Parker Hotel - Palm Springs, California

Parker Palm Springs, which opened in 2004, has had several incarnations. Formerly, it was Merv Griffin’s Givenchy Resort and Spa, and before that it was Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch; home to the singing cowboy. And now iconic potter and designer, Jonathan Adler, has sprinkled the Parker with his unique combination of Mid-century modern, art and global pop culture references to create the signature Adler aesthetic of irreverent luxury.

The 144 room, 13 acre desert estate has a special brand of tongue-in-cheek  humour. Where else would you find suits of armour standing guard outside the loos, or find model-like gentlemen, sporting the perfect tan, clad in shocking pink Ralph Lauren jackets, to escort you to your room? Or indeed a lemonade stand that looks like this:

The grounds are a dream. 13 acres of lush gardens weave around two pools (including an adult only pool), a spa, tennis court, and a (nearby) golf course.

There’s even a heavenly croquet lawn:

We stayed in an Estate room yards from the pool, and immediately fell in love with the decor: a white four poster bed, Berber Moroccan rugs, sisal flooring, sea grass ceilings, needlepoint butterfly cushions, old library books and cool prints; including a Ron Gallela of Jackie Kennedy in Central Park. Not to forget the soft lambswool rugs which are placed either side of the bed every evening come turndown time.

The pink marble bathroom was as decadent as they come, with toiletries by Hermes, Bulgari, – and a lovely reminder of England – Penhaligons.

Dining options are Normas, the Parker’s 5-Star diner (including an all day breakfast for late risers) or Mister Parker’s dark and moody vibe for bistro fare.

Palm Springs has always been one of our favourite places on earth; we have been coming here for 15 years, and yet have never stayed at the Parker before, thinking it was a bit of party hotel. How wrong were we. Hip? Yes. Chic? Absolutely. But at the same time, incredibly laid back, and surprisingly tranquil. A desert gem.

For further information please visit: www.theparkerpalmsprings.com

Recommended reading: Palm Springs Paradise, visit our bookstore

CELLOPHANELAND* was a guest of Parker Palm Springs.

All images by CELLOPHANELAND*.