The Image In The Photos May Look Boutique, But Don’t Be Fooled The Curve Hotel Is Still A Budget Motel In Your Worst Imagination
by Heather Cassell
At the bend heading out of the heart of Palm Springs toward the desert and mountains, stands the Curve Hotel (333 East Palm Canyon Drive; 760-327-1211 or 877-544-4446; CurvePalmSprings.com) in California.
It a town that celebrates its mid-20th century architecture and is home to a plethora of boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, and swanky resorts, finding a budget hotel close to downtown Palm Springs can be a challenge. However, there is the Curve Hotel.
The 150-room hotel was packed due to it being an action packed weekend in Palm Springs. Spring Break, The Dinah, and the Ladies Professional Golf Tournament hit the resort town signaling the end of winter and the beginning of vacation season. However, Palm Springs is usually a warm escape during the winter.
I booked the hotel early in the fall catching what I thought was an excellent rate. The hotel wasn’t boutique or swanky, but it was slightly improved from its chain motel past due to the remnants from a visit from the Travel Channel’s Anthony Melchiorri, host of Hotel Impossible. Anthony would be disappointed, but may be a little bit hopeful since the hotel is currently shut down for renovations until January 1, 2016.
I was interested in seeing if the Curve Hotel had improved since it appeared on the hospitality improvement reality show. I was disappointed, not terribly, but at least to the point that I wondered if I would ever stay at the hotel again.
Check in was slow as I waited and watched the clerk attempt to appease the guest in front of me whose booking wasn’t appearing in the system. While I waited I looked around at the recent awards, the décor of the lobby and the lounge that was a significant improvement from the show along with the bikes available for rent outside the door, but that’s where the improvements ended.
Once the unhappy guest stepped aside to wait for his reservation to be sorted out by another guest services employee, I had a smooth check-in. The clerk didn’t miss a beat in spite of the difficult situation. He pleasantly and quickly checked me in handing me my door keys.
There was just enough parking in the parking lot for our car as we swung around to our room. However, as the weekend drew on parking near our room became a problem at the busy hotel. We also had to recalibrate ourselves whenever we entered the hotel due to the wide space and the road next to the driveway into the hotel that was confusing.
That was just the beginning. When staying anywhere the general assumption is that at least the room is clean. I was immediately disappointed as I swung open the door and saw the buckled and stained carpet. Just to make sure, I pulled open the curtains where I discovered a dead cockroach lodged between the screen and the window. Yup, the carpet was stained and buckled and now there was a dead bug.
A Sour Stay
My deal was a lemon, but it wasn’t the worst of the worst or so I thought.
Skeptical about the bed, I checked it for stains, double sheets, and a cover over the mattress. It wasn’t perfect as there wasn’t a cover over the mattress, but it was good enough especially for a budget hotel. My fear of bed bugs or any other critters was somewhat subsided by the sight of the clean sheets, but we still got a spider bite before the weekend was over. We also had to adjust the pillows that were lumpy to get comfortable when we went to sleep.
At one point we needed our room cleaned. It was difficult to get the room cleaned when I spoke with the cleaning ladies it appeared that they didn’t understand what I was asking and the front desk took my request but no action was taken until our very last day at the hotel. We returned day after day during our four-day stay to a room with garbage cans overflowing and toilet paper not being refilled, but fresh towels. Super G had to stop one of the cleaning ladies to get rolls of toilet paper from them for our room at one point. I was disturbed by the eco-friendly sign, but it was clear that rule wasn’t being followed and even more upset by our increasingly cluttered with garbage room and lack of toilet paper.
In spite of the discomforts, we spent very little time in the room as we were out dinning and partying about town as Super G checked out the golf tournament and we hung out by the Hilton pool at The Dinah during the day and checked out the main drag and went dancing at night.
The Little Things that Mattered
When we were in the room we were appreciative of the decent sized refrigerator to hold our snacks and wine that we bought to enjoy when we returned to the room. We were also pleased by the unlimited devices that could be attached to the Wi-Fi without an additional charge.
We didn’t swim in either of the two pools during our stay, but they were all very full with families and children enjoying themselves while other guests were sunning themselves in the pool chairs.
One of the best things about the hotel was its proximity to downtown Palm Springs and the golf courses.
Currently, the hotel is being remodeled and it clearly needs a makeover. I will be interested in seeing if it is truly improved after it reopens at the beginning of the New Year.
THE FLUFF
Curve Hotel, 333 East Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California 92264. 760-327-1211 or 877-544-4446. CurvePalmSprings.com
RATING: 0 = green
(5 best – 0 worst: color code: 5 = midnight blue; 4 = black; 3 = Aqua; 2 = orange; 1 = gold; and 0 = green)
TYPE OF LODGING: Motel, Budget
CHECK OUT: $ = Under $100
(Lowest price for a single night in a standard room during high-season)
SWEET DREAMS: The location can’t be beat, but we weren’t sleeping easy at the Curve Hotel.
WORTH THE SLEEP?: z = Not worth the overnight
VIBE: Budget hotel, expect families and parties.
GUEST SERVICES: The front desk was courteous and attempted to resolve guests’ problems promptly, except for when it came to cleaning the room and replacing necessities. They also needed to have their employees follow through on the eco-friendly policy.
SCENE: Casual scene with lots of kids and young people packed into the rooms.
LOCATION: The location is great. It’s an easy bike ride or drive to downtown to all of the bars, restaurants, and shopping.
ROOM: The room was a decent size but needed a serious cleaning and makeover.
BATHROOM: Small. It was clear that the shower might have been halfway renovated with the walls changed but the tub still well worn.
AMENITIES: The hotel offers guests two swimming pools, is family- and pet-friendly, Internet and Wi-Fi are included with the room and as many devices as guests have can connect for free, free parking, and self-serve laundry.
To book your stay in Palm Springs, contact Heather Cassell at Girls That Roam Travel at Travel Advisors of Los Gatos at 408-354-6531at or .
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