Walk of the Inns, a Palm Springs Holiday Tradition

One night each winter, several distinctive boutique hotels in Palm Springs take part in the Walk of Inns, opening their doors to welcome all visitors.

This annual event, now in its 23rd year, is a free, self-guided walking tour and fun way for the public to get to know the eclectic properties in the neighborhoods between Ramon Road and Tahquitz Canyon Way.

The 2018 Walk of Inns is set for Thursday, Dec. 13, from 5 to 8 p.m., with the Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 Museum Way, serving as the official starting point. There, you can drop off unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots and Well in the Desert, plus pick up a free map of all the stops and a small flashlight.

A number of Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels are participating in the Walk of Inns, including Casa Cody Country Inn, Old Ranch Inn, Orbit In, Korakia Pensione, Amin Casa, The Three Fifty Hotel, La Serena Villas, and the Del Marcos Hotel, with more being added every day.

The Splendor of Boutique Hotel Architecture

These hotels showcase the spectacular architecture that has made Palm Springs famous, from mid-century modern to Mediterranean. Casa Cody Country Inn is the oldest operating hotel in Palm Springs, founded in the 1920s by Harriet Cody, Buffalo Bill’s cousin, while the Orbit In is a  retro flashback to the swinging ’50s and ’60s, complete with a Boomerang Bar.

The Walk of Inns is their time to shine, with 2,000 people taking the tour in 2017. Every year, Amin Casa owners Ramon Bautista and Nelson Cooley enjoy getting to meet attendees and introducing them to their historic resort, which dates back to the 1920s.

“Originally built by Pearl McCallum McManus, it became Gloria Swanson’s residence for 12 years,” Bautista said. “We will give a history of the property and highlight plantings around the grounds that are original to the estate.”

The reaction from visitors is “always 100 percent positive,” Cooley said. “Typically people are thrilled that we have renovated and restored this historic property while maintaining many of the original features. They are thankful that we potentially saved it from the wrecking ball as the property would have been a developer’s dream.”

The Walk of Inns is free and open to everyone. It is recommended that participants wear comfortable shoes. The tour can start at any of the stops, including the Palm Springs Women’s Club, which will feature live entertainment and a bake sale. For more information, please call 760-320-9346.