Okay, so this is one of the first questions I get asked when a big family is planning a Palm Springs trip. Hotel or Airbnb? And when you’ve got grandparents, siblings, cousins, the whole crew coming together, this decision actually matters more than you’d think. So let’s talk through it, and I’ll throw in a few of my actual favorites on both sides.
Why You Might Want a Hotel
Here’s the thing about a hotel when you’re traveling with extended family, it gives everyone a little breathing room. Separate rooms, separate floors even, and everything is already handled for you. Housekeeping, a front desk person who can fix whatever goes wrong at 11pm, a pool that’s already set up and staffed. If your family loves each other but also loves having somewhere to retreat to at the end of the day, a hotel is usually the move.
I’m a big fan of Hotel Paseo for this. It’s a boutique Marriott property right on El Paseo in Palm Desert, walking distance to the shopping, art galleries, and restaurants that make that street the “Rodeo Drive of the desert.” Cool part is you can even book a night in their restored 1950 Airstream trailer if someone in your family wants something a little different from everyone else.
Learn more at Hotel Paseo.
Then on the total other end, there’s La Quinta Resort & Club. This place is massive and historic, with 41 pools and private casitas scattered across the grounds. Everyone gets their own casita, their own pool to wander off to, and you still all end up together for dinner. So if your family is big enough that you need some real distance between generations, this is it.
Learn more at La Quinta Resort & Club.
Why You Might Want an Airbnb
Now, if what your family actually wants is to be together, really together, that’s when an Airbnb wins. Everyone cooks in one kitchen. The cousins pile onto one couch. Nobody has to text “meet in the lobby” because you’re all already there. It’s more intimate, and honestly, some of the best family memories happen in those shared kitchen moments you just don’t get at a hotel.
One I always point people to is The Frederick Loewe Estate. Architect Donald Wexler designed it in 1964 for Dinah Shore, and Leonardo DiCaprio owns it now. It’s a gated 1.3 acre property with its own tennis court and a guest house, plenty of room for a big family to spread out while still sharing the same roof.
Learn more at The Frederick Loewe Estate.
And then there’s The Aviator. Builders originally put this one up in 1957 as a Howard Hughes hideaway, and a recent restoration gave it a new pool, a new jacuzzi, and three outdoor deck levels, all while keeping the original mid-century charm intact. It’s the kind of place where everyone ends up outside together by the end of the night.
Learn more at The Aviator.
So, Which One Should You Pick
Honestly? If your family wants a little space between everyone and loves having things handled for you, book the hotel. If you want to be closer together, more privacy as a unit, and that real sense of intimacy that comes from sharing one home for a few days, go the Airbnb route. Either way, you really can’t go wrong here, Palm Springs makes both options genuinely great ones.
And whichever one you pick, don’t let the trip pass by without capturing it. These big family gatherings don’t happen often, everyone in one place, one season of life, all together. I’d love to be the one who captures it for you, so you have something to hold onto long after the suitcases are unpacked. Reach out and let’s talk about booking a session while you’re all here.
August 29, 2026
