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Winner Announced in Desert Gay Tourism Guild Poster and T-Shirt Contest.

The  is pleased to announce that Danny Warhole has won its first annual Greater Palm Springs Play Gay, Stay Gay Poster & T-Shirt Contest. 

“The Board voted unanimously for Danny’s design,” said Michael C. Green, DGTG President. “It was, by far, the clearest representation of what we were trying to achieve as we celebrate fifty years of LGBTQ hospitality in the greater Palm Springs area.”

Warhole submitted both a color and a black and white design, and the DGTG Board elected to use both of them; one for the full color poster and the other for the t-shirt design, which will be executed on one color. “Both designs were uniquely ‘Palm Springs’,” said Bill Sanderson, DGTG Vice-President. “And both had particular aspects that made them ideal for our two applications. They are related, but slightly different in their focus. And since the design features a couple, we asked Danny to create one with a male couple and another with a female couple.”

The artist and contest winner, Danny Warhole, was born and raised in the Midwest (Pittsburgh and suburban Detroit), and currently lives in Chicago with his husband, Joe. As a teenager, Danny was awed by Andy Warhol, whose art was his first exposure to homosexuality in popular culture. Today, Danny continues to take inspiration from Warhol and from the figure artwork of others such as John Singer Sargent, Tom of Finland and Mark Beard, and from photographers such as Tom Bianchi. His inspiration for the DGTG winning design comes from his love for Palm Springs, and out of a longing to see more depictions of LGBT persons in Palm Springs’ thriving art scene. For Danny, art isn’t work, it’s play. It’s a good day if his subject feels beautiful, and those who view it feel represented in the world. Danny primarily showcases his work on Instagram: @DannyWarhole

Warhole will receive $500 for his winning design, as well as an all-expense paid trip to Palm Springs, where he and his husband will stay at the popular Santiago Resort.  Other details of the visit are still being planned, but an artist reception and signing will take place at the Palm Springs Cultural Center on Wednesday, April 15th, and continue with events throughout the weekend.

About the Desert Gay Tourism Guild: The Desert Gay Tourism Guild (DGTG) is a collection of LGBTQ owned and operated businesses in greater Palm Springs, California that are dedicated to bringing the local tourism business community together to work cooperatively in marketing and advertising efforts in order to increase tourism for the Greater Palm Springs area. The goal is to promote the Greater Palm Springs area as the premier vacation destination for the LGBT traveler that it is, and let people all over the world know about the destination. Its website, https://www.palmspringsgayinfo.com/, offers a plethora of LGBTQ tourist information about the destination.

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It’s Time to Check In — and Check Out — Palm Springs’ Newest Boutique Hotels

Welcome to the Old Ranch Inn, an intimate 21+ boutique hotel in Palm Springs, California

These hotels and their owners are bringing fresh perspectives to Palm Springs

From the intimate and tranquil Old Ranch Inn to the fun and fabulous Float, you’ll want to check in to Palm Springs’ newest boutique hotels.

When the Old Ranch Inn’s new owners, husbands Jason Ball and Troy Jones, first stepped onto the property, it was love at first sight. Together, they have refreshed the 8-room Old Ranch Inn, and nearly all of the renovations are completed — the exteriors are new, there is fresh landscaping, and almost all of the rooms have been repainted with updated furniture. For longtime fans of the Old Ranch Inn, they can expect the same warm and welcoming environment.

“When guests come, we want this to be an intimate getaway for them to rest and restore and relax, party a little bit, and be in a good mood,” Jason says. “When they leave, we want them to say they had a great experience and are ready to come back.”

Tortuga del Sol is now Float Palm Springs, a place where guests can enjoy lounging by the pool, sunbathing with friends, or kicking back in their well-appointed rooms. “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.” He came up with the name Float because when people think of “quintessential Palm Springs,” they imagine “a person in a pool, floating on an inflatable, with palm trees and blue skies behind them.” While Tortuga del Sol catered to gay men, Float Palm Springs caters to anyone who wants a classic Palm Springs stay experience.

If you love the Santiago Resort, you’re going to adore its new brother property, Descanso Resort. Formerly known as East Canyon Resort & Spa and the Uptown Hotel, the 14-room Descanso will open in the fall, catering to gay men but providing luxe accommodations to a diverse clientele.

The former East Canyon Resort & Spa will become the Descanso Resort  now that it has been purchased by the owners of the iconic Santiago Resort.

The main building is now undergoing renovations, and all of the spacious guest rooms will receive “a complete facelift, top to bottom,” Kent Taylor, general manager of the Santiago Resort, says. That involves new paint, furniture, floors, and window coverings, plus high-end linens and bath towels. “It will feel like a completely different room by the time we’re done,” Kent says. The grounds are also being revamped, and a cantina area is being configured so guests can enjoy gourmet coffee and other drinks throughout the day. Just like at the Santiago, the Descanso staff will go above and beyond to make every guest feel welcome and at ease. “The goal is to make it even more of a men’s boutique hotel experience by the time we’re done, to make it even more special than the Santiago,” Kent says.

For fans of mid-century architecture, the Hotel Las Palmas, opening early this fall, is for you. This property, formerly known as the La Posada, was designed in 1952 by Herbert Burns, and new owner Ben Storck is making sure that the hotel retains its charm. “It is in remarkable condition and retains almost all of its original fixtures and details,” Ben says. “We are doing a sensitive, historical restoration and have Steven Keylon, who wrote the book on Herbert Burns, as a consultant.” He can’t wait to open the Hotel Las Palmas’ doors, promising it will be “the premier boutique hotel of Old Las Palmas.”

Two other boutique hotels are gearing up to open in the near future — the Fleur Noire Hotel and the Tiki Hotel.

In closure news, The Monkey Tree Hotel, a beloved mid-century modern property, has been sold and is now a private residence.

About Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels

Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels is an association of independently owned boutique hotels, which are an essential part of this desert resort town’s uncommon culture and economy. From quirky to charming, mid-century modern to clothing-optional, Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels has got your stay. Subscribe to our Monthly e-Newsletter, Boutiquely Palm Springs. From tips on what to do, see and eat in Palm Springs, to interviews with hoteliers, it’s the insider’s guide to everything great about Palm Springs and its iconic boutique hotels. Follow the fun on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest

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