Posts

Hideaways In Palm Springs

“I want to be alone” is not just something that Greta Garbo said — it’s a thing. Sometimes you just want to get away from the noise of the crowds, maybe even from everyone and everything, just for a week or weekend. Your goal is recalibrate, rejuvenate, relax, renew — all the “re’s” except responsibility. What do you say to a great hideaway in a small hotel with an inviting pool and some chill amenities? If the answer is yes, let’s go!

We’re talking small here. No chance of the outside world creeping into your zen. You’re not looking for a spa, you’re looking for a hideaway from the world. I get it, and I’ve got you. Here’s a list of hotels that not only fit the bill, but at some of them you don’t even have to see a soul, even when you check in. 

Hotel hideaways in Palm Springs

The pool surrounded by lounge chairs at Old Ranch Inn in Palm Springs, California

A sparkling pool awaits at the Old Ranch Inn. Photo courtesy of Old Ranch Inn

Palm Springs has been a friendly hideaway since the early 1900s, where people minded their own business while providing hospitality to others. If you’re looking for small and intimate accommodations, look no further. All of our hotels are small-ish but some are even more intimate. Here’s a non-exhaustive list: 

Coyote Inn — A charming 10 suite boutique hotel just a few blocks from downtown.

Dive Palm Springs — It’s the 11-room, walled-in resort on the south end of Palm Canyon Drive with the 1950s bathing-suit clad woman in neon diving into a sidewalk an imagined pool. The pool is actually inside and is one of my favorites. Gorgeous rooms. You’ll feel special.

Old Ranch Inn — Slightly west (toward the mountain) of downtown, this charming inn has eight suites fit for a queen or king, all located around a beautiful pool.

Yara — South Palm Springs, tucked back next to the Deepwell neighborhood. This boutique hotel has 10 rooms.

The Three-Fifty Hotel — This seven room hotel has a great location, and features oversized guest rooms. While most of the hotels on Belardo are on the west side of the street, Three-Fifty bucks convention, making in it a great choice for the maverick in you.

The Cactai — Built in the 1940s as Los Dolores, this 12-room modernist revival is bright, with high-end amenities. Recently remodeled to perfection. 

Talavera — Known for its spacious suites with private patios, jacuzzis, and abundant foliage, it offers contactless check in and has 11 rooms. 

The Weekend — Located in Old Las Palmas, this 10-room resort hotel is on the north end, great spot for checking out old celebrity homes just a stone’s throw west, and stumbling distance to The Tailor Shop.

What’s The Tailor Shop? You’re so impatient, I’m getting there. Read on

A quiet little place

La Boisson rosé bar at Fleur Noire Hotel in Palm Springs, California

Welcome to La Boisson. Photo courtesy of Fleur Noire Hotel.

When you go out at night, and you will because Palm Springs nights are beautiful, you want somewhere cozy. You’re not here for people watching, you’re here to give your body and brain a rest from bumping into people — those you know, and those you don’t.

Here are a few places that fit that “leave me alone” vibe. (You could go to a busy bar and just get ignored, but it doesn’t have the same after glow.) 

Tailor Shop — Tucked back on Via Lola behind Bootlegger Tiki. It’s so small and special reservations are required. It took me a minute to find the menu (there’s cool food options too). 

As to the vibe of the place, they’ve painted a very nice picture for you on their website: “The journey of Tailor Shop began with two co-founders who were passionate about exploring the world, deepening their love for unique spirits and authentic ingredients. They wanted to create a space where people could gather with their friends and have a good time. Through their adventures and discoveries, they’ve woven together a haven that’s perfect for enjoying innovative cocktails, but also a creative hub where unique programming creations and culinary explorations come to life. Opens at 6 p.m.”

Canopy Wine Lounge — Upscale, fine wine and bar bites. Another great place to stare at the mountains and contemplate your life.

PS Air — Maybe you can handle a little nightlife. Located in Bouschet, a fine wine store. It’s small-ish, with food and drinks, and you’re in the cabin of an airplane that has nightly entertainment. Two snaps up to Sunday’s Mid-Mod Boozy Brunch. (Also, takeaways for lunch are delish!)

La Boisson — Up near Vista Chino on Indian is a gorgeous hotel called Fleur Noire. The hotel has 21 rooms, but that might be a bit much for you. However, that’s where you’ll find La Boisson, featuring several varieties of rosé and champagne, as well as curated selections of packaged cocktails, hard seltzers, and beers. When the pink doors swing open they are ready to serve — but make a reservation. They do not list their hours.

Dining out

Clandestino — Contemplation, cocktails, and what was once described to me as food from Jalisco, a.k.a. seafood. However, in Mexican slang, “jalisco” means intoxicated or drunk, and you can do both here.    

Rooster and Pig — Dinner, Vietnamese. Coveted by locals. Small.

Crudo Cervicheria — (Yeah, that’s spelled right, thanks for checking.) Lunch and dinner.

Il Giardino — Dinner. Small, unassuming, “authentic Italian” restaurant on Indian Canyon.

L’Atelier — Breakfast and lunch. Delicious quiche, and pastries. Champagne and wine too.

Cafe Mon Amor — They don’t seem to have a website, but their address is 333 N. Palm Canyon Dr., in what is called the Amado Center (which is news to me). Open until 3 p.m.

Although it’s great, I’m not going to recommend The Front Porch, the little offshoot of Farm, because that spot right there is always flooded with people. You’re better off across the way at L’Atelier. That side of La Plaza is infinitely less busy than the side where Farm and The Front Porch live.

/by

There’s A Small Hotel: Where To Stay For Modernism Week October

Tickets are on sale for Modernism Week October, the mini version of arguably the biggest event in Palm Springs (the other contender being Pride). It’s a mere two months away, and tickets for the mack daddy in February will be on sale soon. If the ring-a-ding-ding of the 1950s and 1960s is your Roman Empire, this event is for you. 

The best thing you can do for the most authentic stay is book one of our mid-century modern hotels. Some are remodeled and meticulously redressed in the fashion of the day, some are the homes of former movie stars, and some have been operating since Palm Springs was a wee village with a dream. 

Every year the event outdoes the last, not only in attendance but in unique opportunities to tour vintage homes, take bus tours on a double decker, enjoy themed, live entertainment, and attend talks by experts in the mid-mod world of architecture. You can also see some rare home movies presented by Deserted Films.  

It’s a pick your own adventure on the daily, but home base requires the most thought. It should not only set the mood but provide all the amenities you need for a stellar experience. 

These hotels are all downtown or within walking distance to base camp, but far enough away from the happening crowd because … personal space. All are exquisite, and great options for the perfect vacation to relive the past. Also, make sure to check to see if your hotel has loyalty rewards. If this is your first visit to Palm Springs, you likely don’t know it yet, but you’ll be back, and those rewards will come in handy.

Let’s go!

Palm Springs boutique hotels for Modernism Week

The Orbit In's pool is surrounded by plants and lights after dark

The Orbit In at dusk. Photo credit: Visit Palm Springs

Orbit In — This hotel is the definition of mid-mod squee. Even the manager dresses in 1950s/1960s style. It feels so authentic (because it is, it’s on the Modernism bus tour) that you can imagine a record player spinning, and girls in beehives and miniskirts dancing with guys in suits with skinny ties, mopheads, and sunglasses. It’s located in the Historic Tennis Club Neighborhood, and everything downtown is walkable from there.

The stone front of Del Marcos Hotel with orange doors

Welcome to The Del Marcos Hotel. Photo courtesy of The Del Marcos Hotel

Del Marcos — On the way to Historic Tennis Club (that’s west of downtown, toward the mountains), this boutique gem is also on the Modernism bus tour. William Cody’s architecture immediately grabs you with its distinct look: tall glass windows that peek into the pool area. Well-appointed rooms, and a great pool.

Mid-century modern furnishings inside the King Suite at Desert Hills Resort Hotel in Palm Springs, California

Mid-century modern furnishings inside the King Suite at Desert Hills Resort. Photo courtesy of Desert Hills Resort

Desert Hills Resort — The tennis district is taking the third gold with another hotel on Arenas. All the rooms at Desert Hills Resort either look out on the pool or the fountain, and they also have kitchenettes available. It’s about four blocks from Palm Canyon (the main strip).

A pool with loungers and palm trees in the background

The Three Fifty Hotel was designed by Herbert W. Burns. Photo courtesy of The Three Fifty Hotel

The Three Fifty Hotel — Herbert Burns was a self-taught architect who built a great deal of the properties along the west end of Arenas. This hotel is located a little closer to downtown, across from La Serena Villas on Belardo. A 10-room property that is pet friendly, if you’re driving in with a group and your pups, you can buy out the hotel. Super cute.

Blue umbrellas and palms surround the large pool at Holiday House in Palm Springs, California

The Herbert Burns-designed Holiday House opened in 1951. Photo courtesy of Holiday House

Holiday House — Also on Belardo, this boutique hotel not only has the mid-mod look you’re going for, but they also have Chef Jon Butler, who has worked at top spots including Noma in Copenhagen, République in L.A, and is now the mastermind behind Holiday House and their sister property, Sparrows Lodge.

That’s the rundown for a fully authentic Modernism Week. Of course there are other hotels in our arsenal — Palm Springs has over 70 small boutique hotels — but these are for those who want to be close to camp, and the bus tours. I can’t stress enough: BOOK NOW. Tickets are like a keg at a frat party, tap it and it’s gone 15 minutes later. 

Don’t forget to pack all of your mid-mod clothing – everyone else will be dressed accordingly.

As Frank Sinatra crooned so long ago, “When the steeple bell says, ‘good night, sleep well,’ we’ll thank the small hotel together.”

/by

Kirkwood Collection Acquires 3 Luxury Palm Springs Properties

The Kirkwood Collection is expanding, with the luxury boutique hotel group adding La Serena Villas, The Del Marcos Hotel, and The Three Fifty Hotel to its portfolio.

Built in 1933, La Serena Villas is a dream destination for guests who want everything in one place. This Spanish hacienda-style property has 18 bungalows, with private patios boasting outdoor tubs and fire pits. Whispers Spa provides a variety of treatments, including facials and massages, and is open to guests of La Serena Villas, The Del Marcos Hotel, and The Three Fifty Hotel. The hotel’s restaurant, Azúcar, serves contemporary food with a focus on fresh local ingredients. For an after-dinner drink, head up to Sugar High, one of only two rooftop bars in Palm Springs.

A patio swing

Guests can relax outside on their private patios. Photo courtesy of La Serena Villas

The Del Marcos Hotel is a mid-century modern treasure, designed by William F. Cody in 1947. This 17-room boutique hotel was named a historic site in 2012, and retains its original redwood and native stone. The rooms are all named after acclaimed architects and artists who left their mark in Palm Springs, including Nat Reed and Donald Wexler, whose family provided original prints and photos for his suite. The two-story hotel surrounds a large courtyard pool that has plenty of comfortable loungers.

The stone front of Del Marcos Hotel

Welcome to The Del Marcos Hotel. Photo courtesy of The Del Marcos Hotel

The pet-friendly Three Fifty Hotel is also a mid-century modern property, built in 1950 and fully renovated in 2017. Designed by Herbert W. Burns, the 10-room hotel features stunning, unobstructed views of the San Jacinto Mountains and a spacious heated pool and spa. The rooms are all poolside, and come with comfortable king-sized beds.

A pool with loungers and palm trees in the background

It’s always pool time at The Three Fifty Hotel. Photo courtesy of The Three Fifty Hotel

With the acquisition of La Serena Villas, The Del Marcos Hotel, and The Three Fifty Hotel, The Kirkwood Collection now has five properties in Greater Palm Springs and 10 boutique hotels and residences in California.

/by