6 Tips for a Solo Escape to the Desert when you want more Glamp than Camp
Just because you are glamping doesn’t mean you can’t feel spiritual. These Tips for a Solo Escape to the Desert will ensure you’ll return to reality with your wellsprings overflowing from Palm Springs without getting too dirty along the way.
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1. Find an Adults-Only Hotel
This isn’t a kinky thing; it’s a quiet one (and I have two kids, so I know!). Choose the right adult-only hotel, and you can practically hear a pin drop in the common areas -and that’s not because no one is around. Unless you happen to fall upon the spring breakers of Palm Springs, you’re more likely in a hotel where everyone is doing the same thing you are, or if they are coupled off and are speaking at decibel levels meant for lovers’ ears only.
The Azure Sky is one such hotel that caters to an audience looking for privacy versus party time. This one-story, mid-century modern hotel was initially built in 1959 but has since undergone an overhaul that’s brought out of the original bones of the building but with modern twists. Think neutral wood paneling and stones and slates juxtaposed over white brick walls.
The lobby is reminiscent of a living room, where, depending on the time of day, you’ll find Complimentary Coffee and Pastries, Spa Water, and Frozen Slushies, both with alcohol and without. The slushie is meant to be a welcome drink to be enjoyed anytime during your stay, and breakfast is complimentary from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
All 14 rooms feel like isolated bungalows tied together by the common areas, including Long Firepits facing the unobstructed San Jacinto Mountains and a separate Pool and Hot Tub location.
Almost all the rooms include a Private Patio and Kitchen –two must-haves when rocking a solo escape to the desert. Even if you don’t cook anything, it’s great to have silverware and plates available for any to-go meals. You’ll also find a yoga mat in your room and no TV, but some great wifi and fabulous lighting design that will have you feeling yourself every time you catch a glimpse in the mirror.
Room Categories include the Agave Suite, Olive, and Fig rooms. The Agave Suite is the largest, offering a separate sitting area and bar, along with a King-sized bed, averaging about 550 square feet.
The Olive rooms have similar amenities but average about 440 square feet, and while they don’t include a separate sitting area, they do include a back patio. Lastly, the Fig rooms feel more like studios and have nearly 300 square feet. Some also have private back patios, and all have Queen-sized beds instead of a King bed.
Room amenities include Complimentary Tea and Coffee, which can be made on your Induction Burner Cooktop in the Kitchenette, an Honor Bar with Premium Wellness Snacks, and Organic Bathroom Products, including soap and body lotion, and even make-up removal wipes (which aren’t organic but are a nice touch).
The Azure Sky is the perfect place to relax and recharge, and best of all, you’re within walking distance to spots like The Ace Hotel, Del Rey at the Villa Royale Hotel, and the Moorten Botanical Garden.
So take advantage of the Free Parking and enjoy Palm Springs on foot or with a Complimentary Bicycle.
Book your stay at The Azure Sky through Expedia to get the Best Price on your glam vacay.
2. Explore the Desert Hot Springs
While there are numerous hiking trails in the vicinity, even one with a waterfall, access to one of the best desert hot springs is just minutes from the main street.
The Spa at Séc-he features Private Hot Mineral Baths that utilize the healing spring water located 8,000 feet below the surface. It emerges at 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and Séc-he means “the sound of boiling water” in the Cahuilla language used by the Agua Caliente band of Cahuilla Indians.
The Spa menu includes various Massage, Body Scrubs, Facials, and Beauty Treatments, but you can also enjoy a Taking of the Waters Day Pass and still access the most treasured amenities. As the name implies, the Day Pass also includes a 15-minute Taking of the Waters where you can enjoy the Private Hot Springs experience.
You also have access to their Grounded Tranquility Room, which offers three different styles of Zero-Gravity Meditation Chairs with sound and vibration to bring your experience to the next level.
There are Salt Rooms, Hot Tubs, and a Resort-Style Pool area that also includes a second pool with the same healing waters as the private baths, but not at 105 degrees.
The Fitness Center is state-of-the-art and even features a Cryotherapy Chamber for muscle recovery as an add-on to your visit.
Lastly, there are various dining options, like the Pál Bar by the pool and the Málmal Cafe inside, so you can spend the whole day at the spa if you want to, and believe me, you will.
3. Dine Out Alone
In our modern society, one of the best explorations in solitude is dining out alone. Can you eat out without your phone or a book always in your eye line? Fun fact about me – I can’t eat chicken wings in public when I’m alone. I just don’t like getting dirty without a partner in crime to hand me a napkin. So, while you won’t find me solo in a sportsbar anytime soon, it’s on my bucket list toward self-actualization.
Daytime dining is the best-stepping stone toward enjoying the pleasures of a meal spent alone, and if you’re in the Palm Springs area, the absolute best place is Cheeky’s.
The vibe at this Breakfast and Lunch spot is pure vacation, and the outdoor patio is always a good time, even if it’s 110 degrees outside.
Must-have menu items include Buttermilk and fresh Corn Pancakes and French Toast with Peach Compote and Pie Crust Bits, as well as anything with Bacon (they offer an entire flight with five flavors).
Breakfast is served all day, but I visited during lunch, so I got the added bonus of an extra menu with more savories on it. Sticking with the theme, I got a Cheeky’s BLT with jalapeno bacon and pesto fries – which is a fry add-on so genius that I can’t believe more restaurants aren’t doing it.
As far as Drinks, it’s never too early for a Morning Margarita or Strawberry Blush with Prosecco, and they also offer Fresh Pressed Juices, fab Coffee, and Organic Matcha beverages. When possible, ingredients come from local purveyors.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day.
4. Eat Well Always
This goes with Tip #3, Eat Well, even Alone, and encourages you to avoid fast food or skipping meals when traveling alone. Make it a point to always take yourself out to eat. For dinner, find a hot restaurant with a bar area because, most likely, there will be other people dining alone, and you might even make a new friend.
Great places to visit during your solo escape to the desert include Michelin-guide mentioned Bar Cecil, which is a pretty tough table to snag, or Del Rey at the Villa Royale, whose menu features the expert offerings of the same Executive Chef Gabriel Woo.
This intimate restaurant feels like a trendy speakeasy you might find in Highland Park, complete with cozy wooden booths and growling pink tigers on the walls. It harkens back to a bygone area of Palm Springs, being the hideout of the rich and famous, but without feeling too much like the Rat Pack was just here.
The menu is Spanish-inspired, with lots of gin-centric and tonic-based cocktails. The Oro Verde, made with St. George chile vodka, Oaxacan gin, Manzanilla sherry, celery, and lime, is a great way to start your night, as is the very special Royale Old Fashioned with Jamón Ibérico fat washed Knob Creek, Oloroso sherry, black walnut bitters, demerara, and a sidecar of Manchego cheese.
Next, it’s on to Conservas, which are tinned fish platters with all the accouterments from parsley virgin olive oil butter to the candies you’ll need to sweeten your breath after the dish. A bonus of dining out alone: you have no one to impress but yourself.
The Tapas section has everything from Patatas Bravas to Gambas Al Ajillo. You can easily make a meal from even just the vegetables, which are done to perfection. The Brócoli is chared with walnut romesco and manchego and offers bite after bite of pleasant unfamiliarity. The Short Rib Empanada is also one of the most popular dishes and was sold out during my visit.
If you’re looking for a larger plate item, the Platos Fuertes include a Pollo Rostit half chicken, Bistec A Las Brasas, and a Salmon Al Papillote.
For Dessert, get the Torta Basque which is a decadantly thick Spanish cheesecake. It feels too big for one person, but that shouldn’t stop you. And if you’ve chosen the Azure Sky as your home away from home, you can take advantage of the refrigerator and cutlery in your room and take it to go.
Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. every day, and you can make reservations on their website.
5. Drink Less Alcohol
Yep, I said it. Drink less alcohol. It doesn’t mean denying yourself that one cocktail you’re craving, but make sure you walk away while you’re still looking sophisticated, not sloshed. Personally, I come prepared with my favorite adaptogenic alcohol alternatives to enjoy in the hotel room or when I’m lying by the pool.
One of my favorite brands is Curious Elixirs which has 8 different flavors to choose from that mimic your favorite cocktails but include different functional properties such as Mood and Beauty-Boosters, and Stress Relievers. Don’t know where to start? Take their quiz or order a Variety Pack that’s also 10-25% off.
6. Zen out before you Check out
Inevitably you will have to leave your desert oasis, so don’t spend the last hours on your solo escape to the desert trip packing and checking for traffic updates. Take advantage of the Yoga Mat in your room and that superior wifi to take a Yoga or Meditation Class. The Insight Timer app is awesome for this, and you can log in and take a FREE Live Class with an expert teacher. Consider leaving a tip though; it’s just good karma.
The Azure Sky Hotel also has a Tranquil Pool and Hot Tub Area, and they are more than happy to store your luggage and let you stay and enjoy past the 11 a.m. check out. You just might never want to leave.
Did these 6 Tips for the Best Solo Escape to the Desert inspire you to pack your bags? Follow EatDrinkLA for even more ways to spend your time in both Los Angeles and nearby.
