This brand new boutique hotel — formerly known as Tortuga del Sol — provides a space where guests can spend all day lounging by the pool, sunbathing with friends and taking a dip whenever they like, or stick to their rooms, enjoying some alone time. “Its essence is more of a retreat, where you can relax and have fun,” owner Tayfun King says. “You can meet people or be with your own crowd. It’s a very sociable space.” Tayfun chose the name Float because “what we associate as quintessential Palm Springs now is a person in a pool, floating on...

This brand new boutique hotel — formerly known as Tortuga del Sol — provides a space where guests can spend all day lounging by the pool, sunbathing with friends and taking a dip whenever they like, or stick to their rooms, enjoying some alone time. “Its essence is more of a retreat, where you can relax and have fun,” owner Tayfun King says. “You can meet people or be with your own crowd. It’s a very sociable space.” Tayfun chose the name Float because “what we associate as quintessential Palm Springs now is a person in a pool, floating on an inflatable, with palm trees and blue skies behind them.” The name takes on a deeper meaning due to the coronavirus pandemic, as the word “literally gives you a sense of relaxation, of letting your worries float away. It’s light, it’s carefree, it’s what we hope will now be this new era of being able to relax with our friends and loved ones and not be so stressed.” Each room at Float will have its own character and identity, “giving you something interesting and stimulating,” Tayfun says. “They’ll be connected and related, but different from each other so every time you come back, you may have a favorite room you want to stay in or look to have a different experience and try something new.”The previous owners of the property lived onsite in a two-bedroom house with a large kitchen. Tayfun aims to turn this building into a restaurant, which will cater to guests at Float as well as his other hotel, the adjoining BelleVue Oasis. He envisions diners savoring their meals and cocktails while sitting outside, taking in the fresh air. “There’s so much open outdoor space,” Tayfun says. “It creates the perfect solution if we ever need to be restricted again. We can spread out the seating and dining over a whole acre of land.” For Tayfun, designing and developing hotels is exciting, but what makes it fulfilling is when guests tell him about how much they enjoyed their stays. “People come and talk with true passion, saying, ‘I love this place, it’s great,’” he says. “It’s really deep and emotional.”