Going to Dinah? Where You Should Stay

Lesbians get together every night of the week, but nothing compares to the lesbian rite of passage known as Club Skirts' The Dinah, an annual event in Palm Springs, Calif., this year being held March 28-April 1. The Dinah (TheDinah.com) attracts about 20,000 women from around the globe for a weekend of pool parties, concerts, and other girl-girl festivities. The oh-so-cute Rye Rye, legendary Chaka Khan, BC Jean, Wynter Gordon, Ce Ce Peniston, and the Real L Word cast are all headlining parties that weekend. Don't worry if you haven't booked your hotel yet--there are plenty of options in the area.

At the center of it all...
The luxurious Riviera Palm Springs Resort and Spa is known for its stunning views, perfect pool, and hot parties. If you're a real high roller, the Riviera's suites are even more amazing, the ideal setting for your own private party if you're still fired up after the sanctioned Dinah festivities have died down. PSRiviera.com

For the closet gourmand...
The colorful and lively Saguaro Palm Springs is a Dinah-affiliated hotel, so the action is all around. Created by the same crew as the gay-owned hipster haven Ace Hotel, Saguaro boasts Iron Chef Jose Garces's two restaurants on the property. Tinto and El Jefe bring the Spanish, Mexican, and French cuisines for which the James Beard Award winner is known. When not busy eating or drinking, revelers can chill by the pool under a cabana or roast marshmallows at night with a special lady in a poolside fire pit. TheSaguaro.com

Taking the kids...
In the tranquility of the desert is the chic Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa. Its restaurant features a big breakfast menu, and the dinner entrees are swoon-worthy. Kids of all ages will want to grab a pool noodle and head to Splashtopia, the property's mini water park, where the adults are as rambunctious as the tots. Or dump the kids, ditch Dinah, and just get a delicious salty mango scrub treatment instead. RanchoLasPalmas.com

Pet-friendly...
And then there's the rustic, intimate La Quinta Resort and Club. This pet-friendly, Mexican-inspired resort from the Waldorf Astoria group has been known as a Hollywood hideaway since the days of Greta Garbo and Frank Capra. Guests can work on their backhand on the acclaimed tennis courts or play golf on a pro-level course. But few want to venture far from this beautiful, secluded resort that is full of eye candy, with traditional Mexican tile work, wood-beamed ceilings, and comfy leather chairs set around cozy fireplaces. The best part? La Quinta rolls out the red carpet for dogs, offering pet beds, organic treats, and mobile grooming. Plus the nearby San Jacinto Mountains make for a perfect hiking spot for the pooch. LaQuintaResort.com

No men for miles...
Sure, The Dinah attracts lot of women, but for a more intimate girl-centric stay, consider the lush Casitas Laquita or the nearby Queen of Hearts (pictured). Both are quiet women-only resorts beloved by lesbians the world over. CasitasLaquita.com; QueenOfHeartsPS.com

Kitsch queen...
The lesbian-owned, six-unit Ruby Montana's Coral Sands Inn sports fun, kitschy, themed rooms in a classic '50s-era motor lodge. The Yiddish Cowgirl or the Poodle Room are sure to provide happy memories of one's stay, and when not at The Dinah, guests can ramble through the hood that once was home to Liberace and Elvis. CoralSandsPalmSprings.com