This summer, escape for fun in the sun in Palm Springs. From a transformed 1950s apartment complex to a midcentury hotel named after a 1960s French rock n’ roll song, here’s a trio of boutique hotels we’ve hand-picked for your visit.
Originally built in 1956 by Las Vegas hotel mogul Malcolm Clarke Sr. as a residential apartment complex, the reimagined seven-suite property is distinguished by bright, lemon-yellow doors, a central swimming pool, and an outdoor barbecue. Accommodations are replete with Frette linens, L’Occitane bath amenities, mini refrigerators, and private patios.
Paying homage to the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, Palm Springs–based design firm H3K Home+Design (of The Paloma Resort in Cathedral City and The Creekstone in Idyllwild), appointed the hideaway with a logo and signage designed as a nod to famed graphic designer Lance Wyman, the innovator behind the iconic graphics and typography of the 1968 Olympics; palm leaf-printed wallpaper; and retro ceramic vessels and table lamps. Want the place to yourself? Book the entire hotel for space for up to 14 guests including a gourmet kitchen and concierge services.
Marked by a playful dusty rose and grass green-hued façade, Les Cactus is the ultimate haven for a quiet getaway. The 27-room property, dating to the 1930s, offers guests a plethora of offerings including a saltwater pool and hot tub lined with cheery, green-and-white striped umbrellas; a fleet of bikes available for guest use; an outdoor firepit; a hammock garden; and complimentary snacks.
Named for the 1967 eponymous song by French crooner Jacques Dutronc, the refuge boasts four room types from petite to Le Suites with hybrid Casper mattresses and Further apothecary goods. Feel like a field trip? Venture to Moorten Botanical Garden, an outdoor oasis filled with more than 3,000 types of desert flora and cacti. (Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the summer.)
Evocative of Santorini with a minimalist desert modern bent, the newly opened 10-room property is awash in layers of white and caramel tones and features hanging rattan chairs; imported cotton linens; walk-in showers; jute rugs; woven benches; and wooden side tables.
A light and airy room at Yara with white linens and organic accents. Photo by Describe the Fauna.
The hotel, the first venture by the Sonora Group (comprised of two husband-and-wife teams Moody and Katy Nashawaty and David and Amanda Fornelli, along with Amanda’s brother, Oscar Bustos), offers complimentary daily breakfast and poolside cocktails served up next to a heated saltwater pool lined with comfy daybeds and chaise lounges. For dinner off-site, head to Workshop Bar+Kitchen for menu selections with herbs and ingredients grown in co-owner and Chef Michael Beckman’s home garden such as a shaved brussels salad and English pea risotto.
