Villa Royale

Some mid-century Palm Springs hotels have thoroughly reinvented themselves for the boutique-hotel era, but not Villa Royale. Make no mistake, it’s been renovated, expanded, and brought quite up to the latest luxury-boutique standard. But the appeal is essentially the same as it was when the Hollywood stars of the postwar era were regulars here. That is to say, a discreet and elegant (and adults-only) escape in a quieter corner of Palm Springs — complete with a very impressive bar and restaurant.

The Spanish-style architecture is still very much intact, now updated with street art–inspired murals and bold contemporary graphics. The overall mood retains mid-century modernism as a primary inspiration, but Villa Royale is an eclectic mix of eras and styles, a tribute to the eccentrics who have always gravitated to Palm Springs.

Rooms are spacious, some made even more so by peaked ceilings, and all come with comforts like in-room dry bars, Simmons Black Label pillow-top mattresses, and Marshall bluetooth speakers. And out by the pool is Villa Royale’s most essential attraction: Del Rey, the restaurant and bar, whose Mediterranean-influenced menu, accompanied by craft cocktails, might be all the temptation you need to stay in for the night.