Four of the Most Dog-friendly Hotels in Palm Springs featuring:

THE SAGUARO PALM SPRINGS – A party for your eye-balls (hooray – no pet fee!)

AVALON PALM SPRINGS – Hollywood Regency elegance

RIVIERA PALM SPRINGS – Las Vegas glitz

ACE HOTEL PALM SPRINGS – Hipster Cool in the desert

THE SAGUARO PALM SPRINGS

OVERALL VIBE: Don’t let the boxy crayon-colored exterior deter you, this place gets a lot more appealing – and photogenic – when you enter. (Just make sure to bring your sunglasses for indoors as well as out.) Take the rather garish floral backdrop in reception – the colors are actually taken from indigenous desert flowers. The neon cactus is a nice touch and Bodie appreciated the framed puppy pic and his packet of Zuke’s treats. Lovely staff across the board – whoever does the hiring at this place, knows their jalapenos.

ROOM STYLE: Eye-pinging color offset with authentic hand-crafted Mexican leather furniture. Our room was a lime-purple-orange combo. Not for the faint-hearted. When night falls and you step out on to your balcony you’ll see all the rooms surrounding the pool glowing prettily with their respective colors. The red ones have something of a peep show vibe… Mind you, given the gauzey drapes, so do all the other colors!

Our experience: The Saguaro will always have a special place in my heart because it turned a stinker of an evening into a stellar one. My friend Sam was visiting from the UK and we’d taken Bodie for a special treat dinner at one of the poshest hotels in town. It was absolute disaster. All the heaters were being used for a private function leaving us three shivering on a deserted patio. The service, food and drinks were so comically bad they ended up nixing the bill. But of course this still left us hungry. We arrived at the Saguaro just as their kitchen was closing but the manager heard our plight (as told to the jovial black-haired Billy Idol type hosting the bar) and she then muttered the magical words, ‘Let me see what I can do.’

Eating: Tinto is tapas bliss. We three hungry, cold souls were invited to cosy up beside a flickering firepit and bask in the relaxing glow as a parade of tempting plates were set before us – olives, smoked almonds, patatas riojanas… I have to say the Gypsy Kings’ Spanish guitar makes a particularly fitting complement to a glass of sangria and a triangle or two of manchego cheese. The atmosphere is classy and the service outstanding – knowledgeable, engaged, enthusiastic, personable. And so very welcoming to Bodie, who also wants to give a shout out to the Jamon Iberico.

Room Service? Yes. Iron Chef Jose Garces oversees the menu at the hotel’s Mexican restaurant and margarita bar and while El Jefe may not be dog-friendly (because it’s indoors) you can get all the goodies on room service. Breakfast sounds particularly tasty – take the citrus-vanilla French toast or the Eggs Benedict with chorizo pamplona, brioche and black truffle hollandaise.

Walking: The grounds around the pool have grassy areas so you could do multiple circuits there or step outside and sniff around the grassy borders of the hotel.

Tips: Pack earplugs – those brightly-colored walls are paper-thin.

Fees: No pet fees and all rooms are pet-friendly! Love that!

Breed/Weight Restrictions: None. Three cheers!

Rules: Dogs are not allowed beside the pool.

Note: You may leave your dog in the room if it is crated.

Address: 1800 E Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA   

Phone: (760) 323-1711

Website: The Saguaro Palm Springs

AVALON HOTEL PALM SPRINGS (formerly THE VICEROY)

Overall vibe: The design is classic Kelly Wearstler’ Hollywood Regency in striking monochrome with zings of lemon yellow. Slender white stone greyhounds are positioned on balconies and gateways – an apt choice for such a sleek and refined property. Service is very personal here and every face we encountered lit up at the sight of Bodie, which definitely makes you feel like a VIP. (Or at least the VIP’s handler.)

Room style: You can’t beat white on white for fresh impact. Plaster ceiling medallions act as bed headpieces and silver lanterns swing from heavy chains. One of the nice touches is that the balconies have heavy cotton drapes you can pull across for shade or privacy or to keep smaller pups contained.

Our experience: I felt I should be wearing a crisp white shirtdress with a yellow ‘statement’ necklace and Bodie a black necktie. The first time I stayed here was with my mum and there was a big thunderstorm so we drew the curtains, ordered room service and huddled up to watch the Oscars. It was the year Jamie Foxx won Best Actor and later described himself as ‘single deluxe’. That’s what you feel like at the Avalon – as if you have monogrammed luggage and your nose tilts a little to the sky.

Eating: Chi Chi (formerly Citron) may be petite but it’s perfectly chic. We were seated beneath the main canopy and Bodie slept contentedly beside the banquette, despite the protestations of a rather over-excitable dog next to us. I studied the menu – the Shrimp Burger and Squash Blossom Queso Fundido sounded delicious, as did the Paloma cocktail with tequila, elderflower, grapefruit, lime and agave. But then I looked out across the sleek white tables, the clear turquoise pool and bright yellow sunloungers… It’s a very rare setting that makes me want to order a salad and a Perrier but this was it.

Room service? Yes. I wish they could deliver some Zucchini Croquettas and a plate of Mexican Wedding Cookies to me right now!

Walking: Lovely manicured gardens with an abundance of fluttery cerise bougainvillea, citrus trees and privet hedges to sniff or lay beside.

The Avalon is also just a short stroll from Downtown PS and 20 minutes walk from The Corridor shops, our favorite coffee shop Koffi and the Bacon Flight at Cheeky’s!

Fees: I typically don’t feature hotels with high pet fees but this one rather snuck up on me! I’d stayed here twice BB (Before Bodie) and was keen to include the property in this guide so I brought Bodie here for lunch to check out the facilities. He approved. Later I saw the pet fee was listed as $100 on the Mr & Mrs Smith website but when I checked directly with the hotel it jumped up to $175! Now this is per stay so if your booking is for 4 nights that comes down to about $50 a night and the reason I’m trying to justify the price is because the Avalon offers two Rare Bonuses (see below). Also, if it’s any consolation there is one hotel in Palm Springs that charges $150 pet fee per night…

Take-home Treat: Dog bowl with Avalon logo.

Breed/Weight Restrictions: 40 lb weight limit though larger dogs can be accommodated at the manager’s discretion, if arrangements are made prior to stay.

Rules: Dogs must not be left unattended in the room.

Rare Bonuses: Firstly your dog can relax beside the pool with you which is wonderful. Secondly, Estrella Spa treatments are available al fresco in a private cabana so your calm, well-behaved pup can lie beside you while you are enjoying your Lava Shell massage or brightening Vitamin C facial. This opportunity is extremely rare and a lovely touch!

Address: 415 South Belardo Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262

Phone: (760) 320 4117

Website: www.avalonpalmsprings.com

RIVIERA HOTEL PALM SPRINGS

Overall vibe: This place has the wow-factor, in spades (and diamonds – there’s a definite Vegas flair to the décor). First you pull up to the the jazzy orange atrium with its glitzy multi-screen bar then, on the way to the restaurant and the main pool, you’ll pass purple shag rugs, gold tufted sofas and glinting coin portraits of local legends like this one of Cher. Definitely one of those, ‘Oooh look at this! And this!’ places where you want to snap a pic every few paces.

Room style: A cross between Jonathan Adler’s sleek take on mid-century modern with a flash of disco, a wink of Austin Powers and yet somehow richly tasteful. The colors are strong – fuchsia pink, chocolate brown and hot orange – but freshened with white and sun-streaming windows.

Our experience: This isn’t the typical place you’d expect to find dogs and yet no one bats an eye at Bodie’s presence. The other pups we pass seem particularly relaxed as if they understand that Palm Springs is all about kicking back and taking it easy. I almost expect to walk into the Starlite Lounge and find a Weimaraner in a velvet smoking jacket sipping a martini.

Eating: Circa 59 (named for the year the Riviera was built) has an expansive tree-shaded terrace overlooking the pool. Even when it’s busy and buzzy there’s still a soothing breeze and sense of calm making it one of our favorite spots in Palm Springs. Plus there’s plenty of space between tables so your dog can spread out and you don’t have to worry about him/her getting impaled on a chair leg or tripping the server. I had the lettuce cups but I wouldn’t recommend sharing the soy-sauce-drenched chicken with your pup as it’s a little too spicy. If you know what I mean. Bodie and I have lunched here twice and I have to say that the service isn’t all it should be but hopefully it’s improving as I type.

Walking: You and your dog could have a perfectly delightful stroll without leaving the sprawling property. It’s an interesting layout, comparable to the Starship Enterprise in that the strips of rooms branch off the main circular hub. Wander down the stylish corridors (see below) then dip in and out of the pretty, shady, grassy areas along the way. Over by the ballroom (where the Rat Pack used to perform and where Frank Sinatra Jr sold out last New Year’s Eve) there is a particularly pleasing zen courtyard with fountains.

If the temperatures aren’t too outrageous you can stroll on over to the top of the main drag of Palm Springs (Palm Canyon Drive) in 15 minutes. (We have some fun Uptown doggy window-shopping suggestions in Bodie’s Guide to Palm Springs.)

Tips: The Riviera has an expansive self-parking lot ($10 a night) but on a hot day it’s great to save your pup’s paws and pull into shaded the circular driveway and valet – it’s $15 and they drivers do speedy returns.

Fees: $100 per stay. Dog beds are supplied.

Treats: Turkey treats from Gravy Train and Canine Carry Out.

Breed/Weight Restrictions: 50lb total maximum. So you could have one Bodie size dog or 2 x 25 lb dogs, for example. Strange but true. Maximum of two dogs.

Rules: Dogs must be crated if left in the room and are not allowed in the pool areas.

Address: 1600 N Indian Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262  

Phone: (760) 327-8311

Website: Riviera Palm Springs

ACE HOTEL

Overall vibe: Total hipster haven. The clientele have such a specific look you’d think there was a dress code: girls in bikinis with beanies and bright red lipstick, boys with skinny tattooed bodies and ‘fashionable’ beards. There’s a line up of glossy retro scooters (for hire) in the driveway and multiple groovy photo ops dotted around the property. (You can find my favorite as the last image on Bodie’s Doggie Disasters.)

Room style: Stripped down urban motel with a splash of Bedouin chic. The white slatted rooms set 70s details alongside Moroccan rugs and the floor-length hooded robes (made from striped woven cotton) create a curious tribe of ‘nomads with a cocktail’ wandering the property. The ‘patio with garden’ and ‘patio with firepit’ rooms are dog-friendly have their own private outdoor areas and a record player, so you and your pup want to kick back and listen to some tunes.

Pool rules: 

Our experience: Every other guest has a dog (or lizard) here so you won’t get the OTT cooing you might get elsewhere but it’s very chilled, no fuss. There was a plaid-shirted live band the night we dined on the poolside terrace and having seen Bodie lose his mind over some jangly belly-dancers in Idyllwild I was concerned he might try and add his own vocals, but in actual fact he seemed soothed by the guitar-strumming. (I think I was more disturbed by the suspect Irish accents.)

Eating: The staff are laid-back about trotting your dog through the dark Amigo Room bar to get to the casual, come-as-you-are poolside terrace with its palm tree pillars, wooden tables and director’s chairs. I spied a tray of hand-made dog biscuits in the hotel’s King’s Highway diner and purchased one for Bodie, though mysteriously it did not pass his sniff test. He was more interested in the Mojo Carnitas Tacos. For me the best items on the menu are the Devils on Horseback (bacon-wrapped local dates) and the Desert Facial cocktail – it’s the most refreshing beverage I’ve ever had the pleasure to imbibe: vodka, pineapple juice, mint and cucumber. You (and everyone else for that matter) definitely appear more attractive after a few of these.

Room service? Yes. Again breakfast is a winner – Sweet Corn Fritters with poached eggs, grilled tomatoes, arugula and orange-cumin yogurt! And of course you have to try the local Date Shake…

Walking: The grounds are a tad sand-pit barren without much shade for a panting pup. However, the Moorten Botanical Garden is just 8 minutes walk away and for $4 you can explore the World’s First Cactarium and a multitude of succulents. (Read more and see pics in Bodie’s Guide to Palm Springs.) In the evening its nice to stroll the residential area behind the hotels, stepping back in time with the mid-century architectures and immaculate landscaping. You half except Bob Hope to go trundling by in a golf cart. So peaceful, and I love to see the palm trees silhouetted against the moonlit sky.

Tips: Don’t get too excited by the signs for the dog park – unless you have a hamster-size pup it won’t be able to stretch it’s legs, just do its business.

Fees: $25 per dog per night, maximum two in a room.

Breed/Weight Restrictions: It says under 25 lbs but really they are flexible.

Rules: Dogs may only stay with you in one of the patio rooms.

Rare bonus: Dogs are allowed poolside here. (Though as the sign says Dogs, Lizards & Other Beasts Must Be On Leash) This is a major bonus as you will inevitably want to take a dip.

Treats: They were quite sweet about this – ‘We don’t typically offer dog treats but we can if you like!’

Address: 701 East Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264  

Phone: 760 325 9900

Website: www.acehotel.com/palmsprings

We mentioned all the lovely hotel dining options here but you can also check out Bodie’s 4 favorite restaurants in town:

Do you have favorite dog friendly hotels in Palm Springs? Do tell!