 67:20
- “it's located at 411 east palm canyon drive in south palm springs which is one of the prime locations here in town” 20
Noise
87- “All rooms come equipped with mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi. We found a slight musty odor that dispersed after turning on the loud, old air-conditioning unit.” 7
Room
81Service
81Bed & Sleep
83Nothing quotable yet on this one — the score leans on the rest of the coverage.
Where it is, how to reach it
Details checked 2026-09-13
Where it sits
Caliente Tropics Resort and the 28 other hotels we cover in Palm Springs. Hover a marker for the hotel; click to open it.
Stay value
How this property reads against the hotels we cover alongside it. Measured on review evidence, not on a nightly rate.
On par with what $ usually buys
Scores 2 points below the modest median of 82, across 516 hotels in the same bracket. In Palm Springs it sits 4 points below the local median of 84.
- This hotel
- 80
- Bracket median
- 82
- Index median
- 86
Based on 516 comparable hotels.
Which room to ask for
What reviewers say about where to sleep inside this building — by room number where one is named, and otherwise by floor, wing, aspect and position. Every line opens onto the quotes behind it.
- 1 mention
No location within the hotel draws repeated complaints yet.
Where travelers agree — and don’t
The topics reviewers split on most. A wide bar means your experience depends on which room you get — or whose opinion you trust.
View the 29 things travelers said behind this verdict▾
Quotes run exactly as travelers wrote them — spelling and all. We trim for length, never for tidiness.
- “The room was spacious and clean.” 8
- “- I would say inside the room, the décor was low budget and the bed was not comfortable but we didn't mind.” 8
- “Worn red carpets and cheap tropical print bedspreads add color to the neutral decor, but are due for an update.” 7
- “All right, so here's my room. I'm very very basic. But I love it. I I love the tiki feel to it.” On camera61:28
- “Hummingbirds live in the garden and drink from the water fountain. Room had a big bed and was a good size for a family.” 3
- “The dark red carpet did make the room feel a little dull.” 8
- “Had a really solid stay here. Room was spacious and clean.” 8
- “The 90 rooms have a standard motel layout with direct outdoor entry. They're decorated in a mix of dated furnishings and a few knickknacks that keep with the property's tropical theme, like cheeky tissue boxes with Polynesian heads (tissues protrude from the head's nose) and framed palm tree prints on the walls.” 7
- “And of course the Caliente Tropics staff. Laura, Miss Jolene, and the Manager, Jose, will treat you like they want you there. So dang friendly and they actually care about value.” 8
- “Rooms feature comfortable beds with 500-thread quality linens and essentials such as a fridge, safe, and TV.” 1
- “Check in/out was quick and easy.” 8
- “Dude, this is so pretty with the mountains in the back and the lighting. It's really nice.” On camera61:08
- “I didn't show you the refrigerator down here. It's really low to the ground, even for me who's kind of short. That's pretty low even for me.” On camera62:39
- “Got to say that the chicken the chicken was easily the best part of that and the friendly friendly staff.” On camera66:49
- “The pool is awesome and the staff are nice and helpful.” 8
- “Honestly, if if I came back here to Palm Springs, I'd probably stay here again. It's convenient having these restaurants right here on on property. And this is a good location for a lot of things that you're going” On camera67:20
- “it's located at 411 east palm canyon drive in south palm springs which is one of the prime locations here in town” 20
- “And don't forget, Caliente Tropics is conveniently located on Palm Canyon Drive near the heart of Palms Springs. So you're only a short drive away to the best area attractions, restaurants, and nightlife.” 16
- “Hotel is just a 5-minute drive to downtown. Location is convenient for the Convention Center. Parking is free and easy.” 15
- “The property has a convenient location pretty close to Camelot Park Family Center.” 10
- “5 mins outside downtown, Caliente is a decent tiki-themed hotel. Nice stay, good value, good location, has a pool.” 17
- “The hotel is located in a good area. There is plenty to do. Hiking, shopping, and restaurants all within walking distance or a short drive.” 8
- “Travelers found Caliente Tropics Hotel to be a charming mid-century tiki-style property with excellent dog-friendly amenities, including a great grassy area and convenient location near Palm Springs.” 14
- “Mid-century tiki decor defines this vintage resort, centered on a large, heated pool with an adjacent hot tub. The Reef restaurant serves meals poolside within lush gardens. Best for retro enthusiasts, less so for anyone needing reliable water pressure.” 15
- “Not going to lie, guys. I was not planning on e- eating at Sancho's. I was going to eat at the Reef the this is going to be my But I actually loved that food. Those tacos were amazing.” On camera66:39
- “The Reef bar serves cocktails and food, while the grounds offer free parking. Best for road-trippers, less so for anyone needing reliable internet.” 3
- “All rooms come equipped with mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi. We found a slight musty odor that dispersed after turning on the loud, old air-conditioning unit.” 7
What we still don't know
What we can’t tell you yet, said plainly. These close as we read more coverage of this hotel.
- No reviewer has named an individual room number here yet.
- Nothing reliable said about room types.
- Nothing reliable said about floor level.
- Nothing reliable said about building or wing.
- Nothing reliable said about which side it faces.
- Nothing reliable said about position on the floor.
- Food rests on 3 sources — too thin to rely on.
- Noise rests on 1 source — too thin to rely on.
Ask about Caliente Tropics Resort
Answered only from the coverage cited on this page. If nobody has written about your question, it will say so rather than guess.
How much we read
Deep coverage · 55/100We read 20 sources for this property, and pulled 53 traveler insights worth knowing. Last checked 2026-09-13.
Watch this hotel
We keep reading Caliente Tropics Resort. Tell us when you're staying and we'll follow it until then — you'll hear from us only when the verdict is rewritten, the score moves, or new reviews land. No daily mail, and the watch closes itself after your stay.
Sources
Everything quoted on this page, grouped by traveler insights, outlets, and video & podcast. Counts beside each group show everything we’ve read of that kind; no one kind can carry the score on its own.
5 of 6 summary lines above are traced to specific quotes. The rest summarise the read as a whole rather than any single document.
View all 20 cited sources▾
Everything quoted on this page.
- 1South Pacific Getaway in Palm Springs: Caliente Tropics ...travelbyvacationrental.comReview site2026-02-10Current2 quotes used
“Rooms feature comfortable beds with 500-thread quality linens and essentials such as a fridge, safe, and TV.”
Read originaltravelbyvacationrental.com - 7Caliente Tropics Resort Review - Palm Springsoyster.comReview site2024-08-07Ageing8 quotes used
“The rooms look tired, with cheap bedspreads and worn carpets.”
Read originaloyster.com - 5
- 9Tiki Bar Review #44 Caliente Tropics and the Reef Palm ...tikiwithray.comReview site2017-11-23AgeingRead originaltikiwithray.com
- 2Caliente Trip Report and the Simple Lifetraveltalkonline.comReview siteDate not statedRead originaltraveltalkonline.com
- 3HOTEL CALIENTE TROPICS, PALM SPRINGScaliente-tropics.palmspringsresorthotels.comReview siteDate not stated2 quotes used
“The Reef bar serves cocktails and food, while the grounds offer free parking. Best for road-trippers, less so for anyone needing reliable internet.”
Read originalcaliente-tropics.palmspringsresorthotels.com
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