The most design-complete hotel in Palm Springs — a 144-room, 13-acre desert estate on the south end of Palm Springs designed by Jonathan Adler, formerly the Gene Autry Melody Ranch and Merv Griffin's Givenchy Resort, where the combination of irreverent mid-century modern touches (suits of armor outside bathrooms, pink Ralph Lauren-jacketed staff, croquet on the lawn) and genuine luxury amenities creates an experience specific to this building and this designer.
Why We Chose It
The Parker occupies one of the great hotel properties in Palm Springs — 13 acres on the south end of the city that began as Gene Autry's Melody Ranch, became Merv Griffin's resort hotel, and was transformed by Jonathan Adler into the most coherently designed hotel in the California desert. Adler's approach is the key: the combination of his signature irreverent luxury (animals represented in ceramic and needlepoint, pop cultural references deployed alongside genuine antiques, a humor that runs through every design decision) with the serious bones of a 144-room estate property produces something notably specific. The staff's pink Ralph Lauren jackets, the croquet lawn, the three pools (each with its own character), the tennis courts, and the spa are all delivered at the standard expected of a Leading Hotels of the World member. The two restaurants (Norma's, a celebrated hotel breakfasts in America; and Mister Parker's) and the Counter Reformation wine bar serve a property that functions as a destination in itself for many guests who rarely leave the grounds.
What Stands Out
- Jonathan Adler's complete design: the most coherent hotel aesthetic in the desert — irreverent luxury executed with genuine conviction
- Former Gene Autry Melody Ranch and Merv Griffin resort: the most storied hotel property in Palm Springs
- Norma's: a celebrated hotel breakfast restaurants in America — indulgent menu, legendary service
- Leading Hotels of the World recognition: the full-service standard the property's history and design deserve
- 13 acres with three pools, tennis, spa, and the Counter Reformation wine bar: a property where guests never need to leave