El Mirasol Villas

El Mirasol suits gay men who want a quiet, casual stay with room to spread out. The bungalow suites and kitchens work well for longer trips, and the owners run it themselves. It is not a party resort. For a busier pool, Vista Grande and INNdulge are a short walk away.

History, in the resort’s words

El Mirasol says it was built in 1947 by Howard Hughes as a six-building compound. It became a hotel in the early 1950s and was owned by Bob Hope in the 1960s.

In 1975, the resort says, it reopened as “Palm Springs’ first gay hotel,” and an annexation on the north side in the early 1980s expanded it. The current owners, Paul and Bruce, have run it since October 2000.

This is the resort’s own account; we have not independently verified the celebrity history.

Rooms

The resort lists eight room types, all with California king beds:

• Bungalow Studios A and B (garden view) — microwave and refrigerator.
• Poolside Studio — adds a wet bar.
• Deluxe Poolside Studio — direct pool entry, a large refrigerator and an upgraded bathroom.
• Expanded Poolside Studio — a full kitchen and a poolside patio.
• Bungalow Deluxe Studio — a full kitchen and a private poolside patio.
• One-Bedroom Bungalow Suite — a living room with a queen sleeper sofa, a full kitchen and a private patio.
• Two-Bedroom Bungalow Suite — two refrigerators and two private patios.

Rates are per night for one or two guests, and daily housekeeping is included. The site doesn’t publish a total room count.

Pools and the house style

There are two clothing-optional pools, one of them a heated saltwater pool. There is also a hot tub, gardens with mountain views, and what the resort calls a newly expanded steam room.

Recent guests describe the place as quiet at night, casual and friendly.

Booking terms

• Times: check-in 2 to 6 pm, check-out 11 am. After 6 pm you need to arrange a self check-in in advance.
• Office hours: 9 am to 6 pm daily.
• Dogs: 20 lb or less are allowed; call about fees.
• Smoking: smoking or vaping in a room carries a $300 fee.
• Deposits and cancellation: a deposit is required, and the resort mentions a flexible cancellation policy “with advance notice” without giving the cutoff online. Ask before you pay.

Where it is

The address is 525 S Warm Sands Drive, a few doors from Casa Oliver and Exotic Dreams.

• Arenas Road bars: about 0.7 miles by road, roughly a 15-minute walk.
• Palm Springs airport (PSP): about 2.5 miles.

A recent reviewer put the walk to town at 20–25 minutes.

What recent guests say

Tripadvisor showed 137 reviews averaging 4.5 in October 2026: 97 excellent, 23 good, 12 average, 1 poor and 4 terrible. Recent volume is low: only two of the ten newest reviews are from 2026 and three from 2025. All ten were five-star. Repeated themes:

• the owners and staff;
• landscaping;
• having two pools;
• quiet nights;
• suites that feel like small apartments with kitchens and terraces.

How it compares

Choose The Hacienda instead for a more polished, service-heavy stay with breakfast and lunch included. Choose Vista Grande for more pools, a cooked breakfast and a busier crowd. Choose Triangle Inn if you want a self-catering stay closer to Palm Canyon Drive.