In some resorts a rooftop pool is commonplace; in Palm Springs, it’s a miracle.
For until the Kimpton Rowan came along in 2017, this California desert playground was strictly a low-rise city, and the decision to allow a seven-storey hotel was controversial, to say the least.
In spite of that, the Rowan has enriched Palm Springs with a contemporary vibe previously lacking in a town forever looking back to its rich mid-century past… even if it does slightly block the view of the area’s golden mountains.
For the movie stars and entertainers in the golden age of Hollywood, those mountains formed a spectacular backdrop to the desert estates they built here.
As the popularity of Palm Springs dwindled in the 80s, they were followed by retirees attracted by low property prices – then a generation later by a new wave of creatives lured by the greatest concentration of Moderrnist architecture in the world.
The result is a diverse mix of friendly folk of all ages enjoying small-town life where people exchange pleasantries as they walk the streets, plus a thriving Jewish community.
Architects have successfully helped the Rowan blend in on the outside by apeing the 1960s language of surrounding buildings.
And the hotel immediately engages visitors on the inside with a large library-style living room and bar where a complimentary wine hour, a signature offering of the Kimpton group, ensures convivial early evenings before dinner at Juniper Table, the attractive outdoor restaurant.
Mountain view rooms offer a serene chance to gaze onto the desert, while the city view rooms overlook the neon-lit excitement of Palm Springs by night – all are spacious and contemporary, with high ceilings, well-equipped bathrooms and amenities including yoga mats.
Only the rooftop itself slightly underwhelms, perhaps because expectations are so high in a city low on the opportunity of far-reaching views.
A transparent high fence makes the pool area slightly claustrophobic, although colourful daybeds to sprawl on are a great alternative to loungers.
The indoor restaurant only really makes sense on hot summer nights when it’s too warm to eat outside (visiting in July and August is best avoided); otherwise there’s more atmosphere to be had on the many alfresco dinner spots nearby along Palm Canyon Drive.
While one of Palm Springs’ USPs is its proximity to Los Angeles - important when Hollywood studios made two hours the maximum drive time within which off-duty stars were permitted to roam – you won’t need your hire car to explore downtown here, thanks to a free trolley which runs from noon to 10pm.
And on Thursday evenings, a lively local craft market virtually on the Rowan’s doorstep makes a great start to a long weekend in a town finally looking forward as well as back.
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