Desert Riviera Hotel
Renovated 1950s motel with kitchenettes, personal concierge service, and outdoor patio seating.
The verdict
Pick a traveller type to re-weight the scores and re-rank the rooms around what you actually care about.
This renovated 1950s motel offers simple decor, kitchenettes, and attentive personal concierge service near Palm Springs art galleries. Guests appreciate the chic deep soaking tubs, oversized walk-in showers, and spacious patio seating. However, none of the buildings have elevators, creating challenges for guests assigned to upstairs rooms. 17181215
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
- Rooms provide fun decor along with kitchenettes and spacious outdoor patios with chairs and tables. 17
- Dale and the staff earn high marks for friendly personal concierge assistance, including golf tee time arrangements and complimentary limousine service. 12
- The location provides convenient access to local art galleries and shopping. 17
The catch
- Room outlooks vary considerably, with some units viewing the golf course and mountains while other patios face directly into the driveway and parking lot. 191518
- The bathrooms feature chic deep soaking tubs and walk-in showers, though some guests experienced loose faucets and water heaters that were turned off. 1518
Who it's for
- — Travelers wanting kitchenettes
- — Art gallery and shopping visits
- — Guests seeking dedicated concierge service
Skip it if
- — Travelers who need elevator access
- — Guests with mobility limitations
Seen on camera
16 moments · 3 videos · Desert Riviera Hotel
Each moment is pulled at the second a cited reviewer said the words. Play it here, or open the original video at that timestamp.
“Another oversized television. Marriott's always have excellent televisions, I found.”
youtube.com1:39“And does have some streaming capability. No casting ability, unfortunately.”
youtube.com1:43“Nice oversized shower that you can walk into. Really like the shower products in here as well.”
youtube.com2:06“Really like the shower products in here as well. Some nice looking marble in there.”
youtube.com2:08“So, if you're a big shopper, lots available for you there. We come across one of our first restaurants on the tour, Fish…”
youtube.com13:30“Then you have your deep soaking tub here, which is very nice. It looks very chic and modern.”
youtube.com8:54“breakfast here at Cafe pelow is indeed a treat weather permitting I would suggest sitting outside it is both tranquil an…”
youtube.com5:03“now for the cons the stairs instead of the elevator so the room I showed you was upstairs that wasn't going to work for…”
youtube.com8:48“for those of us who bring our own streaming devices finding how to get the TV into the right input was a challenge the r…”
youtube.com9:15“the desk chair Comfort level is subpar”
youtube.com9:37“Checkout time for this room was 10:00 a.m. So, it is a little earlier than the normal hotel. So that is one downside for…”
youtube.com3:09“So our room mostly focused its view on the driveway and the parking areas. We didn't really have a great view from our r…”
youtube.com3:33“And then next to that is Makaidos, which is going to be the resorts Japanese restaurant as I mentioned earlier. So, they…”
youtube.com14:13“currently the valet services are $28 for the day and $38 for the night yeah that's steep”
youtube.com7:51“this was a two King premium room and while there was a place to hang clothes unless you're packing light that one and on…”
youtube.com9:41“The room is very spacious, modern, and look remodeled.”
youtube.com12:29Frames 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 98/100 is built, category by category — each one with the strongest thing travelers actually said, and the source it came from.
Bathroom
99Food
90- “breakfast here at Cafe pelow is indeed a treat weather permitting I would suggest sitting outside it is both tranquil and very enjoyable” 225:03
- “So, if you're a big shopper, lots available for you there. We come across one of our first restaurants on the tour, Fisherman's Landing Bar and Grill. We did enjoy a nice meal here. Pretty good quality seafood. Very fun spot as well.” 1913:30
Location
95- “Convenient Palm Springs location close to art galleries and shopping” 17
Noise
87- “now for the cons the stairs instead of the elevator so the room I showed you was upstairs that wasn't going to work for us” 228:48
Room
97Service
99- “Ron is always on hand, helpful and cheerful, and doing his best to make things go as well as possible.” 4
- “Personal concierge service is a hallmark of Desert Riviera. Complimentary Desert Riviera limousine service, golf tour and tee time arrangements, in-room spa treatments, and specific services you request are handled with knowledge and enthusiasm.” 12
Bed & Sleep
97- “At least the bed was comfortable enough to give me a good, solid sleep most nights.” 15
Value
97- “The affordable rates, array of features (for its size), and attentive staff providing free extras make this renovated 1950s motel a great value.” 17
- “Although this oasis is costly, especially when considering the added resort fees, JW Marriott frequenters happily fork over the cash for the luxuries they so relish (and perhaps save some with their Marriott Bonvoy points).” 8
Where it is, how to reach it
Details checked 2026-09-13
Where it sits
Desert Riviera Hotel 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.
Beats what $ usually buys
Scores 16 points above the modest median of 82, across 516 hotels in the same bracket. In Palm Springs it sits 14 points above the local median of 84.
- This hotel
- 98
- 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.
Nothing is yet praised often enough to recommend.
- 1 mention
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 37 things travelers said behind this verdict▾
Quotes run exactly as travelers wrote them — spelling and all. We trim for length, never for tidiness.
- “Living here in Palm Springs I would still stay here any day of the week. Great place and friendly staff.” 4
- “Ron is always on hand, helpful and cheerful, and doing his best to make things go as well as possible.” 4
- “Friendly innkeepers and clothing-optional grounds make this a perfect place to lounge.” 4
- “Then you have your deep soaking tub here, which is very nice. It looks very chic and modern.” On camera188:54
- “Personal concierge service is a hallmark of Desert Riviera. Complimentary Desert Riviera limousine service, golf tour and tee time arrangements, in-room spa treatments, and specific services you request are handled with knowledge and enthusiasm.” 12
- “Rooms are a little dated but the grounds are very nice and the pool was wonderful.” 4
- “Checkout time for this room was 10:00 a.m. So, it is a little earlier than the normal hotel. So that is one downside for these units.” On camera193:09
- “currently the valet services are $28 for the day and $38 for the night yeah that's steep” On camera227:51
- “I arrived on the day of the conference, and the only issue I encountered was my room wasn't ready for check-in. I had to wait until after the sessions ended a few hours later to do so, but that was relatively minor.” 15
- “The affordable rates, array of features (for its size), and attentive staff providing free extras make this renovated 1950s motel a great value.” 17
- “Great decision...Dale and staff are terrific and grounds are beautiful.” 4
- “Rooms feature fun (if simple) decor and most have kitchenettes (the King VIP Suite has a full kitchen)” 17
- “Guest rooms here take their inspiration from the desert, with decor comprising soothing blue, brown and grey tones, but those who hang their hats here are hardly roughing it.” 8
- “That was especially true for the bathroom, which had a floor-to-ceiling window with the same underwhelming scene. There were also some issues with the air conditioning, which seemed to be a common problem among attendees.” 15
- “the desk chair Comfort level is subpar” On camera229:37
- “this was a two King premium room and while there was a place to hang clothes unless you're packing light that one and only drawer isn't going to do the trick” On camera229:41
- “My room (Bette Davis Suite) was both comfortable and clean, serviced every day.” 4
- “My room was way more spacious than the standard king in other hotels. There were two beds of this size, which was fine, but it might have been better to have a couch instead.” 15
- “The room is very spacious, modern, and look remodeled.” On camera1812:29
- “The floor was also laminate, not a carpet, which probably makes the room cooler and less allergenic.” 15
- “A bigger drawback about the room was its location. My patio offered a view of a parking lot and the main building, so I kept my shades partly closed during my stay.” 15
- “At least the bed was comfortable enough to give me a good, solid sleep most nights.” 15
- “Nice oversized shower that you can walk into. Really like the shower products in here as well.” On camera192:06
- “Really like the shower products in here as well. Some nice looking marble in there.” On camera192:08
- “What I wasn't expecting was the large standalone tub next to the vanity. Since this is where the loose faucet was, it took a while to fill up it up for a bath.” 15
- “The water heater also was off, so I didn't get the hotter water I like for both the tub, shower and vanity sink.” 15
- “The bathroom was also generous with space. I had a large, tiled shower, which along with the toilet was separate from the double vanity area.” 15
- “So, if you're a big shopper, lots available for you there. We come across one of our first restaurants on the tour, Fisherman's Landing Bar and Grill. We did enjoy a nice meal here. Pretty good quality seafood. Very fun spot as well.” On camera1913:30
- “And then next to that is Makaidos, which is going to be the resorts Japanese restaurant as I mentioned earlier. So, they have this fun garden in the middle. It's mostly indoor seating, but really, really fun that they offer this and it is accessible by boat.” On camera1914:13
- “I remember it being a super nice place with a nice pool area and decent food.” 2
- “breakfast here at Cafe pelow is indeed a treat weather permitting I would suggest sitting outside it is both tranquil and very enjoyable” On camera225:03
- “We did have a Mexican food buffet for our opening reception, which was good - not outstanding and not terrible, just right in the middle.” 15
- “So our room mostly focused its view on the driveway and the parking areas. We didn't really have a great view from our room, but some of the units do overlook the golf course.” On camera193:33
- “Although this oasis is costly, especially when considering the added resort fees, JW Marriott frequenters happily fork over the cash for the luxuries they so relish (and perhaps save some with their Marriott Bonvoy points).” 8
- “The affordable rates, array of features (for its size), and attentive staff providing free extras make this renovated 1950s motel a great value.” 17
- “Convenient Palm Springs location close to art galleries and shopping” 17
- “now for the cons the stairs instead of the elevator so the room I showed you was upstairs that wasn't going to work for us” On camera228:48
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 which side it faces.
- Nothing reliable said about view.
- Nothing reliable said about position on the floor.
- Noise rests on 1 source — too thin to rely on.
- 19 sources carry no publication date, so we cannot tell how current they are.
Ask about Desert Riviera Hotel
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 · 60/100We read 22 sources for this property, and pulled 51 traveler insights worth knowing. Last checked 2026-09-13.
Watch this hotel
We keep reading Desert Riviera Hotel. 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 5 summary lines above are traced to specific quotes. The rest summarise the read as a whole rather than any single document.
View all 22 cited sources▾
Everything quoted on this page.
- 2Question about the Riviera : r/palmspringsreddit.comForum thread2026-03-22Current1 quote used
“I remember it being a super nice place with a nice pool area and decent food.”
Read originalreddit.com - 17Desert Riviera Hotel Review - Palm Springsoyster.comReview site2024-08-16Ageing6 quotes used
“Rooms feature fun (if simple) decor and most have kitchenettes (the King VIP Suite has a full kitchen)”
Read originaloyster.com - 12Desert Riviera Hotel Offers 'Midcentury Resort Community ...palmspringslife.comReview site2015-05-05Ageing3 quotes used
“Each spacious poolside room has a unique, contemporary interior design.”
Read originalpalmspringslife.com - 1Desert Riviera Hotel in Palm Springs, California - Policiesdesertrivierahotel.comReview siteDate not statedRead originaldesertrivierahotel.com
- 3Desert Riviera Hotel: Pool Day Pass Palm Springsresortpass.comReview siteDate not statedRead originalresortpass.com
- 4Desert Paradise Hotel reviews, photos - Warm Sandspalmsprings.gaycities.comReview siteDate not stated6 quotes used
“Living here in Palm Springs I would still stay here any day of the week. Great place and friendly staff.”
Read originalpalmsprings.gaycities.com
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