It’s always a pleasure to revisit Palm Springs, where the dedication of the Palm Springs Modern Committee has succeeded in keeping the midcentury architecture of this desert playground — and infamous Hollywood bolt-hole — splendidly intact.
On a trip in 2013, we found The Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn, an eight-room mansion built in 1924 at the foot of Mount San Jacinto, to be the only recommendable luxury hideaway. This time, we stayed at L’Horizon Resort & Spa, which opened in June 2015 following a comprehensive refurbishment by the well-known luxury home designer Steve Hermann. The property was built in 1952 by renowned architect William F. Cody as a family retreat for the television producer, oil tycoon and hotel owner Jack Wrather and his wife, actress Bonita Granville. (Wrather produced both “The Lone Ranger” and “Lassie” and built the Disneyland Hotel.) Cody constructed a low-slung, angular master residence — now considered to be one of the most significant examples of midcentury architecture in California — and 20 guest bungalows. There Wrather entertained the likes of Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe and Ronald Reagan.
In its new incarnation, L’Horizon Resort & Spa is a boutique hotel encompassing the residence and 24 individual bungalows, plus an alfresco restaurant, set on three acres dotted with mature palm trees. The San Jacinto Mountains provide a dramatic backdrop.
The entrance to L’Horizon, off Palm Canyon Drive, is quite difficult to find, but privacy is part of the property’s appeal. A small opening in a tall hedge revealed a pebbled driveway and a flat-roofed, low-key lobby building. A smartly dressed attendant asked if he could take our luggage and park our vehicle. We expressed concern that our room might not be ready considering our early arrival, and the valet agreed to leave the car up front for a time. He also explained that the BMW parked at the entrance offered complimentary rides within a three-mile radius. In any case, we needn’t have worried; our room was available, and the friendly receptionist gave us a gratis upgrade to a Junior Suite Bungalow.
There a king bed faced floor-to-ceiling windows that opened to a small courtyard, with two chairs overlooking the pool area. Hide rugs accented the plank floor, and the walls mixed whitewashed brick and wood paneling. The ceiling was exposed post and beam. To the left of the bedroom was an open sitting area, with a Nespresso machine. An attractive marble bath came with a double vanity and an indoor glass rainfall shower; an identical outdoor shower was located within a walled cactus garden. The combination of 1950s style and contemporary amenities such as a Nest thermostat, Forbes & Lomax light switches and Le Labo bath products was extremely appealing. Overall, the room had an indoor-outdoor feel, but with the touch of a button, thick curtains transformed the space into a private refuge.
The original, now revitalized guesthouses surround the main pool area. There we found a large fire pit, a bocce court, a poolside bar, a hot tub, white loungers, daybeds and cabanas. With all the hype the hotel has received, I had imagined it would be packed with a gaggle of bikini-clad starlets, but there were only three other couples, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. Refreshingly, there are many more loungers around the pool than strictly necessary. A poolside menu is available. In anticipation of an indulgent dinner, we nibbled on “foie fries,” skin-on french fries tossed with foie gras and chives and sided by homemade ketchup, accompanied by glasses of Sauvignon Blanc served by the genial bartender. Other menu items included duck-confit rillettes, Dungeness crab toast and a burger topped with truffle-spiked sottocenere cheese.
Later in the afternoon, a member of the staff gave us a tour of the Residence and the spa. Along the way, he observed that with only 25 rooms, the resort never feels crowded, even at full capacity. The Residence, with its private pool, has been impeccably restored and features a sunken living room with a fireplace, a large bar area and a full kitchen. Although it has only a single bedroom, one of the bungalows can be accessed through an adjoining door. The spa comprised four treatment rooms, private outdoor showers and a juice bar. There is no fitness room, but there are complimentary gyms nearby.
Accessed through a guests-only gate off the lobby, SO.PA is on its third chef since the hotel’s opening. Executive chef Jason Niederkorn, formerly of the Hotel Jerome in Aspen, was in charge of the kitchen on our visit. The setting is romantic, with fountains, fire pits, chandeliers and lanterns hanging from trees. We settled into a booth warmed by heat lamps. My starter of braised oxtail with polenta, Cotija cheese, hominy, cilantro, Fresno chile and freeze-dried corn was delicious and exquisitely presented. I also loved my crispy-skinned Mediterranean sea bass poached in lemongrass-shiitake broth with cilantro and Thai basil. The seasonal menu is supported by an extensive list of wines, most from California. Throughout dinner, service was knowledgeable and attentive.
When making a reservation, I had nurtured a suspicion that L’Horizon might be just a trendy, short-lived experiment. So it was a delight to discover a distinctive and well-run hotel that offers seclusion, tranquility and the stylish ambiance of 1950s Palm Springs.
The midcentury architecture; the feeling of privacy and seclusion; the delightful staff.
There was no place to plug in a cell phone near the bed; the spa treatments are expensive.
There is no outrageous parking fee, as at many California resorts; no guests under age 21 allowed.
Andrew Harper members have access to full travel-planning services through Andrew Harper Travel.
1 (800) 375-4685
Open M-F 8:30AM-5:30PM CT
