Pages

Friday, March 11, 2011

14 Easy Weekend Getaways 06 Palm Springs, Calif.

14 Easy Weekend Getaways 06

Palm Springs, Calif.

EASY GETAWAY FROM Los Angeles; Denver; Salt Lake City; Seattle; San Francisco; Sacramento; Phoenix; Dallas; Portland, Ore.; Las Vegas.

WHAT YOU GET Midcentury modern glamour, a retro pool party scene, gay-friendly dance clubs, easy hiking.

WHY NOW Even after the economy took a nose dive, this desert town on the western edge of the Coachella Valley continued to freshen up its resort stock with more than $180 million in new construction and renovations that added 1,000 rooms over the past few years. While spring is a prime time to visit, with daytime temperatures in the mid-80s and special events that keep downtown hopping, like the annual Dinah Shore Weekend (March 30 to April 3, and billed as the largest lesbian event in the world), many hotels are still offering deals. Want to escape the party scene? Take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway up to Mount San Jacinto State Park (at 8,516 feet), which offers more than 50 miles of hiking trails, some perhaps still holding snow.

WHERE TO STAY Tucked away on a residential street, the Kelly Wearstler-designed Viceroy Palm Springs (viceroypalmsprings.com) offers three pools, a spa and a nod to old Hollywood. Book the SoCal Sojourn for discounted rates starting at $210 a night, including two cocktails and a $50 credit for food or drinks. The Riviera Palm Springs (psriviera.com), with 406 guest rooms, two pools and gardens anchored by fire pits, just lowered its starting rates by $10 a night to $159. A short drive from downtown, the stylish Parker Palm Springs (theparkerpalmsprings.com), designed by Jonathan Adler, offers a Spa Junkies deal from $199 on Friday nights and $249 on Saturdays that includes a $200 credit on spa treatments.

No comments:

Post a Comment