We recently visited Palm Springs and between the scenic backdrop of mountains and palm trees and our amazing stay at the Avalon Hotel Palm Springs, we came away from the trip huge fans of the desert destination.
Palm Springs is a perfect mix of old Hollywood glamour (it was a famous destination of 50s and 60s era stars such as Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor), amazing architecture, perfect weather and modern luxury.
The Avalon Hotel was a great spot for us to take in everything Palm Springs has to offer. This boutique hotel keeps with the architecture and desert-mod vibe of the surrounding area. The lobby has hanging glass lighting fixtures and the wall is a vibrant pattern of yellow and white geometric shapes that immediately sets the scene for your stay. Cactuses are on all of the tables at the restaurant and around the three pools, a nod to the desert locale.
The hotel rooms, pool areas and spa keep with a black-and-white theme that is really well executed and creates a cohesive atmosphere with clean lines. Our room had two queen beds that had hanging glass lanterns next to each. The walls are outlined in black and white and the closets have mirrored paneling. Our room was spacious and had a balcony overlooking the main pool. The suites are arranged in a 50s-era motel style that many of the neighboring hotels use as their model because it was a popular style of hotel in Palm Springs’ heyday. Each suite is equipped with an iPad that serves as your personal concierge where you can order everything from new towels to room service.
Upon checking into the hotel (only a 10-minute cab ride from the airport), we changed into our bathing suits and headed to one of Avalon’s three pools and sat at the cabanas. Palm Springs has always had an affinity for well-designed pools and lounging and the entire area takes their pools very seriously. Think back to the iconic backyard photos of the area from the 60s with their kidney-shaped pools and you’ll find that not much has changed since.
We visited in early November and the weather was perfect for poolside lounging and imbibing. Pro tip: order their cucumber cooler – a mix of gin, cucumber, basil and lime as you swim a few laps and take the sun. Because there are three pools and a number of Jacuzzis, there were always ample amounts of sun loungers to relax and take the sun. The grounds are extremely well manicured, with bright green shrubs groomed into square blocks and giant trees formed into green balls at the top interspersed with gigantic palm trees. Avalon is right next to the mountains, so every which way you look you are spoiled for views – especially when the sun starts to set, casting a pink glow on the mountains. During the day, temperatures reached 90 degrees, but the heat is dry, so you don’t sweat. At night, temperatures dropped to between 60 and 70 degrees.
The area Avalon in is ideal. It’s a few minutes walk to “downtown” Palm Springs which is where all of the major restaurants and shopping is, meaning you don’t need to rent a car.
The hotel also supplies guests with brand-new bicycles, free of charge, which we used every single day of our trip. In the mornings, we’d take the bikes and ride behind the hotel which is a beautiful area lined with palm trees and the most stunning homes that are truly blasts from the past. We’d ride past the Palm Springs Tennis Club and other parts of the city. We even took our bikes four miles away to the Parker Palm Springs for brunch one morning. This was a great way for us to see the sights, happen upon adorable places in the neighborhood and also get some exercise in. On that note, the hotel gym is open 24 hours a day and is really beautiful with new equipment. I used it once during my stay and opted to run outside through the hills near the hotel in the mornings the other days. The hotel also has yoga and meditation classes for guests, if that’s more your style.
One of the (many) highlights of our stay was our treatments at Avalon’s spa, Estrella. We each scheduled hour-long, customized massages at the spa. It’s bright and clean and also keeps with the black, white and silver theme that the rest of the hotel has. After the treatments, we were treated to glasses of champagne and then took a dip in the spa’s Jacuzzi before getting ready for dinner. Our spa visit was perfect timing because we spent the prior day in Joshua Tree State Park and hiked (more on that in our Travel Diary).
Ultimately, Avalon was the perfect location for us to experience all that Palm Springs has to offer. The location is literally just steps from great restaurants, bars and shops. We were able to walk and bike to pretty much everything on our itinerary, and in our downtime, we relaxed by their pools with a good cocktail and a drink. It’s especially great for a girl’s weekend: All three of us came away from the trip relaxed, refreshed and with a lot of laughs.
Palm Springs Style Guide: