The Muse Hotel Palm Springs at a Glance
Rooms
9 Suites
Location
Palm Springs, California
Address
537 S Grenfall Rd, Palm Springs, CA 92264
Airport
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP)
Check-In
4:00 PM
Check-Out
12:00 PM
Parking
First-come, first-serve basis with 8 spots provided onsite
Other Amenities
Pool
Hot Tub
Outdoor Fireplace
Our Stay at The Muse Hotel Palm Springs
Dates
August 9 – August 11
Type
Splash House Music Festival
Room
Audrey
The Best Hotel for Splash House Music Festival
This wasn’t my typical weekend hotel stay…
For the first time in my life, I somehow scored free passes to Palm Springs’ Splash House music festival. If you’ve never heard of it, picture this: three hotels transformed into one massive EDM pool party in the middle of the desert. DJs are set up next to the pools with surrounding hotel balconies packed with dancing people. And if you don’t know me, a music festival + desert heat + pool party is my formula for a great time.
Not going to lie, I was feeling like Emma Chamberlain heading into Coachella with my free passes… until reality hit when I started checking hotel prices two weeks before the festival. Even with my passes, my wallet was disapproving. It was almost a dealbreaker until I happened to stumble upon The Muse Hotel while searching for hotels on Google Maps. I loved how close of a walk it was to one of the host hotels. And most importantly, it fit my budget.
Leading up to the trip, I honestly didn’t have any expectations set for our stay. Not because it looked bad (the photos were actually pretty cute), but I simply wasn’t traveling for the hotel this time around. But then we pulled up to the hotel: a beautiful pink building, bold black-and-white striped awnings, and The Muse Hotel highlighted in gold script. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement.
Self-Service Check-in
Like a lot of the petite boutique hotels in Palm Springs, The Muse Hotel is completely self-service. So no front desk check-ins or bellhops. Instead, you’re emailed a couple of codes beforehand to access the hotel. There’s something so seamless about checking in without actually checking in. That said, I know not everyone is into the whole “no human interaction” aspect of travel, so it’s something to consider.
The Lobby and Pool at The Muse Hotel
The second we tapped the code and pushed through the front door, a wave of cool air and color hit us. The lobby was tiny but not without personality. There was a booth tucked against a tropical wallpaper with a bold Frida Kahlo quote to set the tone, “I am my own muse, the subject I know best.” To the left was a small counter ready to host complimentary breakfast in the mornings. There was even a small corner computer desk in case you wanted to check your emails. (Although let’s be honest, who’s checking their emails at The Muse Hotel, anyway?)
Exiting through the back doors, the whole mood shifted again. We stepped into a courtyard draped in flowers, with swings hanging from the beams. And surrounding the sparkling pool were the nine suites and a scattering of lounge chairs, dining tables, and cushioned teak couches. There was even a fireplace for cooler desert nights.
The Audrey Room at The Muse Hotel
We booked the Audrey room, a cheerful little suite wrapped in a warm, flowery yellow color palette. One of the things I love most about petite boutique hotels is that each of the rooms has its own personality. I definitely had one of those, yess, I nailed this hotel booking kind of moment. And I couldn’t wait to retreat back to the hotel to unwind between all the festival chaos. Despite how girly this hotel was, even Tyler was impressed.
Every single suite at The Muse Hotel comes with a full-sized kitchenette. And when I say, full-sized, I mean a mini stove and oven, a fridge and freezer (big enough to fit actual groceries and not just your restaurant leftovers), a microwave, and a sink. The cabinets were fully stocked with plates, mugs, pots, pans- everything you need to cook an actual meal. For a festival weekend when you don’t want to drop $30 for every meal, this was perfect.
Favorite Moments from Our Weekend
Breaking out the new bathing suit
Getting to Palm Springs was half the battle, but once we dropped our bags, it was game time. Priority number one: outfit change. I finally got to debut my new Monday Swimwear bathing suit in Sardinia Stripe, complete with a matching sarong. Bright, bold, and a little flirty. It felt like the exact uniform for an EDM pool party!
Shaking up my signature margarita
Priority number two: As a bartender, I take my margaritas very seriously. My recipe requires a little extra work but it’s so worth it: juice 2-3 limes, as well as half an orange for a bit of sweetness. Toss in some citrus wheels of your choice, and shake it up with a mountain of ice and your favorite tequila. Finish with a splash of soda water! I made a round for our room, handed Tyler his glass, and declared myself bartender for the weekend.
The long, sweaty walk
One of the biggest reasons I booked The Muse Hotel was its walkable distance to one of the main hotels, The Renaissance. Eighteen minutes doesn’t sound like much…. Until it’s in 109° desert heat. I don’t usually sweat, but by the time we finally pushed through the revolving doors of the hotel, I was practically melting like the Wicked Witch of the West. That blast of cold AC was truly one of the best feelings of relief.
Disco Lines in the Pool
When it comes to music festivals, Tyler and I are what I like to call “stage hoppers”. We’re the type to cram our schedule with as many artists as humanly possible. Sometimes there’s even a color-coded Excel spreadsheet involved. But Splash House is spread across three hotels, which means shuttles, lines, and the occasional heartbreak when the pool hits capacity. So on day one, we headed to The Renaissance and stayed put to catch one artist in mind: Disco Lines.
The sun was blazing, the crowd was packed, and the energy was high. By the time Disco Lines started, we were melting, so we took a dive into the pool. Floating in the cool water while the song Baby Girl splashed through the pool was a moment to remember.
The pool (and our attempt at Afters)
Splash House technically doesn’t end when the sun goes down. The after-party kicks off at the Palm Springs Air and Space Museum which is worth the extra ticket price. But after a day in the desert heat, we made the rookie mistake of going back to The Muse to just freshen up.
I told myself I’d take a quick 20-minute nap to rally for Afters. Instead, I woke up the next morning completely missing the after-party. But that sleep? Pure luxury.
The Next Morning Feast
Festival mornings require fuel, so we made a grocery run and came back with the essentials: fresh fruit, guac + pico combo that disappeared way too fast, and a tomato-and-goat cheese pizza for the kitchenette oven. There’s something about sitting by a boutique hotel pool, devouring chips and guac that feels like an ultimate vacation move.
Wuki at The Saguaro
Day two brought us to The Saguaro, featuring the Instagram-iconic rainbow hotel. It was the best backdrop for our main event: Wuki. His set was easily my favorite of the weekend with high energy and fun samples to sing along to. We somehow managed to snake our way to the front, and I swear at one point we made eye contact with him. (And yes, I’ll be bragging about that forever.)
Splash House Music Festival at The Muse Hotel
Come Sunday night, I was running mostly on margaritas and guacamole. The weekend at Splash House flew by in a blink, and honestly, we had almost no regrets. What we didn’t expect was how much The Muse Hotel would end up being part of the weekend experience. I booked it thinking it would just be a place to crash but it ended up turning into our little home base.
So when we packed up the car on Monday morning, I was a perfect mix of exhausted and happy. If I could tell you one thing from this weekend it would be this: we will definitely be returning to Splash House and staying at The Muse Hotel again. Hope to catch you there next time!