The allure of Southern California’s desert landscape extends far beyond its reputation for winter sunshine and lavish resorts. The region pulsates with vibrant energy, hosting renowned music festivals, showcasing iconic mid-century modern architecture, offering world-class golfing, presenting scenic hiking trails, painting spectacular sunsets, celebrating inclusive pride events, and serving up decadent dining experiences. Yet, amidst this diverse tapestry of attractions, perhaps the most compelling reason to visit Palm Springs and its neighboring sun-drenched cities – Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, and Desert Hot Springs – lies in the pursuit of self-care within the area’s exceptional spas. With a plethora of options scattered throughout the Coachella Valley, selecting the perfect sanctuary can feel overwhelming. Therefore, we have curated a list of ten noteworthy spas in the greater Palm Springs area, each promising a unique and rejuvenating wellness experience.
1. The Palm Springs Yacht Club
Step into a world of whimsical wellness at The Palm Springs Yacht Club, nestled within the iconic Parker Palm Springs. This spa offers a wellness journey seemingly designed by Wes Anderson, with a unique nautical theme. The design is a playful commitment to the ship concept, featuring liberal use of navy, stripes, and sailing flags. Lifesavers transform into wall art, shower stalls are adorned with portholes, the carpet boasts a rope print, and treatment rooms are named after celebrated America’s Cup boats.
Before or after your appointment, guests can relax in retro chaises surrounding a saline pool-hot tub combination, reminiscent of a grand lido deck. The spa offers a comprehensive à la carte menu, but for the ultimate indulgence, consider the five-hour Lost At Sea package. This decadent treatment includes five services, culminating in a luxurious hand and foot paraffin treatment. The Palm Springs Yacht Club offers a uniquely themed and thoroughly immersive spa experience.
2. Sunstone Spa
Escape the energetic atmosphere of the Agua Caliente Resort in Rancho Mirage and discover the award-winning Sunstone Spa, a haven promising an experience that lives up to its name. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians believes sunstones bring life, positive energy, and abundance. This philosophy is infused into every aspect of the spa.
Sunstone Spa boasts a robust menu of face, body, hair, and nail treatments, employing innovative technology to enhance the experience. Guests can enjoy chromatic light mats, infrared tables, a halotherapy booth, and a Japanese cold-steam technique. While services come at a premium, Sunstone provides complimentary extras to enhance value. These include superfood mocktails and zero-gravity chairs in the waiting area. All massages incorporate heated stones and include gentle foot exfoliation and a vibrational session at no extra cost, ensuring a truly holistic experience. If you are looking for positive energy, Sunstone Spa might be your choice to experience in the area of Palm Springs.
3. JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa
Spa Desert Springs at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa truly puts the "day" in "day spa." You’ll need a full day to fully appreciate all this neutral-toned nirvana offers. The sprawling 38,000-square-foot space, freshly renovated and overlooking the Palm Desert resort’s golf course, features 47 treatment rooms, two luxury suites, a steamy hammam (enhanced with the personal Kerstin Florian kit), a full-size saltwater pool, and a dry sauna.
Beyond treatments, Spa Desert Springs offers a restaurant, a bar cart where guests can custom blend lotions and potions, a movement studio, a fitness center, a curated shop, and quiet lounges. For special occasions, reserve the Sanctuary Suite, which includes a multi-head shower, a patio, a fireplace, and a whirlpool bath. The JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa delivers a comprehensive and luxurious spa experience.
4. Korakia Pensione
A stay at Korakia Pensione, a historic Moroccan-meets-Mediterranean property, feels like an extended spa retreat. The ambiance is inherently calming, accentuated by water and fire features, the subtle scent of citrus in the air, and the afternoon mint tea service.
Enhance your experience with in-room services such as vibrational scalp treatments, detoxifying desert poultices crafted by the head therapist, or a crystal chakra balancing ritual incorporating seven oils and a Turkish rosewater-infused foot soak. For budget-conscious travelers, the studio offers excellent value. Korakia Pensione delivers a unique and immersive wellness experience, deeply rooted in its calming atmosphere.
5. St. Somewhere Spa
Achieve a change in attitude without changing latitude at St. Somewhere Spa, a 10,000-square-foot haven at Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs. Despite its location within a Jimmy Buffett-themed hotel, the spa maintains a distinct identity, offering a blissful escape in one of its 18 tiled treatment rooms.
Indulge in an Intraceuticals facial, an avocado pear refresher, or a Matcha Magic Elixir. St. Somewhere even offers Pampered Pooch services for your canine companion. A full salon caters to hair, nail, tanning, and makeup needs. Monthly specials and Thursday evening date night sessions add to the allure of this seasonal destination. St. Somewhere Spa offers a unique blend of relaxation and playful theming.
6. Azure Palm Hot Springs
Azure Palm Hot Springs, opened in 2021 atop Miracle Hill, is helping Desert Hot Springs reclaim its "Spa City" nickname by harnessing the geothermal aquifer beneath the region and embracing a holistic approach to wellness. The haven offers a full-service spa, saunas, a cold bucket shower, a reflexology walk, a delicious café with vegan and gluten-free options, a yoga studio, a relaxing garden, and a supervised juice cleanse including B6 and B12 shots, colon hydrotherapy, and cold-pressed nectars.
The centerpiece is an oasis featuring native plants, panoramic views, and mineral plunges shaded by open-sided huts. Unlike many hot springs, the water has very little sulfur, eliminating the unpleasant rotten egg smell, and a constant flow allows forgoing chlorine. Day passes offer access to many amenities, while hotel guests enjoy exclusive perks like 24-hour access and use of the Himalayan salt room and the ice room. Spa suites boast personal mineral soaking tubs for suit-free bathing. Azure Palm Hot Springs provides a comprehensive and naturally therapeutic spa experience.
7. Spa Rosa
Spa Rosa debuted at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa following its reopening in November 2023. The spa menu includes tailored massages, a rose quartz facial, and a Himalayan body peel and wrap.
According to the spa’s website, "Using methods and rituals inspired by the healing powers of the surrounding desert and beautiful views of the Santa Rosa Mountains, our expert team will transport you to an instant state of bliss." The offerings include a massage tailored to individual needs, a tropical-themed body treatment, and inviting outdoor soaking pools. Spa Rosa delivers a tranquil and tropical-inspired spa experience.
8. Grounded Bodyworks
After a decade of waxing, sound baths, and working out kinks with homemade jojoba-arnica oil in Palm Springs, Grounded Bodyworks, a gender-neutral day spa, established a second location in a bungalow at The Paloma hotel in Cathedral City. Both locations feature nouveau boho décor and emphasize the healing power of touch, creating a safe, inclusive environment using clean products from OSEA and other women-founded brands.
The linens are infused with juniper, lime, and sage, adding an extra layer of relaxation to doula-approved pregnancy massages and facials designed to treat seasonal skin needs. Grounded Bodyworks is a premier destination for faux lashes, tints, and brow lamination. Grounded Bodyworks provides an inclusive and holistic spa experience.
9. Spa La Quinta
Experience Hollywood-style pampering at Spa La Quinta, located at La Quinta Resort & Club, a resort featured on "The Bachelorette." The 23,000-square-foot spa and salon offer seven whirlpool baths, two steam rooms, two inhalation rooms, and a serene central courtyard.
Guests can indulge in a wide range of treatments in one of the 38 treatment rooms, including anti-aging facials, contouring body wraps, exfoliating scrubs, and over a dozen types of massages, including a table Thai version. Recovery-driven options include the Ignite Balance CBD candle massage and a 60-minute one-on-one fascial stretch therapy session. Guests can also rent recovery tools by companies like Hypervolt, Normatec, and Hyperice to continue their myofascial rehab in their rooms. Spa La Quinta combines classic pampering with innovative recovery techniques.
10. Two Bunch Palms
Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs, has been marinating guests in its low-sulfur, lithium-rich mineral waters since the 1930s. The compound feels like a hidden gem tucked away behind a security gate and date palms. The upscale retreat spans 77 acres and offers an unrushed, quiet (no kids allowed!), and mystical atmosphere.
Wellness begins with soaks in teak or concrete tubs and grotto pools fed with over 100-degree water from the spring below. The spa menu, featuring chaga-charged adaptogen wraps and craniosacral energy work, is designed to complement long soaks. A yoga dome, tea lounge, duck pond, walking labyrinth, and hammock grove complete the regenerative amenities. Two Bunch Palms offers a unique blend of history, natural healing, and mystical practices.
Greater Palm Springs offers a diverse array of spa experiences, from whimsical themes to holistic healing and luxurious pampering. Whether you seek a quick escape or an extended wellness retreat, the spas of this desert oasis provide the perfect setting for rejuvenation and self-care. The Palm Springs area has a lot to offer for wellness and relaxation.
