Triada Palm Springs

March 19, 2020

Oliver and I poolside at Triada Palm Springs

After leaving Ventura I made the drive to Palm Springs in heavy traffic though it was the middle of the day. I had two weeks booked at the Triada before switching to the Riviera for my best-friend Sean's wedding where I would be best-man. Unfortunately, arriving in early March 2019, it did not take long for things to deteriorate rapidly as a result of COVID-19.

Firstly, this was my first stay at the Triada. The Parker has always been my favorite hotel in Palm Springs and I like many was not thrilled when they left the program after the Marriott takeover of Starwood. The Riviera, where the wedding was to take place, followed suit after the wedding had been booked and just before my arrival, joining a different hotel group. I have tried the Avalon which is great and central and the Westin which is also good but a little far out of town, though if you are a golfer it would be great. I was happy to find the Triada as a great Marriott property that was pet friendly right in downtown in the Movie Colony Area.

When I arrived the hotel was busy, but I was given a room right off of one of the pools and breakfast vouchers for each of my nights. The hotel has a very basic gym, but outside of that the staff are very friendly, the pools and wonderful, the location is amazing, and there is plenty of parking around in the Movie Colony neighborhood if you do not want to valet park. It was a great hotel for a two week stay.

Unfortunately, a week into the trip things began to escalate with COVID-19 spreading in the United States. As the first friends arrived early for the wedding restaurants were cut to 50% capacity, then only outdoors, then closed altogether. One morning Oliver and I had gone on our regular walk around Palm Springs and we went inside the main Starbucks to get my iced coffee, but in the afternoon it was delivered to us outside as entry was forbidden, and the next day the Starbucks had closed. The hotel emptied out, and then suddenly filled up as Europeans who were suddenly stranded started showing up after flights out of LAX were cancelled and they scrambled to find places to stay. within a few days these guests left as well and I had the hotel virtually to myself.

The Casino became the only bar and restaurant open and out of fear of spreading the virus even they closed. Leaving your house or hotel was suddenly forbidden for all over 65 so the city became a ghost village. I set up the welcome gift at the townhouse owned by the grooms but by the time they arrived with their family by car a few days early in fear of flights being grounded it was already too late for a wedding. Within a week from March 10th to March 17th everything changed so quickly. The amazing wedding planned for the 21st was cancelled. Only the immediate family ended up attending at a very brief desert ceremony and they were forced to have pizza at their home as nothing else was allowed. By the end of my stay the Triada had almost completely emptied out and the hotel was forced to stop restaurant service as well. I ended up leaving the day I was scheduled to go to the Riviera, which subsequently closed down and is re-opening as a different property.

Well it was definitely not the trip or wedding that was planned, but the staff at the Triada did an amazing job with the ever changing rules as the COVID crisis escalated. As a property, the Triada is a great choice in a perfect location close to town and for walks to Ruth Hardy Park and the Movie Colony neighborhood with beautiful homes to see. A great hotel, the only downside was the tiny gym, but planning on going back this November.