Gay Resorts & More: Palm Springs Edition

Welcome to Gay Resorts & More: Palm Springs Edition. This site is designed to give you, the gay traveler, tips on where to stay, where to eat, where to play, and what to do on your next weekend outing or vacation to Palm Springs. We'll review all of the gay resorts in the area, and update them often. We'll also review restaurants, bars, clubs, shops and other points of interest for the gay traveler. So please browse the postings and comment back, we'd love to hear what you think or even help you in planning your visit to Palm Springs! Have fun and enjoy beautiful Palm Springs!

Following the review of each gay resort will be a property rating. The number indicates, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is perfection, the overall quality of the resort and takes these items into account:

• friendliness and helpfulness of staff;
• quality and upkeep of the property, landscape and outside sound system;
• cleanliness and upkeep of the rooms & bathrooms, and advertised amenities;
• quality and upkeep of the pools, jacuzzis, steam room, sauna and property water features;
• quality and selection of breakfast items, coffee service, lunch and afternoon cocktail reception (as advertised).

The second rating reflects the sexual intensity of the resort. This is represented by a % amount. The higher the number, the higher you can expect the sexual intensity to be. Note that despite any particular property's reputation, sexual intensity is a constantly changing variable based, in part, on the property layout and what extras it offers (steam room, video room, dark room, play room, maze, etc.), but more so on the mix of guys at the resort at any given time. It's always an adventure! Be safe and have fun!

• 10% indicates comparable sexual intensity to the standard hotel/motel.
• 25% indicates the resort has a romantic character, good for couples.
• 50% indicates the resort has an increased sexual intensity, good for slightly adventurous singles or couples.
• 75% indicates the resort has an elevated level of sexual intensity, where the resort tries to create an environment where guys, singled or coupled or groups, can find a fun level of sexual activity available.
• 100%+ indicates the resort has an intense level of sexual intensity and activity available: good for exhibitionists, voyeurs, and guys looking for lots of sexual fun & games.

Located at the entrance to Warm Sands, El Mirasol is an oasis needing a facelift. The hosts, Paul & Bruce, are attentive to their guests. It's an attractive place having multiple water features & music piped throughout the property. El Mirasol is for gay men and is clothing optional. Its main property is historical as it was built by Howard Hughes. It has two groups of rooms. The first are the original Hughes bungalows on the south side of the property which are light and spacious with wonderful wood blinds, somewhat dated Southwestern motif, and carpeting that could be replaced. The bungalow's kitchens are efficient but sparse, and the bathrooms dated. The second set of rooms are at the south end of the property. The decor in these rooms are somewhat sparse but efficient, dark, needing carpets replaced and general updating. El Mirasol has two pools one which is somewhat heated, the other not, a small but acceptable steam room, nice outside shower, and an in-ground large jacuzzi, all of which are well kept. Every morning El Mirasol puts out a very nice continental breakfast in their cozy community room that remains open for most of the day, and they offer free unlimited water and soft drinks (instead of pay vending machines that so many other resorts offer). The landscaping of the property is nice around the main areas, but rough around the edges with several areas in need of improvement. El Mirasol is perfect for an older gay crowd, or younger gay couples looking for an escape where the environment isn't sexually charged.

Ratings:  Property 6.  Sexual Intensity 10%.

For weeks I've heard all the hullabaloo about Palm Springs latest bar & dining spot Trio.  I was excited to give it a try, and did so for dinner this past weekend.  To be blunt, I was truly disappointed.  It was around 8 p.m. and the restaurant was busy and reasonably full.  I stood in front of the host who was embroiled in a conversation with a couple of the waiters with no attention paid to me at all.  So I went into the bar and found a seat.  The place was busy and the two, or three -- I couldn't honestly tell you, bartenders were falling all over themselves.  A few, and I do mean a few, minutes later I was finally greeted and offered a drink.  The hard liquor offerings are good, but not imaginative, only a few upper shelf offerings.  My gin martini was served up with a bunch of ice cubes that found their way into the glass.  A few points off for that.  Environment:  think orange and white.  Now, I have no problem with orange or white, but somehow the place reminded me of an ice-cream bar I use to have as a kid: orange on the outside and vanilla ice cream on the inside.  It wasn't one of my favorites then and not now either.  The bar was a charged environment, mixed but heavy on the gay side (which is fine with me), with the bar noise reverberating around the space.  The dining area looked nice from where I was seated.  Service, once it got going, was courteous and timely.  Dinner was really wonderful.  Even though they should offer a half portion of the potato chip appetizer, it was great!  I had duck breast served on snappy green beans.  Dinner was delicious and nicely presented.  A final note.  Wine offerings.  Okay, but standard -- certainly could have been more imaginative.  All in all an "ok" experience.  I might try it again sometime, then again might now.  I'm still not sure what all the noise was about the place.