A Palm Springs resort marks 30 years of clothing-optional luxury and friendships

One of the best-known clothing-optional gay resorts in Palm Springs is INNdulge. This midcentury modern oasis, nestled in the Warm Sands neighborhood, was built in 1958 as a motor lodge. It became INNdulge Palm Springs in October 1995 under the ownership of Jean-Guy LaChance and John Williams.

It was taken over 15 years ago by current custodians, Jon Jackson and his partner, Joseph ‘Sandy’ Miller. Jackson was raised in Utah, and Miller in North Carolina. They met in San Francisco and moved to Palm Springs in 2010 when they bought INNdulge.

“Sandy was a CFO for a media company in San Francisco. I was an attorney practicing in San Francisco and Southern Oregon,” Jackson told GayCities. “Much later, together we managed a restaurant in San Francisco, the closest we came to having a ‘hospitality background’. Nonetheless, when the opportunity arose to buy INNdulge, we bought it.”

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How did the resort come up on their radar?

“It showed up on the MLS of commercial properties at about the same time we were looking for our next venture,” says Jackson. “I have been visiting Palm Springs since 1987 (road trips with my new gay friends — the year I came out). I introduced Sandy to Palm Springs in 1999, visiting many times over the next decade. We stayed at INNdulge one time, which was enough for us to know we wanted to buy it.”

Updating and refitting

The couple have continued to invest in the amenities whilst preserving the building’s iconic history and retro feel.

They have completely refurnished the rooms, added a new roof, and placed distinctive, figurative sculptures by artist Mavis McClure in the courtyard, among other works. They also refitted the kidney-shaped swimming pool.

Jackson says he’s seen changes in Palm Springs whilst running INNdulge. This includes several gay hotels turning straight.

“Over the past 15 years, the gay population of Palm Springs has increased, while at the same time, due primarily to the popularity of Coachella, the straight tourist population has grown in almost direct opposite proportion. As a result, many gay hotels have been lost to the straight market. Fortunately, our gay bar and restaurant scene remains as strong as ever!”

In a press statement, he says these wider changes are one of the reasons INNdulge guests value knowing the resort “is and will always be a safe space for them.”

New friends and loved ones

Fostering a sense of community and building friendships is at the heart of the business.

Jackson recalls one couple who met poolside during their first visit. They became friends, fell in love, and then returned a year later to get engaged. A year later, they held their wedding at the resort.

“Every year since, we’ve celebrated their anniversary together,” Jackson said. “Stories like theirs are what make this place so special.”

For the resort’s 30th anniversary, on October 31, INNdulge will open its doors for a special afternoon gathering from noon to 5pm. The team invites former guests now living in Palm Springs to stop by for cake, drinks, and shared stories.

“Over the years there have been so many memorable moments,” Jackson said, “but the most special is seeing guests arrive as strangers and leave with lifelong friendships. Some return year after year, often in the family groups they’ve formed here.”

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