Descanso Resort

Descanso suits gay men who want a calm, staffed pool and meals taken care of, and who do not need to walk to the Arenas Road bars. It is the wrong choice if you want a party, a day-pass crowd or a 24-hour front desk. The closest alternatives are its sister resorts, Santiago and Twin Palms.

What sets it apart

Descanso is one of three Palm Springs resorts run by the same group; the other two are Santiago and Twin Palms. All three describe themselves as gay men’s resorts, have swimsuit-optional pools, include breakfast and a poolside lunch, and charge the same $24 daily fee. The differences are size, location and mood.

Descanso is the smallest of the three, with 16 rooms, suites and deluxe suites according to Gloss Magazine’s 2023 comparison, which called it the most restorative of the trio. It is also the only one north of downtown. None of the three sells day passes, so the pool is shared only with other overnight guests.

Where it is

The address is 288 E Camino Monte Vista, on the north side of town. That puts it away from Warm Sands, where most of the city’s gay resorts are clustered.

• Arenas Road bars: roughly 1.9 miles by road, a walk of 35–40 minutes.
• Palm Canyon Drive at Tahquitz Canyon Way: about 1.7 miles.
• Palm Springs airport (PSP): about 3 miles by road.

The resort lends multi-speed bicycles, and its own site says the north-end restaurant Birba is 0.7 miles away. Plan on bikes, rideshare or a car for evenings downtown.

Rooms and what’s included

Room types are Balcony Room, Balcony Suite, Balcony Deluxe Suite, Poolside Room and Poolside Suite, sleeping two or three. The resort lists king beds, fast Wi-Fi and Gilchrist & Soames bath products. The daily fee covers:

• continental breakfast and a poolside lunch;
• a cantina with snacks and drinks;
• a weekend “Wine O’Clock” hour;
• bicycles, off-street parking and EV chargers (first come, first served).

The saltwater pool and spa are open 24 hours, with no music or noise after 10 pm.

Costs and booking terms

The resort publishes its fees, but nightly rates appear only in its booking engine. Budget for:

• the $24 daily fee;
• 12.7% local room tax;
• $60 per night for a third person.

Booking takes a one-night deposit. Cancel 14 or more days ahead to get it back; later cancellations forfeit it. Check-in starts at 3 pm and check-out is 11 am.

The front desk closes at 7 pm Thursday to Saturday and at 5 pm Sunday to Wednesday, after which an after-hours process applies. If you are arriving late or traveling with an emotional-support animal ($100 fee with advance notice), sort it out before you arrive.

What recent guests say

Tripadvisor showed 253 reviews averaging 5.0 when we checked in October 2026. We read the ten most recent, nine from July to September 2026 and one from March 2026. All ten were five-star. The themes that came up repeatedly:

• staff, often named individually;
• cleanliness of rooms and grounds;
• the included meals and 24-hour cantina, which several guests described as good value;
• a pool where socializing is optional and nights are quiet.

We found no repeated complaint in that sample. Ten reviews is a small window, so read the full set on Tripadvisor if a specific issue matters to you.

How it compares

Choose Santiago instead if you want the same inclusions in a larger, longer-running resort closer to Warm Sands and Arenas Road: 24 rooms, about 1.2 miles by road from the bars. Choose Twin Palms if you prefer a 2022 mid-century conversion with a 12-person spa, and don’t mind being farther south. Choose Casa Oliver if you want the opposite of Descanso: day passes, pool parties and an indoor play space.