Reinvention of a Historical Speakeasy

Ethereal black-and-white portraits of scantily clad starlets adorn Colony Palms Hotel's walls, hearkening back to the hotel's past as a speakeasy, brothel, and gambling house. The property's fourth reincarnation—brainchild of designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard—eschews modern frills for Moorish ornamentation. The resulting Mediterranean-chic hotel exudes exotic charm with tribal weavings, carved furniture, and half-shell lanterns.

In the comfort of a Deluxe guest room, a Suzani-style headboard rises over the horizon of one king bed or two queen beds. Handwoven by Uzbekistani artisans, each crimson tapestry depicts flower and vine silhouettes, their stems winding and waltzing circuitously across the fabric. Down-stuffed pillows barricade each mattress, topping a down-stuffed duvet and its underlying Italian linens by Matteo. After rinsing in an oversize shower and inventing new facial expressions at the oversize vanity, lodgers can swaddle up in a bathrobe, sip a coffee, and peruse the morning paper. In each hideaway, wide windows overlook the courtyard, pool, or San Jacinto Mountains, and some Deluxe quarters offer additional amenities such as a fireplace or a claw-foot bathtub.

Rising prominently in the hotel's backdrop, the San Jacinto Mountains shadow the hotel's two-story Spanish colonial-style building. Mature palms crest terra-cotta eaves, adding a touch of privacy to the heated outdoor pool. Beach chairs offer front-row seats to alfresco marco polo matches, and the indoor Purple Palm Restaurant & Bar, promises splash-free panoramas of the sparkling waters. The eatery's lavender wallpaper depicts swaying palm silhouettes, and overhead lanterns harness the sun's golden light. On olive-hued banquettes or leather chairs, diners indulge in such delicacies as pole-caught tuna or Loch Duart salmon, expertly prepared by executive chef Brian Kiepler. Marathons of relaxation round out at the Moroccan-inspired spa, where trained staffers administer waxes, massages, facials, and body treatments. The accompanying fitness center and quiet room calm bustling brains and strengthen sinews.

Palm Springs, California: Retro Metropolis among Rugged Mountains

Midcentury modern architecture dominates Palm Springs' landscape, echoing of Colony Palms' retro roots. While the city's piano bars and kidney-shaped pools smack of the 1950s, the San Jacinto Mountains' granite peaks, subalpine forests, and fern-fringed mountain meadows retain timeless appeal. Sneaker-clad sojourners can explore the high-country wilderness via the Pacific Crest Trail—a scenic pathway that spans from Mexico to Canada—or soar to 8,516 feet in elevation via a rotating tramcar. In addition to whisking wanderers over the Chino Canyon, the tramway deposits travelers at the gateway to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, which encompasses about 272,000 acres of verdant wilderness.

Back in the lowlands, travelers at the Moorten Botanical Gardens scrupulously snake past more than 3,000 examples of desert cacti while carefully resisting the plants' outstretched spines and delightful hedgehog impersonations. About 2 miles north at the Palm Springs Art Museum, the soft and sensuous brushstrokes of Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh grace the current showcase of modern-era artists, open until September 4.

Five miles away, the Palm Springs Air Museum corrals one of the nation's largest collections of WWII aircraft alongside period artifacts and military uniforms. Twelve miles north in Desert Hot Springs, Cabot's Pueblo Museum transforms found objects, including windows and doors from abandoned homesteads, into in 35-room treasure ascending four stories. Back by the hotel, walkers can saunter along the cool, cobbled length of Palm Canyon Drive, whose palm-studded arms stretch with vintage furniture stores, charming boutiques, and ample perches for people watching.