Murray On Travel

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.