Best Hotels in Palm Springs for Christmas

Palm Springs is a winter-sun destination, so December is the start of peak season rather than a cold-weather Christmas. Days are warm and dry. The town runs a tree lighting, a Festival of Lights parade down Palm Canyon Drive and a holiday market, and nearby Palm Desert has a large light display.

What's on

• Holiday tree lighting — Palm Springs (city's holiday tree). Usually early December; 5 December 2025 at 5:15 pm.
• Festival of Lights Parade — Palm Canyon Drive, downtown Palm Springs. Usually the first Saturday of December; 6 December 2025 at 5:45 pm.
• Palm Springs Holiday Market at VillageFest — Palm Canyon Drive, downtown. Thursdays in December; 4, 11 and 18 December in 2025.
• WildLights — The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Palm Desert (roughly 15 to 20 miles from Palm Springs). 25 November to 30 December in 2025.

Dates and times change from year to year, so check the organiser's listing before you travel.

Where to stay

• Downtown Palm Springs and Uptown Design District: Walkable to Palm Canyon Drive, the parade route, the Thursday VillageFest market and most restaurants.
• Movie Colony and Old Las Palmas: Quiet, leafy residential streets with mid-century houses, about a 10 to 15 minute walk or short drive from downtown.
• South Palm Springs: Quieter, with resort-style properties and easy access to hiking, but a car or ride is needed for downtown.

December weather

December in Palm Springs is sunny and dry, with highs around 21°C (70°F), cool nights around 7°C (44°F) and very little rain.

How we picked: the 7 hotels in this guide are 4- and 5-star hotels and resorts in Palm Springs with the strongest Booking.com guest scores, weighted by how many reviews they have. Scores and review counts were checked in October 2026.