Two Bunch Palms

What to expect

Two Bunch Palms is an adults-only resort on the north side of Desert Hot Springs, the small city across Interstate 10 from Palm Springs. The town sits over a large aquifer of hot mineral water, and Two Bunch is one of its oldest and best-known places to soak. It runs as a quiet, wellness-focused hotel rather than a party pool, with about 65 rooms spread across grounds of roughly 77 acres, according to a 2024 review.

The center of the place is the Grotto, the original mineral pool. It is set in rock among old palms, and reviews describe it as two connected basins: a smaller one that runs hotter, around 104°F40°C, and a larger, cooler one around 99°F37°C. The resort itself does not post pool temperatures. It says only that its water comes from a 600-year-old aquifer, rises at over 100°F38°C and refreshes every 24 hours, and that it carries calcium, magnesium and lithium. Treat any health claims you see on its pages as marketing.

Besides the Grotto there are separate soaking tubs, some in teak and some in cement, which hotel guests can reserve for private use. Day passes include the Grotto, the soaking tubs and the daily wellness classes, plus a meal.

Getting there

Desert Hot Springs is about 10 miles north of downtown Palm Springs. From Interstate 10, take the Palm Drive exit and head north up the slope into town. The resort is at 67425 Two Bunch Palms Trail, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240, on a quiet road east of the main strip. The drive from Los Angeles takes about two hours without traffic, more on Friday afternoons.

Self-parking is included for hotel guests and there is an on-property shuttle to get around the grounds. The nearest airport is Palm Springs International.

Prices and booking

Two Bunch sells day access through an online booking page rather than at the door. In 2026 that page listed:

• Mineral Soak Day, $165: 9 AM to 6 PM. Access to the Grotto and soaking tubs, daily wellness offerings, a lunch entree with a non-alcoholic drink, and a reusable bottle and tote. The restaurant opens at 11 AM.
• Mineral Evening Soak, $195: 3 PM to 9 PM. Grotto and soaking pools, a dinner entree and a non-alcoholic drink. Towels are provided.
• Day Retreat with Spa, $325: 9 AM to 6 PM. Everything in the Mineral Soak Day plus a 50-minute spa treatment. The resort confirms your treatment time after you book.
• Package days: The Desert Reset ($545), The Full Body Detox ($800) and The Two of Us for couples ($595) bundle several treatments with lunch and soaking.

Several of these were labelled as summer 2026 packages. Prices and options change by season, so check the booking page before you plan around a number. The resort says availability is limited, and walk-ins are not part of the system. Groups of five or more need to email the spa.

There are no lockers for day guests. The resort says it provides what you need for the day and asks you to bring little.

Spa menu: Treatments are priced individually. Examples from the 2026 menu include the Deep Ease Mineral Wrap (50 minutes, $275) and the Castor Oil Abdominal Wrap (50 minutes, $285). Longer body rituals run to about $385. Prices are shown with “++”, meaning tax and gratuity are added.

Overnight stays: Room rates are quoted per night for two people, and each extra guest is $85 per night. Rates exclude the 15.195% city bed tax and a 4.6% wellness fee that the resort says funds staff health benefits. Access to the mineral pools, daily wellness classes, morning coffee and parking are included. A $200 per night hold is placed on your card at check-in. Standard rooms must be cancelled by noon Pacific time 72 hours before arrival, and suites need seven days’ notice. The resort also runs midweek offers such as a dinner credit or a discount when you book spa treatments.

Rules and etiquette

• Adults only. All guests must be 18 or older.
• Quiet is the point. The Grotto is a calm space. Keep voices low and phones away.
• No pets. Only declared service animals.
• No smoking in rooms or public areas. There is a $300 cleaning fee if you do, and designated smoking areas on request.
• Swimwear: The resort’s public pages do not set out a clothing policy for the Grotto. Bring a swimsuit and ask at check-in.

When to go

The best months are October to May, when the desert is warm by day and cool at night. Winter weekends and spring holidays are the busiest times in the Coachella Valley, so day passes sell out first then. Summer is quieter and offers can be better value, but afternoon air temperatures regularly pass 100°F38°C and a hot mineral pool loses its appeal by midday. If you go in summer, soak early or take the Evening Soak, which runs into the cooler hours after sunset.

Where to stay nearby

The simplest option is to stay on site, which gives you the pools before and after the day pass crowd. Desert Hot Springs has many small mineral water motels and boutique spas in town, most of them a few minutes’ drive away, such as El Morocco Inn and Spa, Miracle Manor and Desert Hot Springs Spa Hotel. Palm Springs, about 20 minutes south, has the full range of hotels and restaurants.

History

The resort tells a story of US Army surveyors naming the spot “Two Bunches of Palms” after its clusters of trees, of the Cahuilla people valuing the water long before that, and of a rumour that Al Capone used the property as a Prohibition-era hideout. The resort presents the Capone tale as legend, not fact. It became a retreat for Hollywood figures in the 1950s and is now known mainly as a low-key wellness hotel.

Safety notes

• Heat: The hotter part of the Grotto sits around 104°F40°C. Keep soaks short, drink water, and get out if you feel lightheaded. Desert summer heat makes this more important.
• Alcohol: Hot water and alcohol together lower blood pressure fast. Save drinks for after you soak.
• Footing: Rock edges and wet decking around the Grotto can be slippery. Walk, do not hurry.
• Sun: Even in winter the desert sun is strong. Bring a hat and sunscreen for the time you spend out of the water.