Parker Hotel

Mid-century Americana vibes in the heart of California's Palm Desert

by Patrick Janelle

Palm Springs, California, is a small oasis of palm trees and concrete swimming pools in the middle of a vast expanse of barren desert. About ninety miles east of Los Angeles proper, the town experienced its heydey in the 1950s and '60s, producing some of the most iconic examples of mid-century architecture in the form of homes, hotels, and retail establishments.

In what is sort of an anomaly, the city seems perfectly preserved, like many of its toned and tanned octogenarian residents. In the mid-2000’s, Palm Springs experienced a resurgence, and The Parker Hotel is essentially a poster child for the current movement which celebrates the kitschy style of the past, renewing and elevating the colors, maximalism, and playfulness of the decades that came before.

Located on the corner of a primary thoroughfare and a quiet city street on the edge of town, the property greets you with tall verdant hedges that line the long driveway. The first thing you’ll encounter is a giant concave wall, composed of decorative cinder blocks painted white; you might immediately recognize this from the hundreds of posts on Instagram that feature it as a backdrop to portraits of bronzed, sunglasses-wearing twentysomething Angelenos.

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Pro Tips

Pro Tips

• The grounds

  Spread across the grounds of the hotel, sectioned off by a series of meandering, intersecting paths, are two pools, a petanque court, a lemonade stand, tennis courts, a fire pit and a handful of hammocks.

• Restaurants

  Three restaurants on property are open to the public. Get brunch at Norma’s, the quintessential Palm Springs daytime spot, sunny and mostly outdoors. The casual wine bar Counter Reformation and the more upscale dinner restaurant Mister Parker’s are the sort of dark, cool places that are more appropriate when you need a cool retreat from the extreme desert sun.

• Things to know

  Recently, the grounds became closed for guests only. In order to use the swimming pools or sidle up to the lemon bar, you have to book a room first.

• Best seat in the house

  If you’re not a guest, the best reason to visit is for brunch at Norma’s. Reserve a spot outside on one of the long, cushioned banquettes.

• Best for

  A quiet getaway with someone you want to snuggle with.

Inside, the decor—by Jonathan Adler, who seems to finally have found the perfect backdrop for his playful, over-the-top style—takes cues from Southern California home decor of the mid-60’s and blows it up. The result is a kitschy enclave that feels like stepping into the world of your very cool great aunt. Standout features include a wall of macramé owls, a giant vintage metal sign reading “drugs” that hangs on the white brick wall, and a very mod, circular fireplace that sits in the middle of a central seating area. The hotel is split into a collection of low-slung buildings that house the lobby, three restaurants—with menus that range from sunny SoCal cuisine to French bistro inspired bar food—guest rooms, and an oversized spa complex, cheekily named the Palm Springs Yacht Club. These amenities are connected by pathways, private green lawns, and swimming pools that are dotted with hammocks, fire pits, and a bocce court. The result is a very grown-up wonderland in which you imagine Alice and her cohorts, decked out in Pucci kaftans and oversized sunglasses, feeling right at home.