The Saguaro Palm Springs
A colorful desert hotel centered around a heated pool with mountain views and tacos and nachos at El Jefe.
The verdict
Pick a traveller type to re-weight the scores and re-rank the rooms around what you actually care about.
The Saguaro Palm Springs is a colorful 244-room hotel known for its bright exterior, heated pool, and views of the San Jacinto Mountains. Guests appreciate the solid food and drinks at El Jefe, particularly the tacos, nachos, and poolside dining. However, reviewers consistently complain about aging property conditions, pointing out worn hallway carpets, chipping paint, dated elevators, and squeaky beds. 2662315
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
- Guests consistently enjoy dining at El Jefe, giving high marks to the tacos, avocado toast, and poolside nachos. 72327
- The heated pool and two hot tubs offer sweeping views of the San Jacinto Mountains. 262022
- The property stands out for its bold palette, featuring colorful Perspex cacti and bright exterior panels. 20
- Staff provide fast check-in, and parking is free and plentiful during the low season. 6
The catch
- While some visitors find the rooms clean and comfortable, others complain about visible wear like chipping paint and stained hallway carpets. 15
- Guests seeking relaxation find the property quiet on weekdays, but weekend travelers face loud pool noise and DJ parties. drawn from the full read
- Some reviewers describe the hotel as walkable to local highlights, whereas others note it is a five-minute drive from the heart of downtown. 22
Who it's for
- — Fans of colorful, photo-friendly decor
- — Poolside socializing and DJ parties
- — Casual dining and agave drinks at El Jefe
Skip it if
- — Light sleepers bothered by pool noise
- — Guests bothered by stained carpets and dated elevators
- — Travelers seeking a fully walkable downtown location
Seen on camera
10 moments · 2 videos · The Saguaro Palm Springs
Each moment is pulled at the second a cited reviewer said the words. Play it here, or open the original video at that timestamp.
“we're gonna start off by showing you the room and giving you a nice tour so you can see just how awesome the rooms are”
youtube.com0:49“here's the little table I like this just enough modest but stylish at the same time fitting the whole style of art direc…”
youtube.com1:42“and then looking back at the bed the the lighting on the bed board is really cool real simple these little hanging light…”
youtube.com2:05“all right we're going to El Jefe I'm happy for breakfast yeah what a great view looking straight out there's a nice litt…”
youtube.com6:44“There are some areas around the hotel that are a little rough around the edges like the hallways and some of the furnitu…”
youtube.com0:21“so you can take this with you for 85 bucks which is kind of that's not bad because usually there are a hundred and these…”
youtube.com3:47“get a load of the front desk it's just beautiful it's just stunning oranges and yellows”
youtube.com6:38“okay this amazing food has arrived we both got avocado toast yeah and it looks incredible with it just the the presentat…”
youtube.com7:27“look at that red background is that just it's incredible the colors around here”
youtube.com13:18“And you do get a lot for your money here.”
youtube.com0:41Frames 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 76/100 is built, category by category — each one with the strongest thing travelers actually said, and the source it came from.
Bathroom
79- “I really appreciated the updated bathroom and the pops of color were a nice touch.” 6
Food
93- “okay this amazing food has arrived we both got avocado toast yeah and it looks incredible with it just the the presentation alone makes me very hungry as if I wasn't already” 117:27
- “Hands down, my favorite restaurant was El Jefe. You can't really go too wrong with any of the menu options at El Jefe, but if you happen to be in town on a Tuesday or Thursday, YOU MUST GO FOR TACOS. They are bomb.” 6
Location
82Noise
84- “The carpets in the hallway were visibly not-fresh, the beds were squeaky, the elevators were dated, stuff like that.” 6
- “So, unfortunately, there aren't a ton of elevators in this hotel. I think there are like...2? I forget. Anyways, they are on opposite sides of the building, and unfortunately, if your room is not close to one of them, you'll have to either take the stairs, or make the journey from the elevator to your room.” 6
Room
75- “I think my favorite feature of the room was the balcony. Since I had a pool view, it was nice to just look out at the colorful rooms of the hotel and the vibrant courtyard in the center.” 6
- “Everything here is a vibe. Everything. The aesthetic, the colors, the decor, it really is exciting on the eyes.” 23
Service
80- “get a load of the front desk it's just beautiful it's just stunning oranges and yellows” 116:38
- “Actual check-in was super fast and super easy. Parking was free and (thanks to the low season) plentiful. We arrived a tad early, so we grabbed lunch nearby until the room was ready. Boom bam Sam. I do want to say that the service was very quick and efficient at check-in.” 6
Bed & Sleep
78Nothing quotable yet on this one — the score leans on the rest of the coverage.
Value
75- “Absolutely LOVED this boutique hotel by Joie de Vivre. (And it doesn't hurt that we got a killer deal on Hotel Tonight!)” 16
- “The Saguaro's newly-opened El Jefe Desert Cantina aims to be the go-to place for agave drinks in particular - bring on the tequila and mezcal to wash down the tacos, a particular bargain on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and other Mexican snacks.” 20
Where it is, how to reach it
Details checked 2026-09-13
Where it sits
The Saguaro Palm Springs 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.
Falls short of what $ usually buys
Scores 6 points below the modest median of 82, across 516 hotels in the same bracket. In Palm Springs it sits 8 points below the local median of 84.
- This hotel
- 76
- 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
- 1 mention
- 1 mention
- 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 45 things travelers said behind this verdict▾
Quotes run exactly as travelers wrote them — spelling and all. We trim for length, never for tidiness.
- “Once I got in my room, the first thing I noticed was....it was kind of dark. It was midday, but maybe basically the only light in the room was from the giant balcony sliding glass door (which was amazing!). Even when I turned on all three lamps (2 bedside, one floor), the room still felt a little darker than I would have liked.” 6
- “My room, #368, with a king bed and over-looking the swimming pool, was nothing short of colorful. From the neon green front door to the green headboard, the room pops with the colors of a Mojave wildflower.” 25
- “I think my favorite feature of the room was the balcony. Since I had a pool view, it was nice to just look out at the colorful rooms of the hotel and the vibrant courtyard in the center.” 6
- “Everything here is a vibe. Everything. The aesthetic, the colors, the decor, it really is exciting on the eyes.” 23
- “Aurora begged me to ask for a pink room so we stayed in this fabulous pink and purple room! It had two queen beds, a table and chairs, desk/chair, mini fridge and safe. The room itself was quite spacious.” 12
- “Aside from the lighting, I really liked the rest of the room. The decor was super cute and fresh, the pillows were soft, and the TV image was great!” 6
- “The room itself was quite spacious. We booked a regular room so just a view of the street but it did have a nice balcony with patio chairs.” 12
- “Not only that, because these suits are in corners, the outside balcony is a little weird too. It isn't symmetrical, and the only thing separating our patio from the patio to the room on our right, was this unflattering fake wall.” 23
- “Some recent guests say they felt overwhelmed by the bright atmosphere but most appreciate its fanciful decor.” 17
- “and then looking back at the bed the the lighting on the bed board is really cool real simple these little hanging lights” On camera112:05
- “The colour scheme of Saguaro Palm Springs extends beyond the outdoor fascia panels into the 244 rooms, simply but playfully decorated and accessorised with colourful Perspex cacti to remind guests they are sleeping in a desert town, albeit the hippest and liveliest in California; look for more tactic and mid-century-influenced furniture in the expansive lobby.” 20
- “we're gonna start off by showing you the room and giving you a nice tour so you can see just how awesome the rooms are” On camera110:49
- “Guys, thee property has gone downhill since then. The carpet is disgusting and the public spaces look dirty. Paint chipping, stains everywhere, etc. Gross.” 15
- “The staff is very friendly, food was solid and the layout is very fun.” 4
- “During the week, however, and especially during off season, the colorful Saguaro Hotel is actually pretty quite. Which can be nice too. We actually prefer that, unless we come for the party.” 26
- “There are some areas around the hotel that are a little rough around the edges like the hallways and some of the furniture, but really they did a good job of making it a nice, cool, kind of zen, simplified rooms that are very clean with a little bit of a pool party atmosphere.” On camera50:21
- “so you can take this with you for 85 bucks which is kind of that's not bad because usually there are a hundred and these are heavy-duty like these are legit like I would pay 85 bucks for one of these they're not it's not like these are cheap you know really nice” On camera113:47
- “get a load of the front desk it's just beautiful it's just stunning oranges and yellows” On camera116:38
- “Actual check-in was super fast and super easy. Parking was free and (thanks to the low season) plentiful. We arrived a tad early, so we grabbed lunch nearby until the room was ready. Boom bam Sam. I do want to say that the service was very quick and efficient at check-in.” 6
- “If you're from a metro city, the prices are going to seem pretty cheap. The price per night ranges from ~ $115 USD (the cheapest room, 2 Queen room) to ~160 USD (the most expensive, a suite).” 6
- “The hotel is not cheap. Even if you get a cheap rate during off season, let's say for 99 USD, there will be a lot of fees on top of it. Especially the resort fee is a lot with 42 USD per day. In the end, you end up paying around 160 USD.” 26
- “The Saguaro offers you all the quintessential desert vibes you'd expect in Palm Springs at a reasonable nightly rate.” 22
- “The Saguaro's newly-opened El Jefe Desert Cantina aims to be the go-to place for agave drinks in particular - bring on the tequila and mezcal to wash down the tacos, a particular bargain on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and other Mexican snacks.” 20
- “The prices aren't too bad off-season or during the week, so the basic nature of the stay doesn't seem like a gyp.” 7
- “Absolutely LOVED this boutique hotel by Joie de Vivre. (And it doesn't hurt that we got a killer deal on Hotel Tonight!)” 16
- “The Saguaro is more reasonably priced than other hotels in the area, just keep in mind you will have a Daily Resort Fee added on to your total upon checkout.” 12
- “Speaking of all the fun stuff, let's dive into the amenities offered at The Saguaro Palm Springs. STARTING WITH THAT MANDATORY $35 RESORT FEE. What's the deal with that????” 6
- “And you do get a lot for your money here.” On camera50:41
- “A long-awaited hotel in the middle of Palm Springs, walking distance to most of the city's highlights and home to a hot new restaurant and lounge” 9
- “A quick 5-minute drive from the heart of downtown Palm Springs.” 22
- “The lobby is colorful and quirky, the vibe is energetic, and the location is pretty great too.” 6
- “The Saguaro Palm Springs is located only a couple of miles from downtown Palm Springs. While it's not exactly walking distance to the city's busier areas, you can take the complimentary Palm Springs trolley or rent their bikes to get downtown.” 7
- “I really appreciated the updated bathroom and the pops of color were a nice touch.” 6
- “A long-awaited hotel in the middle of Palm Springs, walking distance to most of the city's highlights and home to a hot new restaurant and lounge” 9
- “okay this amazing food has arrived we both got avocado toast yeah and it looks incredible with it just the the presentation alone makes me very hungry as if I wasn't already” On camera117:27
- “Hands down, my favorite restaurant was El Jefe. You can't really go too wrong with any of the menu options at El Jefe, but if you happen to be in town on a Tuesday or Thursday, YOU MUST GO FOR TACOS. They are bomb.” 6
- “In short, the food at The Saguaro Palm Springs is great.” 6
- “The hotel restaurant, El Jefe, sells discounted tacos every Tuesday and Thursday from 6-9pm. Each taco $4. The tacos were delicious and we paired it with some margs, which were unfortunately removed from the happy hour.” 23
- “This funky hotel in the desert does take one thing seriously: food. The hotel is home to El Jefe, a desert cantina that's highly recommended by recent guests, as well as a pool bar and Rocco's Electric” 17
- “El Hefe is conveniently open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Happy Hour specials are available Monday - Friday from 2-6pm. We ate several meals here since it was quick and easy and right down from the room. Everything we ate was really good!” 12
- “El Jefe also does poolside service pre covid. During covid, you can just get the food to go and eat it by the pool, which we did. They have the best nachos. My boyfriend and I died over them and it was perfect to have sitting by the pool.” 23
- “Local Dining: While the hotel's restaurant El Jefe serves delicious tacos, venture downtown for a wider variety of culinary experiences.” 27
- “El Jefe restaurant serving up amazing Mexican fare and killer margaritas.” 22
- “The carpets in the hallway were visibly not-fresh, the beds were squeaky, the elevators were dated, stuff like that.” 6
- “So, unfortunately, there aren't a ton of elevators in this hotel. I think there are like...2? I forget. Anyways, they are on opposite sides of the building, and unfortunately, if your room is not close to one of them, you'll have to either take the stairs, or make the journey from the elevator to your room.” 6
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.
- Nothing reliable said about room types.
- Nothing reliable said about floor level.
- Nothing reliable said about building or wing.
- Nothing reliable said about position on the floor.
- Noise rests on 1 source — too thin to rely on.
- 16 sources carry no publication date, so we cannot tell how current they are.
Ask about The Saguaro Palm Springs
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 · 62/100We read 27 sources for this property, and pulled 73 traveler insights worth knowing. Last checked 2026-09-13.
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We keep reading The Saguaro Palm Springs. 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.
6 of 7 summary lines above are traced to specific quotes. The rest summarise the read as a whole rather than any single document.
View all 27 cited sources▾
Everything quoted on this page.
- 18
- 27Hotel Review: The Saguaro Palm Springsmrplaneguy.comReview site2025-01-11Ageing3 quotes used
“The rooms themselves are minimalist but functional, with pops of colour to remind you that you're still part of this cheerful desert dream.”
Read originalmrplaneguy.com - 26The Most Colorful Hotel In Palm Springs - The Saguaro ...piscoandbier.comReview site2022-12-07Ageing5 quotes used
“El Jefe Cantina has not only Taco Tuesday but also Taco Thursday. We loved the tacos there. They were absolutely delicious. Our favorite were the fish tacos.”
Read originalpiscoandbier.com - 20Sensational Saguaro Palm Springstripreporter.co.ukReview site2022-05-07Ageing3 quotes used
“The Saguaro's newly-opened El Jefe Desert Cantina aims to be the go-to place for agave drinks in particular - bring on the tequila and mezcal to wash down the tacos, a particular bargain on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and ot…”
Read originaltripreporter.co.uk - 12Saguaro Hotel Palm Springs - Olivia Michelleoliviamichelleh.comReview site2022-04-25Ageing5 quotes used
“Aurora begged me to ask for a pink room so we stayed in this fabulous pink and purple room! It had two queen beds, a table and chairs, desk/chair, mini fridge and safe. The room itself was quite spacious.”
Read originaloliviamichelleh.com - 23My Review Of The Saguaro Hotel - Palm Springstraveler.comReview site2021-03-22Ageing6 quotes used
“Everything here is a vibe. Everything. The aesthetic, the colors, the decor, it really is exciting on the eyes.”
Read originaltraveler.com
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