Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs

The Kimpton Rowan is the hotel for travelers who want to be in the middle of everything. It stands at 100 West Tahquitz Canyon Way, right at the heart of the redeveloped downtown, a block from Palm Canyon Drive and a short walk from the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza, the Palm Springs Art Museum, Downtown Park and Forever Marilyn. Unusually for low-rise Palm Springs, it rises several stories, and the payoff is on the roof: a pool deck with sweeping views of the San Jacinto Mountains and the valley, cabanas, and High Bar, the poolside bar where sunset cocktails come with one of the best panoramas in the city. One floor of dining sits at the top, too — 4 Saints, the hotel's seventh-floor restaurant and bar, serves contemporary seasonal food and steaks with downtown views, and appears in the MICHELIN Guide's Palm Springs selection. At street level, Juniper Table is a relaxed Mediterranean café for breakfast and lunch, and Window Bar in the lobby is a casual meeting point. Rooms follow the Kimpton style: contemporary, colorful and comfortable, with good beds and many with mountain or pool views. The Rowan Courts, the hotel's pickleball courts, are open daily from 7am to sunset, free with equipment for guests. Kimpton touches include a lobby champagne vending machine, a bedside reading program with complimentary books, and a famously pet-friendly welcome. A spa and fitness center round things out. Downtown location means you can leave the car parked: VillageFest happens on Thursday nights just steps away, and dozens of restaurants and bars are within a few minutes' walk.

The Rowan opened in 2018 as part of the downtown revival, and it changed the way many visitors experience Palm Springs. Where the classic Palm Springs stay is a low-slung inn behind a hedge, the Rowan offers city-hotel convenience with a resort pool on top. The rooftop deck is the social center: lively on weekend afternoons, more relaxed on weekdays, and magical at sunset when the mountains turn pink. Cabanas can be reserved for groups or special occasions, and the bar serves food and cocktails all afternoon.

Choose a room on a higher floor facing the mountains for the best views, and expect some street noise on lower floors facing downtown, especially on weekend nights. The hotel suits a wide range of travelers — couples on a weekend getaway, friends, business travelers attending the nearby convention center, and families who like the walkability and the pool. As with most Palm Springs hotels, check for daily amenity fees and parking charges when booking, and IHG loyalty members can earn and redeem points here.

For a first-time visitor without a car, the Rowan is one of the easiest bases in Palm Springs: walk to the museums, VillageFest, restaurants and shops, and take rideshare to the tram or Indian Canyons. If you crave a secluded garden and quiet nights, look instead at Korakia or the Parker; if you want a lively pool scene with a younger crowd, the Ace or the Saguaro. But for a polished, central stay with a rooftop pool and views, the Rowan is the downtown pick.