Thompson Palm Springs

We really want to love the Thompson. We have stayed all over the world and have reasonable patience when it comes to hotels. The hotel has a fantastic vibe, the design is beautiful, and the location is unbeatable for walking to downtown restaurants. However, for a high-end brand, the service was surprisingly tone-deaf. The Milestone Miss: I pre-arranged champagne for my wife’s 60th birthday with the concierge. It never happened. A major letdown for a landmark celebration. The Check-in Extortion: We arrived at 2:30 PM and were told our room was ready, but it would cost $150 to enter early. We returned at 3:45 PM and were told the same, still $150. By 4:00 PM, the desk was overwhelmed, the lobby was full of frustrated guests, and the "luxury" experience felt like a frantic waiting room. We were handed our keys and room number, with no explanation about where to go, what to expect, etc. The "Invisible" Guest: Over four days at the pool, we were never once approached by a server. We eventually started bringing our own food and drinks. During the so called Happy Hour, We had the same experience; after sitting for several minutes with no service in site, we just gave up and left. ($49 resort fee was not worth it) House Keeping: About 4:00 p.m. the third day I had to ask if part of our room price included typical daily cleaning. They said yes, but suggested that we must have had a do not disturb on our door, which wasn't the case. It was just forgotten. Concierge Role: During the Coachella rush, the concierge was unhelpful regarding airport transport. Being told the "shuttle drops you a mile short of the airport" or to pay the $120 for a 4-mile Uber isn't the level of problem-solving you expect here. The Bright Spots: The Valet team was the exception—quick, friendly, and professional. The hotel has immense potential and a great aesthetic, but the "bugs" in the service department need to be squashed. We will likely try it again, hoping the execution eventually matches the environment.

Just got back from a six-night stay at the Thompson Palm Springs and wanted to share a detailed review for anyone considering it. This was our second visit, and it absolutely reinforced how much we like this property. We stayed in early April for a birthday trip. The first night was booked using a Category 1–7 free night certificate, followed by five nights on points, and we applied a Suite Upgrade Award for the 5 nights booked with points. First off, the location is hard to beat. You’re right in downtown Palm Springs, and we didn’t rent a car at all. Everything is walkable—restaurants, bars, coffee shops, the Palm Springs Art Museum, and even some great architectural stops like the Frey House tour. That convenience alone adds a lot of value to the stay. Service has been consistently excellent for us across both visits. Before arrival, we reached out to the hotel noting it was a birthday trip, and they recognized us as returning guests. Verne (concierge) was especially helpful—he proactively walked us through room options given the mixed booking (FNA + points + SUA) and asked whether we wanted to stay in one room or experience different room types. We opted to move after the first night so we could try a specific king room category. For the first night, we stayed in room 453 (king view room overlooking the main pool). This is one of the rooms I had specifically hoped to try, and it delivered. Great west-facing mountain views, a large balcony, and a lively outlook over the main pool. The room itself is beautifully done—modern, clean, and very well maintained. The pool area does get active, so if you’re sensitive to noise, this may not be the best choice. I always sleep with earplugs and had no issues, and my partner wasn’t bothered either. If you want quieter surroundings, the courtyard-facing rooms are noticeably calmer. For the remainder of the stay, we moved to a suite in the Upper Stories section (room 278). This area feels almost like a separate hotel—much quieter, more low-key, and I believe adults-only. The suite itself was excellent: large living room and bedroom, two big TVs, a spacious bathroom, and two separate outdoor spaces (one with chaise lounges, one with a table and chairs). It’s a great setup if you want space and a more relaxed environment. We spent one full day at the Upper Stories pool, which was perfect for reading and unwinding after time at the main pool. It’s definitely a lower-energy vibe. One tradeoff is that poolside service is more limited—you generally need to call for service, and it can take a bit longer. That said, they do offer complimentary touches like sparkling wine, non-alcoholic drinks, bottled water, and a small selection of snacks (including yogurt and Poppy sodas), which is a nice perk. Dining on property is strong. As a Globalist, breakfast at Lola Rose was consistently excellent—great service, a solid menu, and the flexibility to sit indoors or outdoors. We also had dinner there one night and it was just as good. We ate at Bar Issi one evening and highly recommend booking in advance (we used Resy). It’s a popular spot and fills up quickly. We were able to use Amex Platinum dining credits, which effectively covered most of the meal—always a nice bonus if you have that benefit. Another underrated perk is the house car. They’ll drop you off within about a two-mile radius—we used it twice for dinner reservations that were a bit farther out, then walked back. The vehicle is a large electric Cadillac Escalade and makes for a very comfortable ride. Off-property dining is one of the highlights of staying here given the walkability. We went back to Johannes (on Indian Canyon/Arenas), which has been a favorite of ours since 1999—great California/Austrian-inspired menu and an excellent schnitzel selection. Bar Cecil is another standout if you can snag a reservation (book right when they open slots—usually two weeks out). Overall, this property hits a really nice balance. It’s not a massive resort, but it has enough scale and amenities to feel full-service. At the same time, it retains a boutique feel with consistently strong service and well-designed spaces. Between the location, the quality of the rooms, the service, and the ability to leverage Hyatt points, free night certificates, and suite upgrades, this is one of our favorite go-to properties in the U.S.

The best part of this place is the location. And that's all I have for the positive parts of this hotel. It is clean and the artwork is super fun. Hospitality is not their strong suit. And everything you're seeing from influencers is completely opposite for the average person. Don't expect to be given any service while at the pool...I felt invisible for 3 days. I struggle to see the value in the $49 resort fee. This place is definitely not worth the daily room rate or the resort fee.

I traveled around spring break time with my daughter to celebrate her birthday. We stayed in the Upper Stories section. Positives: The location is right downtown and convenient if you want to be near the action. The Lola Rose food is absolutely delicious and you can order it as room service. The workout room is great. Most of the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. They offer a free car service within two miles. The Upper Stories is definitely much quieter than the rest of the hotel and has ample chairs to sit in. Our room was spacious and incredibly comfortable. the negatives: They advertise the Upper Stories as having free snacks and drinks including alcoholic beverages but the only drinks are a gross, sweet canned mimosa, Celsius, canned La Colombe, and two flavors of Poppi sodas. It's not even close to as exciting as they make it seem. The only snack is a fruit Greek yogurt. It was quiet for the most part minus a room full of ladies who were smoking and extremely loud til 4 am. The hotel did not shut them down til around 4 am til someone complained. We did receive a small food stipend but the fact it wasn't handled before that was frustrating. The adult pool is very nice and quiet. However, it was absolutely FREEZING. The larger pool was obviously heated but the adult pool was not. There is no pool service at the adult pool as far as food or drinks. You can order in room dining and it can be delivered. That being said, one of the days around 3 pm, two pool service guys came around for about 15 minutes for drinks. Never saw them again. One of the days it took over an hour to get our food. The bartenders at the big pool are clearly understaffed and overwhelmed. They were incredibly rude and tried to pass off a cheaper glass of wine without telling us they were out of the one we ordered. I know people are always celebrating, but the hotel didn't do anything for her birthday. Even a plate of fruit would've been nice. Also no spa if you were wanting that. Would debate staying here next time, might prefer a quieter more intimate boutique hotel.

Exceptional hotel in the heart of town. Staff was friendly and helpful. Had a great view of the main street off of our balcony and our room was adjacent to the pool area. Would highly recommend and will stay there again.