Sands Hotel & Spa - Indian Wells, California

Andrea S.

The Sands Hotel and Spa is a hidden gem in the Palm Springs/La Quinta area. Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s design is nothing short of perfection—every detail exudes Moroccan-inspired elegance while maintaining modern comfort.

The rooms are beautifully appointed, with thoughtful touches like a French press, a well-stocked in-room bar, and charming balconies. If you can, book a room with a bathtub—it’s worth it! The spa is wonderful for treatments, though it’s more service-focused than a place to lounge.

The restaurant is another highlight: visually stunning with an effortlessly chic vibe, and the cocktails are just as fabulous as the setting.

This boutique hotel is the perfect mix of style, relaxation, and understated luxury—an oasis you’ll want to return to again and again.

T E.

I stayed at Sands pre-pandemic when they first opened and had an amazing stay. I went back twice after then kinda forgot about it. I went back in 2024 a little hesitant because it had been a few years but I was very pleased with how the property has been maintained. Also the staff and service were phenomenal. A lot of times hotels go down after a few years but this was not the case. Happy I rediscovered this hotel and I’ll certainly be back.

April B.

Loved this boutique hotel! Had so much fun at the bar. Wonderful well trained staff, great cocktails, perfect cool pool to escape the heat. Plenty of pool side beds! Would highly recommend for your Palm Springs stay.

Paul

I wish I had found this lovely and surprising gem sooner!

I loved the vibe and decor of the whole place. I felt so refreshed after my stay- and enjoyed it more than the brand new Thompson in Palm Springs (which I also enjoyed). The pool had plenty of seating and included a large hot tub. Pool side service (during the early afternoon on a Wednesday) was good.

The room was great. I found the bed and pillows to be comfortable. It had some nice touches, like a French press and some high quality tea. Turn down service was provided both nights. The shower was huge, had great water pressure, and had a full range of temperatures. The sink could produce warm water quickly (I swear some hotels just dont have warm water attached to the sink).

The restaurant had a very fun ambiance, and though expensive at dinner, was quite tasty.

I seriously considered extending my stay an additional night, but decided that it wasn't quite worth it given that doing so would mean waking up at 3AM to hit the road.

I hope to return.

*The room was not lap top friendly - but I figured our a solution. And most people don't come to a hotel like this to use lap tops.

**The room and property showed some signs of age, but nothing problematic. I just mention it so that picky people aren't taken by surprise and then leave bad reviews. See below topics for more info. .

Karla R.

My husband booked us a room here for a quick weekend getaway. My husband called beforehand to confirm if we'd be able to enjoy the pool prior to checking in (very late check-in time). The staff was extremely kind and professional over the phone.

Once we arrived, I immediately noted how beautifully the hotel was decorated and designed. Has such a modern look with a touch of moody vibes and a 40s-50s look tied into one.

We went to our room and couldn't believe how beautiful and large our room was. We didn't book a suite or upgraded room. There was a lounge area, a beautifully decorated bathroom, and a sleeping area. In addition to the beautiful decor, there was a fully stocked bar. The best touch of all was the soft jazz music that was playing in the room. Such an elegant touch.

We quickly changed over and headed to the pool. There were plenty of self-serve water stations to help combat the heat. Our poolside waiter was very kind and attentive. We had a variety of cocktails on the menu and weren't disappointed with any of our drinks. We sadly missed the window to order food as the kitchen was closed. Our waiter spoke to the chef and was able to squeeze our order in which was wonderful. The food was very tasty and cooked to our liking. Every staff member we encountered was very kind and attentive.

In the morning, I walked down to get some water from the water station, and they had set up a complimentary self-serve coffee station as well.

We were able to enjoy the pool for a few more hours in the morning as their check out isn't until noon.

All in all, we absolutely enjoyed our stay here and can not wait to return. We truly found a hidden gem here in the palm desert area. I found our time here to be more enjoyable than we've had at the larger, more commercialized resorts in the area.

_ N.

Enjoyed our stay. Super cool and unique. Lovely atmosphere. Restaurant is great. Rooms are specious and clean. Bed is super comfortable.

Arus T.

This review is so disappointing but necessary. At my recent stay at Sands Hotel, I checked out and absentmindedly forgot to take my engagement ring and wedding band that I left on the nightstand. I'm from Los Angeles and after I long drive home, I remembered that I had forgotten to wear my rings and immediately called the front desk. They informed me that they would look into it and get back to me. I followed up and of course my rings were "nowhere to be found". I asked if another guest had checked in yet and they said no, which leads me to believe that either the housekeeping team or the hotel staff took my rings.

When confronting the manager about my concerns, he mentioned that they never had an incident of theft before and that I should file a police report to escalate matters. I've been a loyal guest for YEARS, and instead of getting a personal call from him, I had to reach out by email to get some answers after waiting an entire day. Zero sense of urgency and zero proactivity...it's just plain shady.

Unfortunately, there is absolutely no way to prove when hotel employees take items that have been left behind after guests checkout, especially something as small as jewelry. Of course there have been no reported incidents...because it's nearly impossible to PROVE! It's just extremely disheartening that nobody returned the rings. Sands Hotel is run by dishonest and opportunistic people.

Matthew C.

My second time staying at The Sands. A beautiful property tucked away in Indian Wells. Well appointed rooms with great amenities in the room with a lot of thoughtful touches. The service is beyond great and very attentive. Gabby at the Pink Cabana went above and beyond to assist me. It’s extremely rare someone going out of their way to accommodate in such a way. Thank you again Gabby.

The only minor issues were the mini bar lights were not working, also the robes could be refreshed. Soft close toilet seats would be a great touch as well.

Otherwise everything is fantastic and the bottle of bubbly was a nice welcome. Thank you The Sands for a great stay and thank you Jaclyn for accommodating my early check in.

I look forward to being back!