A few weeks ago we treated ourselves to a weekend at The Saguaro in Palm Springs — easily one of the most colorful hotels around. A collaboration from The Sydell Group, Joie de Vivre and chef José Garces, the hotel is full of playful design, bright hues and relaxed energy. We went to celebrate our anniversary and wanted something equal parts fun and restful. Since I’m a dedicated pool lounger and Jeff prefers exploring, we worked with the hotel to create a little scavenger-style adventure that blended both of our styles perfectly.
We called it the Saguaro Color Hunt and had a blast checking off items on our list. If you’re heading to the hotel, you can print your own version of the hunt—the hotel has offered the printable at check-in in the past—and share your finds using the hashtag #saguarocolorhunt. Below are a few highlights from how we tackled the tasks.
To download the free printable Saguaro Color Hunt, click the printable provided by the hotel.
(Cut the cards, punch a hole in the corner and attach them to a ring or tie together with ribbon!)
Place bets on your room color. (Loser buys drinks at the pool!)
Jeff won this round, so I bought the drinks. That photo still makes us laugh—look at the bedspread and the overall vibe. Dreamy.
Take advantage of the hotel’s free bike rental and enjoy an early morning ride through the iconic nearby neighborhoods. Dream-house hunt and snap a picture with “The One.”
The concierge told us the neighborhood just across Palm Canyon Drive is where Palm Springs really began. Once you cross into that area, you can ride down street after street of beautiful mid-century homes. In our case, there were several contenders—“The One” ended up being more like “The Six.” Either way, it was fantastic inspiration for dream-house daydreaming.
Refuel after your ride with torrijas at the hotel restaurant Tinto—a citrus-vanilla take on French toast that’s glorious.
After torrijas we settled into poolside life for a long while. Even the lounge chairs and towels are colorful—yellow chairs and pink towels made the pool area feel like a slice of paradise.
Find a wall that matches your outfit.
That one was an easy win for me—pink on pink all the way.
Hop the complimentary shuttle into town for shopping, dinner and, most importantly, dessert!
We love grabbing dessert on Palm Canyon Drive—Jake’s is one of our favorites for cake by the slice. We usually take our cake back to the room and enjoy it there. The main strip also has great vintage and design shops that are perfect for a leisurely stroll and a little window shopping.
The rest of our stay was filled with pool time, tacos at El Jefe, ping pong in the lobby and snapping as many colorful photos as we could. We loved it so much that we decided to host our wedding welcome reception at The Saguaro—more on that in an upcoming update.
All photos by Jeff Mindell for Studio DIY
We try to spend anniversary money on experiences rather than things, and this trip was exactly that — full of bright moments and lasting memories. If you’re planning a desert getaway, consider visiting during the shoulder season when it’s less crowded and temperatures are comfortable for both pool time and evening explorations.
A big thank you to The Saguaro and The Sydell Group for hosting us. If you plan a stay, be sure to pick up or print a Saguaro Color Hunt and make your own colorful memories.