4* Hilton Palm Springs

There are times when free breakfast and free parking are considerably sexier than designer toiletries, and Palm Springs can be one of them. Best Western Plus Las Brisas Hotel gets the practical stuff right while putting you almost ridiculously close to the action. The Mediterranean-style buildings wrap around gardens, terraces and a heated outdoor pool with hot tub and cabanas. Rooms come with mini-fridges and coffee makers, while the complimentary hot breakfast makes mornings painless. There’s also a fitness centre and poolside food and drink when leaving your lounger feels unnecessarily ambitious. The big advantage is location: Arenas Road, the heart of Palm Springs’ gay bar scene, is essentially around the corner, while Palm Canyon Drive, restaurants and shops are all walkable. GayMapper tip: Excellent value for a nightlife-heavy weekend – you can walk home from the gay bars and wake up to breakfast already included.

CCBC isn’t trying to be a discreet little boutique hotel, and that’s rather the point. This huge 21+ clothing-optional gay men’s resort in Cathedral City is built around socialising, pool time and a distinctly more adult side of a Palm Springs holiday. Across the sprawling grounds you’ll find a large pool, two spas, waterfall, steam room and various indoor and outdoor social spaces. Runway Bar & Restaurant means you can eat and drink without leaving the resort, while day passes and regular events bring in plenty of non-resident visitors too. Rooms range from straightforward studios to larger suites and kitchenette options. You’re outside Palm Springs proper, so Arenas Road and Downtown are a drive away. But CCBC is really a destination in itself rather than somewhere you book simply as a base. GayMapper tip: Choose CCBC because you actively want the social, clothing-optional resort experience – it’s one of the biggest of its kind anywhere.

Architecture fans can actually sleep inside a piece of Palm Springs history here. Del Marcos Hotel was designed in 1947 by William F. Cody as his first independent commission, and the 17-room property later became an officially recognised Palm Springs historic site. The adults-only hotel still revolves around its gorgeous central saltwater pool, framed by native stone, redwood and mountain views. Rooms are individually styled, with some adding patios, balconies or kitchen facilities, and guests can borrow bikes for exploring. There’s free parking too, plus access to dining and spa facilities at sister property La Serena Villas nearby. You’re tucked into the Historic Tennis Club neighbourhood, just one block from Downtown – close to restaurants and shops while retaining that quiet residential Palm Springs feel. GayMapper tip: If Modernism Week makes your heart beat faster, Del Marcos gives you the chance to stay in the architecture rather than merely photograph it.

Palm Springs is famously low-rise, which makes the rooftop at Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel feel almost mischievous. Its seventh-floor pool is the only rooftop hotel pool in town, with uninterrupted mountain views that become particularly gorgeous around sunset. The 153 rooms and suites are sleek without losing the desert feel, while High Bar and 4 Saints mean the rooftop remains lively well after pool time. There’s a 24-hour gym, six pickleball courts, complimentary bikes and the classic Kimpton evening wine hour too. Step outside and you’re right in Downtown, with Palm Canyon Drive at the door and the gay bars around Arenas Road only a short walk away. That combination of proper hotel facilities and genuine walkability is surprisingly rare in Palm Springs. GayMapper tip: Time at least one evening around the rooftop – sunset, cocktail, dinner and then Arenas Road makes for a very easy Palm Springs night.

If your idea of desert relaxation involves an enormous swimming pool rather than an intimate courtyard, Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel has you covered. Its pool deck is one of the biggest in Downtown Palm Springs, with cabanas, mountain views and plenty of space to make an afternoon disappear. Rooms are bright and contemporary, Date handles all-day dining and Rocks is there for cocktails, while the hotel connects directly to the Convention Center. Another welcome detail: there’s no resort fee, increasingly something worth celebrating in California. Downtown restaurants and shops are walkable, with Arenas Road a little farther away but still easy when you want the gay nightlife. This is also one of the more practical choices for events, conferences or trips where you appreciate the resources of a large full-service hotel. GayMapper tip: Come for the big-resort pool without actually having to leave Downtown – and enjoy the rare pleasure of seeing “no resort fee” on the bill.

Sometimes you want Palm Springs character; sometimes you want a big pool, a proper spa and a hotel where everything simply works. Hilton Palm Springs falls firmly into the second camp, with a central location that also happens to be very handy for going out. The large outdoor pool deck is the focal point, backed up by Elements Spa, a fitness centre and mountain views. Rooms are generously sized, and the complimentary airport shuttle is particularly useful if you’re doing Palm Springs without hiring a car. Palm Canyon Drive is a few blocks away and Arenas Road’s gay bars are easily walkable, so dinner, drinks and nightlife don’t require much planning. The Convention Center is also nearby. GayMapper tip: A dependable all-rounder if you want full hotel facilities and a proper resort-style pool without giving up the ability to wander into the gay nightlife on foot.