Embracing Inclusivity with The Good House in Desert Hot Springs

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By Kind Traveler • Posted on Jun 03, 2024

As a business owner, Brian Edson has long believed in the importance of investing in the community.

His Desert Hot Springs boutique hospitality project, The Good House, is a vibrant example of that ethos.

During a 2023 interview with Ebony, Edson explained that he makes it a point to hire locally for the seven-room hotel and spa, giving area residents a chance to grow with the business. The property also supports the community by sourcing food products from local farms and engaging wellness practitioners from throughout the area for events and activations at the hotel.

"When I invest in a property, I do so with the surrounding community in mind,” Edson told Ebony during that 2023 interview.

More recently, that approach to doing business has grown to include taking part in Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back (ESGB) program. Kicked off in 2023, the ESGB program features hotels and resorts around the world whose owners and leaders are actively helping to protect the planet and support local communities by providing financial support to local charities.

As part of the program, participating hotels or resorts contribute funds to a local charity for every guest stay booked at their property - no matter where the booking was originated.

In the case of The Good House, one of the first hotels to sign up as a pilot partner for Kind Traveler's Every Stay Gives Back program, $2 per night from every guest stay goes to The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.

“The LGBTQ Community Center aligns so much with our ethos of being a place of true connection and acceptance for all travelers,” adds Edson. “These are values that we deeply align with and have had great feedback from guests who are happy to know that their presence is contributing to such an amazing organization,” he says.

For those not familiar, The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert is a local institution dating back to 1998 when the center began as a 501(c)(7) non-profit and social club for mature gay and bisexual men in Palm Springs.

Over the years, the center has evolved and been renamed and is now focused on providing a safe and welcoming environment for all members of the Coachella Valley’s LGBTQ+ community.

Based in the Palm Springs McDonald Wright Building, the center provides a range of services including a community food bank, the Scott Hines Mental Health Clinic at The Center, and the Coachella satellite office.

Support groups, physical health activities, social activities, and life enrichment programming are also available.

“This center has created a community where people of all cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds can connect, be seen, and feel loved,” says Edson.

Since The Good House joined Kind Traveler’s ESGB program in February 2023, its support for The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert has translated into 12,408 meals for LGBTQ+ individuals who face food insecurity.

Raúl Rodriguez, senior manager of The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, says support from partners like The Good House and ESGB is critical to the work being done.

“Funding and participation from local hotels are important because it highlights their commitment to collaboration and community connection,” Rodriguez tells Kind Traveler. “Through these relationships, we are collectively and actively promoting the importance of inclusivity, community building, and impact in our local communities.”

Such partnerships and opportunities not only enhance the visibility for everyone involved but also work to amplify the community center’s impact in serving the diverse needs of the LGBTQ+ community in Coachella Valley.

We're grateful for the opportunity to further our shared mission of building a healthier, more inclusive, and connected community for all who live and visit the desert,” adds Rodriguez.

Building a connected community is a mission Brian Edson has also been focused on with his own work at The Good House. His first hospitality project to date, Edson has said during interviews that The Good House began as a dream to create a retreat for people “from all walks of life,” a place where visitors could relax and decompress.

To that end, The Good House offers a lush oasis where guests can indulge in holistic wellness experiences, soak in the property’s two hot spring pools, and enjoy healthy eats from Chef Chef Van Stevens, (a former chef under Wolfgang Puck). The hotel also hosts events like women’s retreats and other programming.

It’s a place designed to nourish body and soul alike - a mission not all that unlike The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.

Author Bio: Mia Taylor is an award-winning journalist and editor. She has been writing and editing professionally for 20 years and holds an undergraduate degree in print journalism and a graduate degree in journalism and media studies. Her career includes working as a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Fortune, Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, Parents, and Health.

Embracing Inclusivity with The Good House in Desert Hot Springs

"When I invest in a property, I do so with the surrounding community in mind,” Edson told Ebony during that 2023 interview.

We're grateful for the opportunity to further our shared mission of building a healthier, more inclusive, and connected community for all who live and visit the desert,” adds Rodriguez.

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"When I invest in a property, I do so with the surrounding community in mind,” Edson told Ebony during that 2023 interview.

We're grateful for the opportunity to further our shared mission of building a healthier, more inclusive, and connected community for all who live and visit the desert,” adds Rodriguez.

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