A four-day Mahjong retreat hosted by Carry-On Mahjong wrapped up Sunday at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, capping a sold-out gathering that mixed open play, tournaments and strategy sessions with poolside socializing. The event ran from Thursday through Sunday, drawing players who came together over tiles, cocktails and, eventually, pajamas.
As reported by NBC Palm Springs, organizers brought in special guests and hosts to help participants learn and enjoy the experience, and they said they wanted the retreat to reflect their own personalities while offering an alternative to other Mahjong gatherings. According to that reporting, organizers noted that Mahjong has grown significantly in popularity across the United States over the past couple of years — a trend that shows up elsewhere in the retreat's own marketing.
Carry-On Mahjong's event page describes the gathering as “Four days of Mahjong, sunshine, connection and luxury,” with guests staying at the resort and taking part in open play, organized games and special events, according to carryonmahjong.com. The site lists “fun, low-pressure mini tournaments with cash prizes” among the retreat's offerings, with games played under official National Mahjong League rules and additional tournament-specific rules handed out to registered players. By the time of the retreat, the event page read simply: “Sorry, this event is sold out.”
What Guests Got for Their Money
Registration covered access to all retreat activities, open-play sessions, social events, prizes, giveaways and a farewell breakfast, per the same Carry-On Mahjong listing. Rooms in the retreat's hotel block were offered at $354 per night, plus a $30 nightly resort fee and applicable taxes — pricing that sits within range of other Mahjong getaways cropping up around the country. On the social side, NBC Palm Springs reported the Palm Desert retreat included a caftans-and-cocktails event along with a farewell pajama party to send players off.
A Tile Game Having a National Moment
The Palm Desert retreat landed amid what outlets have described as a broader surge in Mahjong's popularity. NPR reported that interest in the game has risen specifically among Gen Z and Millennials over the past year, with in-person meetups growing alongside it; the network visited a free drop-in game at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., where first-time learners played alongside more experienced hands. NPR also quoted David Horowitz saying “people are looking for joy, and this gives people a good time for a few hours.”
That growth shows up in the numbers, too. The Charlotte Observer reported that Mahjong events in the U.S. jumped 179% between 2023 and 2024, according to Eventbrite data, with tile games popping up at bars, community centers and friends' kitchen tables across the country. Historian Annelise Heinz told the outlet the resurgence “is being driven by a genuine need for connection and community.” Palm Springs–area Mahjong teacher Lance Karp offered a historical echo of that idea, telling The Hollywood Times that “this has happened before” and that “in the 1920s, Mahjong was even more popular than what we're seeing today,” adding that “when we come to the Mahjong table, we are community.”
Plenty of Other Tables to Choose From
Palm Desert's retreat wasn't the only Mahjong option in the region this year. Destination Mah Jongg advertised a three-day American Mah Jongg tournament at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Golf Resort Palm Springs in Cathedral City, featuring 12 rounds of competition over three days, according to destinationmahjongg.com — though that event, too, sold out and moved to a waitlist. The same organizer offered a $225 commuter package for players living within 30 miles, covering tournament play and lunch only.
Beyond the desert, USA Today's 10Best travel vertical has called Mahjong retreats “one of the fastest-growing niche travel trends,” noting that more resorts, cruise lines, hotels and spas are embracing Mahjong programming. Among the comparisons it cites: an Avalon Waterways cruise pairing European Christmas markets with Mahjong play, and Hilton Head Island positioned as a beach-and-golf-friendly Mahjong getaway. Lake Austin Spa Resort, meanwhile, promotes its own “Spahjong Retreats” combining strategy and tournament play with a $200-per-night spa credit, led by instructor Candyce Welch.
