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Caliente Tropics, Palm Springs, CA (hotel) |
Tiki-Kate
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 21, 2003
Posts: 1700
From: Yucaipa, CA
|  Posted: 2006-11-28 4:39 pm Permalink
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I'm just a bit confused about these changes Casey vs. After Casey and wanna know if its still worth staying there any longer.
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It's definitely still worth going.
We stayed there this past July and then again in September. July was a poor choice. The weather was unbearable. We had a fabulous time in September though. The rooms are still great. (Unfortunately, no more shampoo, notepads, etc.) The staff seems kind of uninformed about tiki and the history of the place, but they treated us pretty well.
The food at Hawaiian Bill's is good. The drinks at the bar are also decent. It's always nice to have someone take your order and serve you a cocktail while you're in the pool.
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PremEx
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 305
From: Houston, Texas
| Posted: 2006-11-29 12:51 am Permalink
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| It's definitely still worth going. |
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Thank You Tiki-Kate! Sounds like enough of some good recommendations from you and others, that we can keep this on our list to head out there again.
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mike-stobbe
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 14, 2006
Posts: 112
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2006-11-29 09:16 am Permalink
I got your specifics . . .
It was really nice . Very clean . . . and there were a lot of tikis . You can see in the previous few posts all the pictures , it's still very tropical . Hawaii'n Bills bar goes off and the Mai Tais were strong and not very pricey . The pool was really clean and heated and theres a big hot tub that was a lot of fun also . Everyone who worked there was super friendly and really accomadating .
The Reef was super fun bar , tons of tiki shit and the walls are all bamboo & thatched panels & crazy lamps everywhere . You can order food through the bar , plus they have a large outdoor BBQ going during dinner hours , and they cook you up on the spot when you order . Both nights we partied there , Hawaii Bob was behind the bar mixing up tropical goodies for everyone .
All the pictures on page 2 are current looking and there are more tiki's hiding around the premises if you have a few drinks and go on a hunt
If you take a short walk into town , you can make it to the main drag and there's LOTS of shopping and plenty of good restraunts to eat at . Having a bike would make it perfect because there's other stuff thats a longer walk or a nice bicycle ride away ( lots of great homes & examples of mid-century achitecture .
I'd say for the money it's well worth the 2 hour drive and very inexpensive room rates . The whole vibe was mellow and relaxed and almost reminded us of Hawaii in a lot of ways . . . My oppinion , go check it out while it's still as nice as it is . . . I can't imagine it would ever be changed too drasticly , but stranger things have happened .
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PremEx
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 305
From: Houston, Texas
| Posted: 2006-11-29 12:09 pm Permalink
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| I got your specifics . . . |
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Many Thanks!
Actually I had already stayed there before so I'm well versed on the property and the tikis and such. But that was back before some of the cutbacks and management changes reported in the other thread...and that's why I was asking the update questions.
Sounds like it's still a great place to stay at, even if some of the amenities have been reduced from a couple of years ago, and some really great people that used to work there are now gone.
Thanks Again.
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mike-stobbe
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 14, 2006
Posts: 112
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2006-11-29 12:21 pm Permalink
No problemo . I never did stay there in ye olden tymes , when it was mega tiki . . . so I'm just going on my first impression / first time staying there . Never knowing the previous staff , the new staff was impressive . . . so it was a win win for us !
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VampiressRN
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Nov 23, 2006
Posts: 5854
From: Sun City Lincoln Hills (NorCal)
| Posted: 2006-11-29 2:57 pm Permalink
Thanks for the update on the Caliente. I was sad to read all the posts about the demise of the previous management, but it is good to know there is still some preservation of the Tiki spirit. It looks like this is a must-visit place in the spring for me (before the place is totally devoid of the Tiki flavor).
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 "Oh waiter, another cocktail please!!!"
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agonistes
Member
Joined: Nov 29, 2006
Posts: 4
From: Tony Lopez
| Posted: 2006-11-30 5:40 pm Permalink
Well this is my second post on this BBS!! I'm loving this whole site!! Well i do have to say that the Tropics is under new management, i might be a bit bias cause she my wife. But the horror stories i have read in the past are believe me just that, the past. She (her name is Christine) is the new manager there and is doing all she can to make everyone that stays there have an experience they soon wont forget meaning you'll enjoy it alot!! Bill's is actually starting to have luaus again. from what Bill and his business partner told me they want to have another in January. I will try to keep every one posted on new and up coming events at the tropics. Chris, along with my help is trying to preserve the Tiki feel to the tropics and bring back the late 50's and 60's popularity of the place. Her email is cpiazza@calientetropics.com if you guys have any questions.
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agonistes
Member
Joined: Nov 29, 2006
Posts: 4
From: Tony Lopez
| Posted: 2006-11-30 6:46 pm Permalink
Well i just talk to my wife and she requested that if you have stayed there in the recent past, please go to the web site and leave a few good comments there. She is continually fighting her boss to make the place better and the more good he see on the site then the more he will allow!!! calientetropics.com
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mike-stobbe
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 14, 2006
Posts: 112
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2006-11-30 7:23 pm Permalink
wow that's good to know . . . I'm off to say great tiki related things . Good luck to her in the future as well . I hope she's able to keep it on the right track !
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Ojaitimo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 04, 2006
Posts: 1317 | Posted: 2006-12-04 09:05 am Permalink
Thanks Agonistes,
We both enjoyed our stay very much and plan on returning in the spring. Could you tell your wife It would be nice to see the Tiki Oasis photos and some of the vintage photos from the 60's back on the walls? I'm sure your guests and especially TC members would enjoy seeing them besides this one.
( BTW anyone know ho this is?
I went to the site for Caliente Tropic as you suggested as well.
Tim
[ This Message was edited by: Ojaitimo 2006-12-04 09:12 ]
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PremEx
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 305
From: Houston, Texas
| Posted: 2006-12-04 2:42 pm Permalink
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| BTW anyone know ho this is? |
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Just in case you're not joking...
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=21120
...and...
http://www.donho.com/biography.html
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mike-stobbe
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 14, 2006
Posts: 112
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2006-12-18 10:41 am Permalink
Just got back from a great weekend in Palm Springs at the Caliente Tropics and it was once again , amazing . Everyone was very friendly and helpful , the food at Hawaiian Bill's was amazing . The mai tai's kept flowing . . . everything was in it's place !
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bigtikidude
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 9040
From: Anaheim,Ca.
| Posted: 2006-12-18 1:39 pm Permalink
Im confused here, is the Mexican resturant in front not there anymore?
I guess Hawiian/Polynesian is better, but that was a good Mexican
resturaunt when I ate there the Sun afternoon after Tiki Oasis V
Jeff(bigtikidude)
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Tiki-Kate
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 21, 2003
Posts: 1700
From: Yucaipa, CA
| Posted: 2006-12-18 1:42 pm Permalink
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On 2006-12-18 13:39, bigtikidude wrote:
Im confused here, is the Mexican resturant in front not there anymore?
I guess Hawiian/Polynesian is better, but that was a good Mexican
resturaunt when I ate there the Sun afternoon after Tiki Oasis V
Jeff(bigtikidude)
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The Mexican restaurant is still there, Jeff.
Hawaiian Bill's serves in the bar and the outdoor seating area by the pool.
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mike-stobbe
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 14, 2006
Posts: 112
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2006-12-18 3:11 pm Permalink
ditto above .
It's still there , they share the kitchen with Hawaiian Bill's . We didn't get to eat there this time , but I looked at the menu and it looked pretty tastey . Smelled good too .
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