I'm amazed at Palm Springs in general. I just love the mid-century Palm Springs era, and staying at the Caliente Tropics is like stepping back in time. Nancy Sinatra used to live there, and sitting by the pool you can imagine the 60s icons and the Palm Springs of her day.

In style, the Caliente Tropics is an authentic tacky-tiki U-shaped motor lodge with the pool at the center. You park your car right in front of your room. When I visit during the summer and it's 120 degrees and no one else is there, I spend the entire day at the hotel pool. It's kidney-shaped and it's huge and you're surrounded by the mountains. It's one of the biggest pools I've ever seen and it's open until 11pm.

I'll just sit there and read all day (11 books last trip), have lunch at "Hawaiian Bill's" restaurant next to the pool, and not do work. It's more of the type of place you go for a weekend getaway.  In fact, I don't think I've ever met anyone who lives more than a few hours from Palm Springs except for myself.

The whole experience of Palm Springs and Caliente Tropics brings back memories of my childhood. I have 6 bros and sisters, and growing up in West Virginia we didn't have much money. We went to see the ocean once a year, which was far at that time, and back when Atlantic City was a wonderful family boardwalk vacation place. We would get two rooms at a little motel, The Tropicana, and one room would have a kitchenette where our mom cooked every meal. I remember it like it was yesterday.

A brochure of the motel, courtesy of Brad John

Now at the Palm Springs Caliente Tropic I get the super-duper deluxe room, which is L-shaped with the usual TV, sofa, refrigerator, and clunky retro telephone. The rooms are all non-smoking, and even for this best room I've only paid anywhere from $55 a night in the summer to $130 during peak season. It's so worth it, and there are always the "stay 5 nights, get the 6th night free" deals.

People would be surprised if they saw me staying at the Caliente Tropics. It's not very luxurious, not that I am all luxury, but it's a reflection of the past Brad - the Brad they don't know. I work really hard and when it comes to vacation I don't prefer too much fuss. Many of my friends stay at the Parker Palm Springs--I would never want to stay there. It's too fluffy for me. Now I've been going to the Caliente Tropics so much, and I always get the same room, so that it's become like my vacation home; I know where everything is. I'm already all set for my trip this month.

Despite the millions of miles I've logged and continue to travel, I always laugh when people tell me that they don't like staying in a hotel; I'm the opposite. I'd literally move into a hotel tomorrow. Now to have Flight 001 land in Palm Springs....

Want to submit your own review on the Caliente Tropics Resort? You can do so here, no VIP status needed.

[Photo: Mr. Kimberly]