The Thompson Palm Springs seems to be the hotel equivalent of Berlin Brandenburg Airport, in terms of its opening timeline. The hotel was supposed to open in 2016, and still hasn’t welcomed its first guest. The good news is that it looks like this project may finally be turning a corner.
The Thompson is expected to open on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 (tomorrow), and as of now, is still accepting reservations for stays as of then. So I wanted to go over all the details of this project, as this is no doubt a property that will interest many World of Hyatt loyalists.
In this post:
Details of the new Thompson Palm Springs
The Thompson Palm Springs is accepting reservations for stays as of October 1, 2024. For those not familiar, Thompson is one of Hyatt’s lifestyle brands, with a big emphasis on food & beverage outlets that are popular with locals.
So, what can we expect from the 168-room Thompson Palm Springs?
- The Thompson is located at 414 North Palm Canyon Drive, so it’s right in the actual city of Palm Springs, which has some pros and cons
- The property features two outdoor pools with plenty of space for lounging
- The Thompson features a spa and 24/7 fitness center
- The Thompson’s signature restaurant is Lola Rose Grand Mezze, serving Middle Eastern cuisine, and it’s open throughout the day; there’s also Bar Issi (with cocktails and a Mediterranean-inspired menu) and Hall Napa Valley Tasting Room (an indoor/outdoor wine tasting room)
- The Thompson’s entry level rooms have a courtyard view, and are 380 square feet
- While it doesn’t look like this is opening immediately, in the future some rooms will be marketed as “Upper Stories” rooms, offering exclusive use of an adult-only premium wing pool, dedicated employees to provide personal service, and more (there’s a similar concept at the Thompson Central Park New York)
Below you can see some pictures and renderings of the new Thompson Palm Springs.
For some additional background on this property, initially the Thompson Palm Springs was actually supposed to be an Andaz. This was announced back in 2015, with a planned 2016 opening date. This property was already in the pipeline long before it was announced that it would be branded as a Hyatt, as the four acre plot of land has been under development in some form for over a decade.
For years the development seemed to be cursed in just about every way imaginable, with endless allegations of breach of contract, lack of payment to contractors, etc. In mid-2020, the hotel landed in bankruptcy court, with the controlling entity selling its stake in the property. That’s when plans were announced for the project to resume, and for it to become a Thompson.
Thompson Palm Springs rates & points requirements
The Thompson Palm Springs is a Category 5 World of Hyatt property. This means a free night redemption will cost you the following number of points:
- 17,000-23,000 points per night for a standard room
- 29,000-35,000 points per night for a standard suite
- 34,000-46,000 points per night for a premium suite
As far as cash rates at the Thompson Palm Springs go, they vary greatly throughout the year. They seem to start at just over $350 per night, but go up from there. If you are looking to book a cash stay, I’d recommend doing so through the Hyatt Privé program, which offers extra perks like room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, and a hotel credit.
If you’re trying to decide whether to pay cash or redeem points, personally I value World of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents each, to maybe help with the math.
Another awesome California addition for Hyatt
I have a few general thoughts about this property specifically, and about Hyatt’s overall footprint in California. I like Palm Springs, though it’s not a place I visit often, simply because I live in Florida. There are a few reasons I’m excited about this property:
- Personally I probably wouldn’t travel cross country to visit Palm Springs as a standalone trip, though what I love so much about California is the geographic diversity, so this would be great as part of a bigger trip to California; this will also be awesome for those in SoCal who are looking for a weekend getaway
- Palm Springs is desperately lacking luxury points hotels; I still miss the Parker Palm Springs belonging to Starwood Preferred Guest; the hotel still exists, but it’s no longer affiliated with a major hotel points program
- While I’m generally excited about this development, I wish this were a more secluded resort with a bit more land, rather than a four acre development right in the heart of the city
- With Hyatt having acquired Dream Hotel Group, Hyatt will have another new property in Palm Springs, as there’s a Dream Palm Springs in the pipeline, though it’s a long ways from opening
On top of that, I can’t help but point out how beautifully Hyatt’s portfolio in California is developing:
- There are now three Alila properties in California, including the Alila Ventana Big Sur, Alila Marea Beach Encinitas, and Alila Napa Valley
- For Hyatt loyalists, you have luxury hotel options to enjoy the beaches in SoCal, the nature in Big Sur, and wine country in Napa Valley, plus this Palm Springs addition
- While Hyatt’s city footprint in California largely leaves a lot to be desired, it has at least been improving nicely in the Los Angeles area, between the Thompson Hollywood, the tommie Hollywood, Hotel Figueroa, the Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica, and more (unfortunately the Park Hyatt Los Angeles project is still stalled)
Bottom line
The Thompson Palm Springs is finally opening as of October 1, 2024, after a delay of around eight years. This property has been a long time coming, so I’m sure many World of Hyatt loyalists will be happy to see this, especially given Palm Springs’ lack of decent points properties.
What do you make of the Thompson Palm Springs finally (hopefully) opening?
Word on the street is that they're still not open, but expect to be any day... so instead of cancelling reservations, they are walking people.
110 Degrees tomorrow? No thank you!
There are lots of secluded places in Palm Springs area. Many like the convenient location - you can fly in - and not need a car to go to bars, restaurants etc.
Particularly since the population of Palm Springs is 50% gay plus a large Jewish populate. Ben - I know you don't like to go to gay destinations like Palm Springs and Ft Lauderdale, but Palm Springs is truly unique. All the gov't...
There are lots of secluded places in Palm Springs area. Many like the convenient location - you can fly in - and not need a car to go to bars, restaurants etc.
Particularly since the population of Palm Springs is 50% gay plus a large Jewish populate. Ben - I know you don't like to go to gay destinations like Palm Springs and Ft Lauderdale, but Palm Springs is truly unique. All the gov't officials etc are gay (mayor etc) and so is the police department. Many LA celebrities have hide outs there. You should visit PSP sometime. Pride weekend is coming up first weekend of Nov.
Ben, I know you stayed at a ton of Thompsons a few years ago while "homeless," because they allow pets. At the Thomson PS, I see this under pet policy: "Individual pets are restricted to 50 pounds."
We have an 80-pound mutt. Based on experience, did you notice Thompson properties across the countries being sticklers about weight?
A. The Parker Palm Springs is part of a points program (LHW), just not a mainstream corporate point program like the ones you get paid promote.
B. You say there are no high-end loyalty point properties in Palm Springs? The Ritz Carlton (Yes, technically in Rancho Mirage) is just outside of Palm Springs proper, in the heart of the Coachella Valley.
B. A lot of people come to Palm Springs as a standalone...
A. The Parker Palm Springs is part of a points program (LHW), just not a mainstream corporate point program like the ones you get paid promote.
B. You say there are no high-end loyalty point properties in Palm Springs? The Ritz Carlton (Yes, technically in Rancho Mirage) is just outside of Palm Springs proper, in the heart of the Coachella Valley.
B. A lot of people come to Palm Springs as a standalone vacation, it sounds like you just don’t get it. Tourists and lots of celebrities come here to relax in the chic boutique (non corporate) hotels and behind the private walls & gates of the classic mid century estates Palm Springs is famous for.
B. The Andaz/Thompson site has been under construction for over a decade, locals never thought it would open after years of financial mismanagement and ownership changes. The whole community is relieved to see it finally completed. Now if they can only finish the long delayed Montage and Pendry hotels and residences in La Quinta, the Palm Springs area will have even more luxury options.