Trip GrapevineTop places, picked by travellers

California City · Hotel shortlist

California City hotels with a pool

Amara Nwosu

Amara Nwosu Africa

Updated 1 September 2026 · 187 California City hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in California City, out of the 187 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 5 down to 4.5.

Terra Palm Springs is the one I would book myself.

Terra Palm Springs

Highest rated of the five

Terra Palm Springs

★★★★★5 from 243 reviews

Terra Palm Springs comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 5 from 243 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 5 star property, found under the cathedral and around $273 a night on the dates we checked.

187 hotels in California City qualified for this list and five made it. La Maison Hotel is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Spatreatment rooms on site, no booking a taxi for it
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Bara drink without going back out
  • Parkinga real consideration if you are driving in

Check rates Read more

All five, ranked

  1. Terra Palm Springs1

    Terra Palm Springs

    ★★★★★5 from 243 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Air conditioning

    Check rates Read more

  2. La Maison Hotel2

    La Maison Hotel

    ★★★★★4.8 from 466 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Parking
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

    Check rates Read more

  3. The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage3

    The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage

    ★★★★★4.6 from 1,758 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

    Check rates Read more

  4. Parker Palm Springs4

    Parker Palm Springs

    ★★★★★4.6 from 1,525 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

    Check rates Read more

  5. Claremont Resort & Club5

    Claremont Resort & Club

    ★★★★★4.5 from 2,382 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

    Check rates Read more

How this list was put together

187 California City hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

Amara Nwosu

Amara Nwosu Africa

Books holidays a year ahead because court calendars demand it, then travels hard for three weeks. West Africa most years to see family, somewhere new in between.

Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.