November 05, 2018

The Parker, Palm Springs

The Parker Hotel is like no other. The San Jacinto Mountains enclose this boutique hotel that was first opened in 1959 as California’s very first Holiday Inn. In 2002 the property was sold to hotelier Jack Parker who enlisted designer Jonathan Adler to lead a $27-million-dollar renovation of the property, and in 2004 the hotel reopened as the Parker we see today.

On arrival you are lead up an impressive driveway, bursting with brightly coloured flowers, and arrive at a white wall of concrete lattice work, the famous main entrance centred around those fabulous tangerine coloured double doors. Stepping through those doors you are enriched with midcentury modernist design through the hotel's art, lighting, decor and flamboyant carpets throughout. An outdoor fire-pit, three inviting pools, an incredibly chic day spa, tennis, pétanque, croquet, chess, bicycles, restaurant, cafe, bar... this place is the stuff of dreams. There really is no need to ever leave this desert oasis, only when it comes time to check out. Good luck with that.