Palm springs forward
Part of Palm Springs’ allure is that it never really changes. The storied playground of the Hollywood elite is a well-preserved snapshot of 1950s glamour, its palm-tree-lined pools and midcentury-modern homes seemingly frozen in time since the days of Sinatra. But look closely and you’ll see a transformation is afoot.
Behind the classic white facade of the historic Holiday House (holidayhouseps.com), the 1950s-era motel has been reborn as a posh 28-room retreat, where a vibrant blue-and-white color palette and impressive contemporary-art collection have created an effortlessly chic—and endlessly Instagrammable—new hot spot.
Nearby, the Colony Palms Hotel (colonypalmshotel.com) looks much as it did in 1936, when Al Wertheimer of the infamous Purple Gang opened it as the less-than-reputable Colonial House. Inside, however, the property is fresh off a multimillion-dollar renovation that brings breezy Mediterranean decor to its 57 rooms, suites, and casitas, as well as its Purple Palm restaurant and Olive Room lounge.
Meanwhile, making the case for 21st-century style is the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs (kimpton hotels.com), a sleek new seven-story building that gives the city’s iconic architecture the modern treatment with floor-to-ceiling windows and of-the-moment design. Taking the Palm Springs social scene to new heights is the 153-room hotel’s rooftop pool (the only one in town) and 4 Saints restaurant, both of which offer unrivaled views of the Coachella Valley. —PHOEBE NEUMAN