Tortuga del Sol

I have stayed here at Tortuga a few times. It’s a really comfortable place to just hang out for a weekend, nude if you want. The rooms are spacious, clean, and comfortable. There are cabanas next to the pool, as well as a sitting area and a bar. The grounds are small, but really well kept. Because the place is small, sometimes people’s conversations can be heard and there is no escaping it. That has not been an issue for me most times. Once a few years back, there was a group of young guys and a couple of their girlfriends (yup) being loud, obnoxious 20-​somethings. It was over soon enough. So if you can’t handle some ambient noise, you might fid it annoying. The breakfast the offer is ok: cereal and milk, coffee, orange juice, and packaged danish. If you’re expecting bacon and eggs every morning, stay at the Hard Rock. Also, the interior is a bit dated, but I don’t care about that stuff.
If there was anything I could change about Tortuga, one is the smoking policy. Smoking is allowed on the premises, and the smoke can be intrusive. Also, make it a men’s resort. I don’t come to Palm Springs to hang around chicks.
Regardless, I will always come back to Rick and Rob.
It’s a great little place.

Booked a 3 night, 4 day stay at this resort. When we got there, the place looked very old. There were broken fixtures and towel racks in the room and bathroom. The temperature outside was in the 90s and the heater in the room was on and could not be turned off. Being nonsmokers, everyone around us was smoking outside, all day, and that filtered into our room. This made it an incredibly unpleasant experience. The very next morning after we checked in, there was a work emergency and we had to leave, so we literally stayed there one night. We asked for a full or partial refund and they refused, even though they had ample time to rebook the room. Even if we could have stayed, we would never stay there again because the place is so run down. The place we normally stay at was booked. We are both gluten free as well and, at the place we normally stay, they go out and get gluten free bread, muffins, etc. At this place, when we told them we were gluten free, they told us to just go shopping and get what we need. The breakfast they offer at the resort has no inclusion for people with dietary restrictions, so we were, essentially, S.O.L. We truly would not recommend this resort unless you are a heavy smoker and have no dietary restrictions, as they are just not flexible.

If you are looking for a place to truly relax in Palm Springs, this is the place! A clothing optional, super relaxing hotel with great service. The rooms are clean and all feature fridges and microwaves along with AC and ceiling fans. TV and DVD players in every room and a big library of DVDs and games for anyone to use. The continental breakfast is always on point and the owners Ric and Rob are always available to help out. I’ve been 10 times at least and I plan to go back many more!

Pros:
–Quiet little resort. Nobody was acting obnoxious, we appreciated that. I am a quiet dude, and so are my bf and friend. We had never stayed at a gay resort before. You have to try everything once. I found Tortuga here on Unilocal and the good reviews were the reason I booked there.
–Price was ok. Not great, but reasonable.
–The bungalow suite we had was good. The property is very old, built in the late 50s-​early60s I’m guessing, as a small family motel (originally). Definitely not without its problems — the kitchen sink would not drain and the bathtub had a permanent drip and the faucets need to be replaced.
— I am a sucker for going barefoot on tile flooring and they had tile. Yay.
–Good air conditioning in bedroom (absolutely essential!) and in the living room.
–Reservations process was good and management was friendly. They have many videos and stuff you can check out in the main office.
Cons:
–This should be a **non-​smoking property**. Guests could go outside the gate for a quick cig if they need to. There was a guy who looked like he was camped out there for a week or two and he was smoking at one of the patio tables almost all day long. The smell came right into our room, thanks to the air conditioning.
–If you are a shy or non-​scene guy, Tortuga is definitely not the place for you. There were four or five couples who occupied the pool space most of the days and evenings. So, if you get not-​so-​good vibes from the other guests or they just don’t seem interesting to you, or if you don’t want to listen to their conversations for hours on end, and occasionally see them doing R– and X-​rated stuff, you’re probably gonna be hanging out in your suite or finding someplace else to hang out, off the property. They’ve got a pool table and some chairs down at the far end, along with a hammock and large wicker «lovers hut»…nothing too special though.
–I repeat, this is a very small resort and NOT a luxury resort by any stretch. If you’re used to staying in big hotels and resorts, or you prefer bigger hotel properties, this one wouldn’t be for you. All the rooms are right off the main walkway. I think there are only 12 rooms/​suites on the premises. Perhaps good for a gathering of 6 – 12 couples who all know each other?!
I’m actually glad, in a way, that I came to Tortuga because I was seriously considering going on a gay cruise. After we were done, I said to my bf, «I don’t think I’d do well on a gay cruise if this is how it’s going to be» and he agreed. Better $ 300 lost in Palm Springs than $ 3,000 for a cruise with airfare, that I probably would not have enjoyed.
We had an OK weekend, but sorry to say, we will not be returning.

Great place to stay! We had a great time during Stagecoach weekend. They have a pool table under a shade which we hoarded to ourselves, but we met nice people. They offer a small array of breakfast items in the morning with coffee and juice that you can drink while you lounge. Sure, we thought the place could be updated some, but overall, we had no real complaints. I’d recommend it and shall return.

I stayed for three nights towards the end of the week in late January. The resort wasn’t crowded at all. As other reviewers have commented the owners are very friendly and obliging. I picked the cheapest room available which was nicely tucked away from the pool area. It didn’t have a kitchen, just a microwave and fridge. The WiFi reception was very poor. I had a lot of stuff I wanted to do on the Internet and needed to go out to the pool area to get a decent signal. I won’t dis the resort, but Urbanex S.‘s review touched on some valid points. I just wouldn’t be as nasty as he was in writing a review.
I was surprised at how many of the guests smoked. I was working on my laptop at one of the large tables by the pool. The guest in the room behind me was chain-​smoking for the entire 45 minutes I sat there. I finally had to get up and leave because the second-​hand smoke was beginning to bother me.

Was thinking «hey, I should review them on Unilocal cuz they’re so awesome» when I discovered that I apparently did two years ago. Oh well, just write a little bit more about how awesome they are… :)
I travel for work at least once or twice a month, and so I stay in a lot of hotel rooms. I can say that Tortuga is my absolute most looked forward to place to stay. Ric and Rob are over the top great hosts, the bed is comfy, the units are super clean and the pool area is just right for relaxing after a long day. Wish I could give them six stars.

This was our first time to Palm Springs, and we celebrated our Honeymoon there in late December 2013 as we were married in September.
I can’t say enough good things about this resort. Quiet, clean and comfortable. Welcoming atmosphere. Rick and Rob do a fabulous job! The grounds are kept very clean and it was an entirely relaxing stay.
The room was spacious, clean and comfortable. Welcome touches in the room made the stay even all the more pleasant.
Thanks again Rick & Rob — we’ll certainly be back for another stay.
~Dave & Barry

This has become a special place for us! This is Palm Springs at its best! The owners are accommodating and nice. The resort has amenities galore! No creepy vibe that might be expected of a clothing optional resort. I cannot recommend this place enough.

Still coming to this wonderful place after all these years — the owners are so sweat and accommodating and even a mix up in dates they totally fixed in our favor. Wonderful guys– wonderful atmosphere– our forever go to place ;)

Looking forward to our return visit and can’t wait!!!
Two things I want to touch on…
1) my review
2) (a negative) review posted by another guest which I completely find it waste of everybody’s time & completely untrue… read on.
As many guest have stayed at clothing optional places, rarely anyone write about it due to stigma that goes with it… I, too, was hesitant… but the owners of this place deserve our praise!
To make the decision to do it or not do it (clothing optional stay)…I read lots of horrible reviews about dirty, loud, crazy people (mad queens), cruisy, parties and places with day pass… gladly NONE of them culture of Tortuga del Sol. This is a place to chill out, laid back, relax and enjoy QUIET-​ness.
Our trip to Palm Springs (PS) turned out to be way better than we had expected and the big credit goes to Tortuga Del Sol! We are already planning for next year trip back to PS and already decided where to stay!
We are a normal working couple live in the bay area (SF). So norm that we need to take ‘Gay101’ course to renew our gay DNA:)
It took forever to drive from SF to PS… I-​5 was shut down due to an accident which put us hours back and ran into horrid LA area traffic (Friday & president’s day weekend)
We arrived very tired… check in process was very efficient & informative. No superficial welcome crap!
***Pros & Cons***
Good:
Overall cleanliness is the best thing about Tortuga Del Sol
Room:
Bed — nice and on the firm side
Bed Sheet — good quality cotton & very soft with clean smell
Towel — plush and good quality of cotton
Swim towels — looks new and good quality of cotton
Floor — Clean!
Kitchen: Clean… small but full kitchen… cook to save $$$
Pool Area:
Hot tub — water is crystal clear and not too much of harsh chemicals… my skin thanked me.
Swimming pool water — crisp & clean. better than most reputable upscale corporate hotels (Starwood member). I swam w/​o goggles and my eyes were barely red.
Pool area furnitures — very comfortable and made out of nice quality of materials (fabrics)
Floor — clean and well maintenance
Atmosphere:
Other guest were polite, courteous… low key but friendly & social
Con: I can’t think of any!!! It’s an older structure but very well maintained and charming. It shows how much of TLC the owners put in…
Little construction went on but didn’t mind… it just shows that owners like to keep the place rolling with changes & improvements
Kitchen can use some improvements but we visited the next unit which already went through renovation and look & feel great!
Moving on to (negative) review left by another guest which I read before I made my reservation at Tortuga Del Sol. As I was reading the review… I am think, «so glad I am not married to this jerk»…so nasty and so negative! obviously he’s got some fundamental psychological issue…
For example, how can he complain about outside patio furniture having some dust??? Hello McFly! Anybody home???
Can’t stand those «Passive-​aggressive queens» who think their crap don’t stink and they are better than rest of the world!
Case closed!
Thank you, Tortuga Del Sol and looking forward to 2015 or sooner!

We stayed at the resort recently over the holidays. While the hosts were friendly and helpful, the entire resort facility could use a major facelift, not to mention a thorough cleaning. Here are some comments:
The entire pool area was tired looking with painted concrete flooring and dull red and beige striped painted plywood wall at the pool. It was Home Depot cheap at it’s best and had nothing to do with Palm Springs or the desert.
The pool lounges were faded and dirty. Worse were the little side tables by the lounges, appearing to NOT have been cleaned or wiped down in years: dusty, filmy, just plain dirty. And most of them had disgusting cigarette filled ashtrays, reeking of stale tobacco. When was the last time the owners even bother to clean the place?
The pool area was full of open concrete cutouts filled with stones or mostly dead or dying plants. A huge old dying cactus greeted you at one of the outside entries. Trees were hacked off leaving just stumps. The entire atmosphere was tired, old, no sense of resort poolside living, and mostly dirty. The property grounds are NOT lush and well landscaped.
The room was outdated and dull. Two overstuffed and tired recliners to sit in. The kitchen was old and dirty. The so called outside «private» patio was dusty and dirty with several old mismatched pieces of furniture. Both the kitchen and bath had creaky sliding doors into the room.
The bathroom was extremely small, having to squeeze around the little sink. One cheesy fluorescent fixture over the sink lit the space. The fan was always on when you turned the light on, very noisy and irritating.
The Christmas dinner served to the guests was the one, nice welcome touch; a chance to meet other guests and be social. But, to me, the dinner became cheap when we had to reach into a bucket for our PLASTIC utensils and foam plates. Would it have killed them to provide some basic IKEA type flatware?
We would not stay there again and not recommend it. With a good push toward cleanup and some up to date furnishings, the resort could become much more welcoming and pleasant.
I am also somewhat suspicious of ALL the 5 star ratings. I wish the current owners luck and hope they listen to some of my comments.

This place wasn’t the worst place I’ve ever stayed. But, truth be told, it’s not AT ALL what the reviews make it out to be. My friend and I were trying to figure out where all the glowing reviews are coming from. The place is shabby and pretty run down. The rooms are clean and the service staff is nice. But that’s about it. The jacuzzi was lukewarm. The grounds were in need of some TLC. The patio furniture was ancient and dirty looking. I’ve stayed at about 5 or 6 other clothing optional places in PS and this is by far the least interesting. I’d recommend Santiago across the street… Hacienda, Century and Inndulge before this place.
That said, if the reviews were more in line with the 2 – 3 stars it deserved — we wouldn’t have stayed here. And if we had, we would have been content and I wouldn’t be writing this review. But with the suspiciously high rating, we just felt it necessary to point out that this place isn’t deserving of that. It’s not a total mess, but 2 stars is where it should be falling on the scale.

Ive been staying with Rick and Rob at their very comfortable resort for three years now. Why I am just getting around to writing a review on Unilocal now, can only be attributed to laziness :(I apologize. Now on to the good stuff!
I have stayed at several mens resorts in the Warm Sands area and have to say that Tortuga definitely ranks as my favorite as far as genuine hospitality. The place has a genuine warm and laid back vibe with any sense of pretense being dropped at the door. Even the WeHo crowd that happens on this place from time to time immediately ratchets down the sanctimonious attitude a bit when they arrive here. Why? You can’t help it. It’s like comfort food for the urban soul. Slow down and relax is the motto.
I have almost always encountered a very friendly crowd on the weekends here, both Winter and Summer. The resort is clothing optional, but most guys are usually in their speedos or square cuts, they usually get lost on the more frollicky afternoons or at night when its more typical to go «Skinny Dip». But in all honesty the place does not reek of a bath house atmosphere like All Worlds, so you Clothing Optional Virgins, please dispense with your preconceived notions of some sort of heavy cruisy sexually abandoned weekend. the owners are not prudes, just the atmosphere is one where they want everyone to feel comfortable. There are no day passes allowed, so you don’t get the «fruit loop» variety late night creepers wandering in. Rick usually can be found poolside on weekend afternoons giving out some infamous libation and impromptu and scheduled BBQ’s pop up. what a treat!
The rooms are clean, comfortable, and while not of the upscale modern mid century look so typical of Palm Springs, they make for a good nights sleep or temporary refuge during the summers torrid temps. All the rooms either have a full size kitchen or a kitchenette. Great for storing your vodka in the freezer or mixing up cocktails to be taken poolside in their handy dandy mega size plastic cups.
Outside, there is a great pergola to get some shade under, a fun pool with all manner of toys. A small but friendly jacuzzi, which can get friendlier at night on occasion. Don’t ask ME how I know, just ask «Uncle Rick».
I continue to wish these guys plenty of success and please tell your friends who have never been to give it a whirl. They just might like it!

This was my first time staying at Tortuga and enlisted the advice of the trusted Unilocal reviews and I’m so glad I did. First off, the parking is easy and located in a quite area of PS. We arrived a bit late and Rick actually stayed up to make sure we got into our room OK and insisted we handle the paperwork in the morning so we could get some rest.
PROPERTY: The grounds are beautiful. There’s a nice fish pond and they have turtles everywhere (fake and real). Very lush and well-​landscaped. An oasis in the desert I guess you could say. The pool is decent-​sized and they have a cute gazebo area. It’s very private and quiet, so you don’t get any outside noise or creepsters looking in.
BREAKFAST: The next morning, I woke up and browsed through the complementary breakfast they offer. It’s VERY basic. Coffee, pre-​packaged danishes, Yoplait, and maybe some juice… nothing to get excited about. I decided to forgo the danishes and go out instead. If you’re big on breakfast, I would suggest getting some coffee and skipping this amenity.
POOL: The pool is comfortable and they have padded lounge chairs which is a nice touch. Plenty of floating pool toys to lay on and keep you entertained. Although I never made it to the hot tub, it looked rather small, but for those that were in it, they all seemed to have a great time. At any point in time, morning, noon, and night, you’ll see gay men frolicking about (but not in a cruisy way).
ROOM: We booked a Hacienda suite that comes with a FULL kitchen. Complete with a full fridge, range, and stove. Seriously… you could live there. The room was spacious and clean. At one point we had 8 of us just hanging out in our room and it didn’t feel crowded at all. The bathroom could use some upgrades, but it was clean and everything worked just fine. We had a private large patio in the back that we never really used, but I guess it’s nice to know that it’s there.
VIBE: We met some really cool people at the pool and shared some drinks and chatted for quite a while. All the hotel guests were super friendly and really made our stay that much more pleasant. Rick and Rob (the owners) are always kind of «around» but in a way that’s not intrusive or annoying. They seem to just kind of blend in and help out if you need anything. They served drinks by the pool… always a plus in my book. This hotel doesn’t seem to be as cruisy as others I’ve stayed at and everyone seemed to be mostly coupled.
I think if you take this resort at face value, it’s definitely not as fancy or upgraded as other hotels you could stay at and the breakfast may leave more to be desired, but I definitely think there’s a charm factor here with the grounds and the friendly people you’ll meet. All in all, I really enjoyed my stay and would definitely stay here again.

Rick & Rob are still wonderful hosts. We used to come to PSP from the Bay Area somewhat regularly and have made this our place to stay for many years. Now we returned after about 3 years since we spent the last 2 in Germany. Not only was it like coming home, but the guys still had a bottle of Jack’s JW in storage!
Tortuga is a clothing optional gay mens’ resort which is low key. Many guests are regulars. Some even do the snow bird thing here. One couple is staying 5 months. The resort keeps getting updated/​upgraded, so it remains comfortable. Many rooms have kitchens and there is even a room if you bring a dog.

I love Tortuga del Sol. It’s a relaxing CLOTHING OPTIONAL environment. And I do mean optional… nobody cares what you wear, if anything. The owners are amazing. What I love the most about the place is the suite that is dog friendly. It has it’s own private dog-​run and grassy back yard. My dogs love this place as much as I do!!!

Tortuga del sol! Ok so I will start off by saying I am so grateful I
found this place. I read the other reviews and it was a reason to try
it out. I am 29 and live in San Francisco so gloryholes and cruising
for sex is not something new or exciting. This place is legit and not
creepy. All the details are covered. My room has a kitchen pots, pans,
silverware, cups and even salt and pepper. My bathroom has a can of
airfreshner, and the room is spotless! Everything is clean and
detailed, no dust, no fingerprints on the mirrors nothing is wrong.
The owners are very very sweet, the pool is clean and free breakfast.
Cereal, coffee, oatmeal, pastries, yogurt, orange juice, granola bars,
and fruit. I even got to feed the turtles they have in the backyard.
The room is exactly like an apartment and its made my stay very
comfortable. I highly rec. it since it’s no more expensive than the
hotels in fact its a better price and the service is what has me
hooked. With grindr I can make my experience as creepy as I want without weirdos and trolls lurking around in my face while laying at the pool.

In a desert full of seedy men’s resorts, Tortuga Del Sol is an oasis of class, charm, and relaxation. But what makes Tortuga truly unique are it’s caring and hospitable hoteliers; Rick and Rob.
It’s hard to describe the atmosphere of this place without comparing it to other hotels in the area. My time spent at the vast majority of clothing optional men’s resorts are uncomfortable, awkward experiences wherein I’m commonly met with unwelcome advances and lifeless fish eyed stares.
I’m far from a prude, I just prefer the fun, flirtatious nature of Tortuga Del Sol where Rick and Rob have created a warm and welcoming environment that encourages a fantastic mix of guests that are usually just as friendly.
My fondness for these ideals notwithstanding, the grounds itself is beautifully landscaped with fish ponds and fruit trees. The pool has always been extremely clean and has a fantastic view of the mountains. For a special treat, ask Rick or Rob to show you the giant turtles housed in the back, they’re monsters!
The room we stay in has a fully functional kitchen with which we cook most of our meals (there’s a propane BBQ in the common area). The interior design is Spanish style, the way a good summer home should be, with lots of space and a comfy bed.
I’l close with an anecdote of my last visit: I was having cocktails by the pool with my friends, a few other guests, Rick and Rob, when I mentioned how I missed a large inflatable snake shaped pool toy that they had out during my pervious visit. To my disappointment, Rick explained that it had popped while I was away and Rob left to make a phone call. A short while later, Rob returned with a band new one, already inflated. Totally made my day.

It’s a beautiful resort. Both owner Rob and Rick are so nice. Love Rick’s thanksgiving dinner. The turkey was so juice. Location is great, right off the strip. We booked a standard queen bed room. When we arrived, Rob and Rick upgraded it to a suite for us. The room was very clean right by the pool. Loved it. Free continental breakfast. Pool and Jacuzzi are very clean and naughty too ;) I will definitely go back.
Free WIFI