411 E. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California, United States | (618) 248-8274
'60s-style motel with a fun tiki theme
Convenient Palm Springs location close to art galleries and shopping
Rooms with TVs, coffeemakers, and mini-fridges
Large outdoor pool and hot tub with great mountain views
Lovely outdoor courtyard with cabanas, tropical plants, and palm trees
Shuffleboard, ping-pong, and barbecues available
Business corner in the lobby
Free Wi-Fi and parking
Congo Room restaurant serves all three meals
Dated rooms
Many areas in need of repairs
Some traffic noise
Harking back to the '60s with its cheap and cheery, tiki-themed decor, the 90-room Caliente Tropics Resort is a budget motel in Palm Springs. Fun, tropical touches abound, like tiki torches, tiki statues, and totem poles, as well as palm trees and tropical flowers dotting the grounds, but the property is dated and in need of a revamp. The rooms look tired, with cheap bedspreads and worn carpets. The outdoor pool, however, is lovely and one of the largest in the area, surrounded by lounge chairs with great views of the mountains, and there are also cabanas for lounging and barbecue grills available. Popular Palm Springs shops, galleries, and restaurants on the main drag are only a short drive up the street. Budget travelers looking for a clean room and a pool should also consider the neighboring Motel 6 Palm Springs East or the nearby Best Western Inn at Palm Springs.
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Scene
Dated motel with 1960s Polynesian decor
The Caliente Tropics Resort's Polynesian decor of tiki torches, coconut carvings, and tiki statues is coupled with a retro 1960s style. Even the updated lobby, which departs from the island theme, stays true to the era with mid-century furniture and a starburst patterned carpet. Outside, the palm-lined courtyard lawn is dotted with tropical flowers, local succulents, and bright tangerine-colored loungers, though many areas are in need of general renovation.
Location
Located on the main drag of Palm Springs, close to shopping, fine dining, and nightlife
Set on the busy East Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Spring's main street, the Caliente Tropics Resort is just under a 10-minute drive from popular downtown restaurants, bars, galleries, and shopping. The surrounding area is home to many other hotels and there are a couple of restaurants within walking distance. Palm Spring's main attractions are easily accessible by car. Popular regional destinations include Joshua Tree National park (45 minutes away) and Coachella (35 minutes away). It's a nine-minute drive to the Palm Springs International Airport and a two-hour drive to Los Angeles.
Rooms
Budget motel rooms with old furnishings and tropical theme
The 90 rooms have a standard motel layout with direct outdoor entry. They're decorated in a mix of dated furnishings and a few knickknacks that keep with the property's tropical theme, like cheeky tissue boxes with Polynesian heads (tissues protrude from the head's nose) and framed palm tree prints on the walls. Worn red carpets and cheap tropical print bedspreads add color to the neutral decor, but are due for an update. All rooms come equipped with mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi. We found a slight musty odor that dispersed after turning on the loud, old air-conditioning unit. The bathrooms are small, but they have relatively large walk-in showers with plastic curtains as well as sinks with large vanities and plenty of space for personal belongings.
Features
Large outdoor pool with mountain views, courtyard with cabanas, grills, shuffleboard, and ping-pong, plus free Wi-Fi
The property has a lovely, large outdoor pool with beautiful mountain views. It has a generous sun deck surrounded by lounge chairs as well as a huge hot tub that can fit up to 12 people.The adjacent courtyard has a sunny lawn with barbecue grills and some cabanas, but they're little more than adjoining palm-covered stalls, each with a pair of sun loungers. Guests will also find two outdoor shuffleboard courts and a ping-pong table under a covered pavilion. There's a business corner with a single laptop and roller chair by the vending machines in the lobby. The Congo Room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in tiki-setting. A fitness center is located on-site.
