Four years ago, RAS and I stayed in Palm Springs on our way back to dropping off NLS for college. We chose a small boutique hotel, the Old Ranch Inn, which was one of a dozen or so in the Tennis Club neighborhood, abundant in mid-century and older structures. It was different from the much larger Renaissance I stayed at the year before, and I was thinking that if I returned here, I would only stay at places like Old Ranch.

Well, I have returned this week to attend the North American Travel Journalists Association’s (NATJA) annual conference. But I’m back at a combination of these two hotels – a larger boutique that’s been around for decades, boasting that mid-century vibe visitors to Palm Springs clamor for. It’s where we attendees are staying for both the conference and the accommodations.  I didn’t know much about the Riviera Resort and Spa, but I think the organizers did well enough.

I arrived on the day of the conference, and the only issue I encountered was my room wasn’t ready for check-in. I had to wait until after the sessions ended a few hours later to do so, but that was relatively minor. Additionally, apart from some issues with my room (a slightly broken faucet and uncertainty about when housekeeping would arrive), I enjoyed my stay.

Accommodations

My room was way more spacious than the standard king in other hotels. There were two beds of this size, which was fine, but it might have been better to have a couch instead. At least the bed was comfortable enough to give me a good, solid sleep most nights.  The floor was also laminate, not a carpet, which probably makes the room cooler and less allergenic.  A bigger drawback about the room was its location. My patio offered a view of a parking lot and the main building, so I kept my shades partly closed during my stay. That was especially true for the bathroom, which had a floor-to-ceiling window with the same underwhelming scene. There were also some issues with the air conditioning, which seemed to be a common problem among attendees.

The bathroom was also generous with space. I had a large, tiled shower, which along with the toilet was separate from the double vanity area. What I wasn’t expecting was the large standalone tub next to the vanity.  Since this is where the loose faucet was, it took a while to fill up it up for a bath. The water heater also was off, so I didn’t get the hotter water I like for both the tub, shower and vanity sink.  The Riviera’s other room types, with a total of just under 400, include single and double queen and king beds, as well as suites of varying sizes.

Amenities

Since the Riviera is nearly 70 years old, some of its features would be considered modern-day anomalies. For instance, some common areas and corridors only have stairs. None of the hotel's buildings have elevators, and there are only a few ramps available for wheelchair access. I probably wouldn’t recommend this place for those with mobility issues. However, the rest of the hotel facilities are what you’d expect to find in a Palm Springs property.

The pool is the literal centerpiece of the resort – right in the middle of the guest room buildings, which form a circle on the property. On the northeastern edge of the pool complex are the fitness center and Sante Spa. I didn’t go to either because of the conference, but they appeared to be serviceable.  Speaking of the conference, I appreciate that the Riviera featured on-premises meeting spaces, which always makes attending a conference more convenient.

Food and drink

I honestly can’t evaluate the food too much for the Riviera, as I only had one meal (a cheese quesadilla) and a mezcal cocktail at the pool (which happened to cost more than the quesadilla). We did have a Mexican food buffet for our opening reception, which was good – not outstanding and not terrible, just right in the middle. The meal included grilled pork and beef for soft tacos, rice and refried beans, chips, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and peppers, along with churros for dessert. There was also a bar with margaritas, sangria, beer, wine and other beverages. We also had a serviceable brunch buffet before our conference closed.

The hotel has a store with grab-and-go food, a dual restaurant which one side serves breakfast and the other lunch and dinner, and poolside food service.  Two bars at the front of the resort and the pool serve cocktails and drinks. I could assume that food available in these venues was also just adequate.