Let’s get down to business.

Desert Shadows Inn and Villas in north Palm Springs is not clothing-optional.

Desert Shadows Inn and Villas is a nudist resort, and wearing a bathing suit or any type of coverup around the resort’s three pools or two hot tubs is not an "option," as it is at so many other places.

There are no clothed sunbathers, who "accidentally" wander over to the wrong beach to stare, which is irritatingly common at Grand Lido Negril. The nudity requirement, coupled with the relatively high tariffs for the rooms and villas, is sufficient to discourage gawkers, adding to the comfort level of those who may be trying social nudity for the first time.

Desert Shadows provides security. You must make advance reservations, including a one-night deposit, in order to gain access to the hotel. Upon arrival, you ring a buzzer, provide your name, before you are admitted into the reception area.

First timers to the resort are always given a tour of the facilities, typically by one of the owners. In our case last year, it was one of the owners, Sue Lavato. The grounds, the hotel rooms, and the villas are beautifully landscaped and meticulously maintained. Desert Shadows is a genuine four-star resort where you do not have to sacrifice high-class amenities in order to be nude on your vacation.

Upon completion of the 10-minute tour, you are given keys to your room or villa, the outside gates, and an electronic gate opener to the covered parking lot (a big plus in the summer months) for your car. Upon removing your bags from your car, you enter two locked gates to access the resort. You are immediately impressed by the unusually high walls (special code variance granted by the City of Palm Springs), and the beauty of the grounds.

My wife and I have twice rented a two-story, one bedroom, one and one-half bath villa fronting one of the three swimming pools. We paid $220 per night for our villa and there is no summer discount. There is a discount if you are a card-carrying member of the Naturist Society or the American Association of Nude Recreation. The Naturist Society lends its name to the resort as a seal of approval, but provides no financial assistance.

Upon entering the teal and white villa, you note the ground floor to second-story windows which create a sense of spaciousness and airiness in the unit. The main floor has its own outdoor patio (and there is a balcony upstairs as well), a dining area, fireplace, living area, pristine white kitchen (fully furnished with microwave) and the half bath. A large-screen television and VCR add entertainment options.

Upstairs is a large bedroom, the balcony and the main bathroom (separated from the king-size bed by a wall of glass block) which has a large whirlpool tub and shower. Closets line one wall, and sliding doors lead to the balcony. We enjoyed having our morning coffee outside, overlooking the pink and violet shadows of the San Jacinto Mountains.

The standard hotel rooms in the original 11 hotel units (The "Courtyard") and the 22 later hotel units (The "Chapparal") are not as pricey, but Desert Shadows is far from inexpensive.

In total, Desert Shadows currently offers a total of 71 hotel rooms and villas, and 21 more condominiums will be available this fall. It is completely booked on holiday weekends. In just seven short years, the Paynes and the Lovatos have built Desert Shadows into a first-class resort that caters to an under-served clientele: nudists. Desert Shadows is quite possibly the best (and certainly the largest) nudist resort west of the Mississippi.

It can reach 110-degrees or more in the summer afternoons, although the humidity is low. The morning hours in the summer are best for pool-side sun tanning and the hot tub is the place to be in the evening hours after 9 p.m. You can also visit many of the great restaurants in Palm Springs, or enjoy the city’s world-class shopping.

Two of the reasons why Desert Shadows earns the "resort" label is the presence of its spa (massages, manicures, pedicures, facials etc.) and the "Sunset Caf." The caf not only provides excellent venue for au naturel lunch and dinners, but it also negates the need to leave the premises. We enjoyed having the excellent food and wine delivered to our villa for dinner, and lunch was served to us on our chaises out by the pool. Translated: if you want to remain nude all the time, you can. My wife and I came back from the city’s Street Fair on Thursday night and never got dressed again until we departed on Sunday afternoon.

Besides the enforced nudity by the pools and hot tubs (coverups in the restaurant are permitted), the management of Desert Shadows require observance of the standard nudist etiquette. Cameras are verboten, although the management will allow you to photograph each other accompanied by a resort staffer. Children are permitted, but are restricted to using the family pool. Guests are asked to use towels when sitting nude on common furnishings (e.g. Sunset Caf chairs). Open displays of sexual contact or swinging earn a one-way ticket out the door.

The resort guests are primarily composed of white-collar couples, aged 30 and up. A few, but not many, bring their children along. Most just want a brief escape from the demands of civilization and an opportunity to forget about clothes and kids for a weekend or even longer. Singles are welcome, but Desert Shadows is not even close to being considered a pick-up scene.

Is Desert Shadows for everyone? No. If you want R/V hookups, there are none to be found. If you want to "swing," you probably already know the 800-number for resorts that will meet your needs. If you want a beach, sorry about that. However, if you want a four-star resort that offers a safe, luxurious and beautiful environment for newbie nudists or experienced ones, then you should seriously consider Desert Shadows Inn and Villas in Palm Springs.