Vagabond Inn Palm Springs

Question

Anybody know what the status is of the Vagabond Inn? It seems to be closed, but it's not clear if permanently or for renovations.

It was our favorite budget lodging!!

TIA~~~~~

Answer

It appears that the (often referenced as Vagabond Motor Hotel or Vagabond Inn at 1699 S Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs) is currently closed, at least to standard guest bookings. Several user reports and directory listings mark the property as “closed” or “permanently closed.”

Here's a more detailed breakdown of what I found:

On Yelp, the listing for the hotel shows “CLOSED” in its heading and user comments say the place has been closed.
A thread on TripAdvisor (Sep 30, 2024) states that the hotel “was sold, is now permanently closed,” and may be used as an emergency shelter rather than a hotel.
A Facebook post indicates the property “just up and closed down in July 2024,” though with no detailed public explanation.

That said, I did find a website listing for the same address under the name “Vagabond Motor Hotel – Palm Springs” with rooms available for booking (on one travel site). This suggests there may be some confusion about ownership, re-branding, or whether the listing is simply outdated and not yet removed from booking engines.

My best assessment: The most likely scenario is that the hotel has closed as a standard lodging property — possibly sold or repurposed — and the listing remains in some systems by error. I would consider it *unsafe to plan* on staying there unless you get direct confirmation from a live operator (hotel phone line answered, email reply, or real-time booking confirmation). The fact many guest-type platforms list it as closed is a strong signal.

If it indeed permanently closed (or is in transition), you’ll want to secure an alternative for your trip to avoid last-minute issues. Below are some alternative suggestions in case you need to pivot.

Consider nearby budget lodging in the same Palm Springs area (e.g., the Mesa, Palm Canyon Drive corridor) that is clearly operational and has good reviews.
- Check hotels that show “available rooms” with confirmed reservations for your dates.
- Call the hotel directly just to confirm open status, especially if the property is older or was formerly affiliated with a chain.
If you really loved the location/style of the Vagabond, you might look for similarly-priced mid-tier motels within walking distance of downtown Palm Springs, as you had before.

What you can do now:

Try calling the phone number you have for the Vagabond Inn listing and ask directly: “Are you currently accepting guest reservations? Are you open for lodging?”
Look up recent guest reviews (within the last 90 days) to see if anyone reports actually staying there. If there are none, that’s another red flag.
Check local business registries or city property records to see if the property has changed hands or been converted to another use (hotel to housing, etc).

In short: It’s very likely that your favorite budget lodging has ceased operations as a public hotel. I’d recommend making a backup lodging choice now to avoid any unpleasant surprises. If you’d like me to help you identify 2-3 nearby budget hotels in Palm Springs in your preferred area, I’d be happy to assist.