Murray On Travel

 
It could be a box of Crayola Crayons, but no.  It is the brightly painted hotel Saguaro Palm Springs California.  The bright, whimsical nature of this hotel can be seen when you arrive. 

Not just on the exterior, but the lobby is splash of colorful geometric shapes.


This hotel was remodeled in early 2012 from a Holiday Inn and shows its roots as a mass market hotel.  Rooms are typical, basic hotel rooms in shape, but in style/design that is another story.  Read more at the Saguaro website.

Rooms are an eclectic mix of retro, modern & Mexican furnishings.  Splashed with a bright colors and 50's art.  An iPod dock-able clock radio, with the wrong time, is bedside to amplify your playlist. 

HDTV and a few books and magazines focusing on art and design.  An old antique Kodak Brownie box camera adds a stylish touch.


Bath is basic with great towels and basic amenities.  No hair dryer, but an iron & board are stashed in the closet.  The Saguaro provides nice bathrobes. 

Half of the original closet has been converted into storage for a small and quiet refrigerator containing a few for sale items with plenty of room for your own beverages.  A safe and coffee maker also inhabit this area.


Air conditioning has been upgraded to a "split" system".  It works well and is quiet if you open the thermostat and turn fan down to the low setting.  These split systems are used often in remodels, but in this case, the noisy part of the system, the compressor has been placed on your balcony.  Turning up the room temp will cause your compressor to turn off, but all your neighbors may be running.  Causing a constant hummmmm and little tranquility to enjoy the early morning or evening desert air from your balcony.


Most of the hotels rooms look in toward the pool area, which had a decidedly young lively vibe on the weekend I visited.  Some rooms have balconies with mountain views rather than pool views. 

It should be noted that these rooms look out over two streets, one is the busy East Palm Canyon Drive, the other is the more residential South Sunrise Way.  View with Google Maps.


The pool is small but lively.  Grab a lounger early.  Water misters surround the area and create a man-made breeze cooling sunbathers.  A small bar with staff working the the pool area will bring food and drinks. 

Nearby, just outside the pool area, are some green grassy spots for you to lay out a towel and enjoy the sun.  Nice if the pool is crowded, or you just want to get away from all the action.


Storage in the room is limited.  Half of the original closet is used by the refrigerator, coffee machine, and safe, hanging space could be tight.  A small dresser is provided.  But this is Palm Springs, you shouldn't need much.  A luggage stand is provided making it easier to live out of your suitcase.  Bed was very comfortable.

No matter how hard they work at it, and The Saguaro is no different, hoteliers just can't get the support of technology right.  Electrical outlets are critical!!  The outlets found on the base of the modern desk lamp are positioned such that my iPad charger won't easily fit without rocking the lamp forward.  Another of my chargers requires me to prop the lamp up with a book.  Other outlets are available, but they are blocked by furniture.  I hate having chargers plugged into odd outlets around a hotel room.  I'm always concerned I will leave them behind.  I could use the outlets in the bath, but I've always been told that water and electricity do not mix well.


At 2:43 I discovered that the walls are a bit thin.  My neighbors decided to bring the party back to their room, music, laughter and loud conversation continued for a half hour or so.  Just as I began to consider calling the front desk it must have stopped...I think....I went back to sleep. 


A limited room service menu is available.  The only restaurant on the property is the excellent Tinto.  A Spanish influenced fine dining experience.  I made a meal of just eating serveral wonderful appetizers.  Across the street, easy walking distance, from The Saguaro are several reputable casual dining options, a grocery store and shopping.  A small bar is just off the lobby.  For nightlife, visitors will need to drive into Palm Springs or one of the other neighboring desert communities.


Other than a metal clipboard with three pages of room service information, no info about the hotel was provided in the room.  Not even a guide to hotel services!  Pool information?  When is checkout time??  I had to call to find out it is normally 12 noon, but while on the phone they offered me a 3pm checkout.  Along the same vein, no emergency evacuation plan/map is provided on the back of the door or anywhere in the room.  In this world of easy legal litigation, I'm surprised the hotels insurance company doesn't require some emergency info.

I enjoyed my stay at The Saguaro Hotel.  It was a little far from downtown Palm Springs for me, but if that isn't an issue for you then I think you would enjoy it also.  Having a great restaurant like Tinto in the Saguaro made it much more interesting.  Note that during the weekend the pool is a desert oasis for the young and young at heart and maybe not the best spot for families.

I sometimes wonder if two thirds of the globe is covered in red carpet.

Charles, Prince Of Wales, 1948-

The Riviera Resort & Spa in Palm Springs California is a beautiful resort with a very retro vibe harkening  back to the days of the Rat Pack. 

With two pools, spa, fitness center, tennis courts, an excellent restaurant and several lounges, this is an oasis in the California desert. Add to this the youthful vibe around the pool and the Riviera should be high on your list of Palm Springs getaways.  Find out more from the Riviera website.

A few rooms look out over one of the pools, but most have garden or mountain views.  And on those mountains, even with temps in the 90's, you might see snow on the peaks high above the deserts valley.


Rooms are modern and extremely comfortable.  Well appointed with comfortable beds and luxurious baths. 

A nice big HDTV, a refrigerator, single serve coffee maker round out the amenities. 

Continuing the cool and hip monochrome colors found throughout the resort the bath is elegant, large and well appointed.  A spa tub/shower is comforting after a day in the desert sun.


The pools at the Riviera are beautiful and the weekends are fun.  The main pool is a  free-form delight that meanders around the central portion of the resort.  Weekend pool action is lively, not a DJ party Vegas style, but lots of energy.  The area also offers alot to do for visitors.

By 9am all chairs around both pools were occupied.  Let the Pool Politics begin...  Friends attempting to hold extra chairs was working in some cases and not in others.  Embarrassed Boyfriends or Husbands stood helpless as their ladies look at them for answers.  Romantic weekend in the sun gone bad.  A group of girls, one wearing a tiarra, escalate the volume.  Plenty of space for more lounge chairs, but they don't appear.  Even cold hard cash can't resolve the issue, with private cabanas and day beds around the pool going for hundreds per day sold out.


The Deep End Pool located between buildings 4 & 5 is smaller but might have space for you.  If you have been aced out of a lounger at both pools you can retreat to the garden areas, lawns located between buildings, outside the pool areas.  Hidden behind the Deep End Pool, toward the  back is a small grassy area.  This is a nice spot and it is only steps away from the bar.  Or if you have booked a garden view room on the ground floor use the space just outside your patio.  This could work out swell. 

Most of the rooms surrounding the main pool area have patios and balconies, which can be just as good as paying extra for a cabana or daybed.  So paying more for a poolside room might be better if you really want to sun yourself with a view of the pool action.


During busy weekends guests are required to wear "Bikini Bar" wristbands to enter the pool area.  All public areas require shirts/cover-up and footwear.  I suggest casual resort wear for all areas of this resort, especially after dark.


Fitness room offers a minimal variety of equipment.  Classes?????  Salon/Spa has two unique treatments the Native Desert Sage massage therapy, and Desert Heat Wrap.


The Riviera has Circa 59, the main restaurant for meals, in addition to room service.  For lunch you can add the pools Bikini Bar which is cooled with a constant misting spray.  I visited the Riviera Hotel 18 months ago and found it understaffed, I found the same thing this time.  I constantly had the feeling that the food and beverage staff thought their time was more valuable than mine. Front desk, operator, concierge & security were available and helpful.

A 7-11 convenience store is across the street.  Downtown Palm Springs with restaurants, bars and shopping are a 20-30 minute walk in comfortable shoes.  Best to drive or grab a taxi.

If you are looking for an expansive resort property in Palm Springs then the Riviera is for you.  With tennis nearby, and excellent spa, and two pools it can be called a resort.  At times the level of service may not keep up with the luxury vibe the Riviera gives off, but I do recommend it.