PHOTO: Riviera Palm Springs (All photos by Ryan Rudnansky)

After the recession hit Palm Springs hard, the Coachella Valley city is experiencing a resurgence.

Leading the resurgence?

Everything — from the city’s historic hotels like Riviera Palm Springs to its eye-catching architecture.

When the recession hit, Palm Springs, which relies on a second-home market, witnessed a dramatic upheaval. Many residents chose to unload their second homes. This, naturally, led to the historic city looking more like a ghost town than a major tourist destination.

But Palm Springs is roaring back, lifted by a reinvestment in hotels and its phenomenal Mid-Century Modern architecture. 

Riviera Palm Springs

PHOTO: Riviera Palm Springs "Arcade" area. Posters are made with Guatemalan dimes.

Riviera Palm Springs opened in 1959 as Riviera Resort.

Instantly, it made a name for itself, drawing a variety of magnetic celebrities. Throughout the years, the hotel would welcome Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Elvis Presley, Raquel Welch, Dean Martin, Marilyn Monroe, Desi Arnaz, Sonny and Cher and more.

But the property needed a facelift at some point. Enter Noble House Hotels & Resorts. The company purchased Riviera Palm Springs from The Carpenter’s Union for $70 million in 2006, then unveiled a $70 million renovation two years later.

The Starlite Lounge was one of the additions to the hotel. The lounge sits to the right of the hotel entrance, boasting sleek chandeliers, a bar, a piano and comfy seating. Music ranging from Sinatra to Michael Buble plays in the lounge during the day, while the space becomes a piano bar at night. Riviera Palm Springs will also play vintage movies above the lounge’s bar from time to time.

Gardens, fountains, fire pits and more outdoor seating were also added throughout the property. Palm trees were relocated to the new gardens.

One thing you’ll notice instantly when walking into Riviera Palm Springs is its design. The style is a blend of vintage and contemporary, making sure to honor the past while adding modern touches. It can sometimes be difficult to blend different eras, but Riviera Palm Springs did it expertly. I was entranced from the beginning.

Also included at Riviera Palm Springs: three outdoor pools, two outdoor hot tubs, a boutique shop, one restaurant, three outdoor bars, a fitness center, a tennis center, a conference center and grand ballroom, and a spa complete with two of its own hot tubs and steam/Zen rooms.

On top of that, Riviera Palm Springs’ facilities are complimentary, and the hotel also offers free Wi-Fi to its guests.

As for its rooms and suites, there are 398 of them. I was set up in the Mediterranean Jr. Suite, which encompasses 463 square feet and includes an outdoor patio, a queen size bed, a sofa, a 42-inch LCD TV and a large bathroom, shower and tub.

I also went to dinner at the restaurant, Circa 59, and was treated to a 50-minute hot stone massage at the spa, SpaTerre.

Circa 59 shares the same vintage-contemporary style as the hotel, as well as offering ample outdoor dining (one section has cool air that blows on you) and fire pits.

As for the food, I was impressed. The Lobster Mac & Cheese may be the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had, I highly recommend the Wedge BLT salad (complete with candied bacon and jalapeno ranch) and the Blue Cheese-Crusted Filet Mignon with asparagus and whipped potatoes, well, doesn’t that just sound good?

SpaTerre also does a fine job. The Sacred Stone Massage combines a Swedish massage with the use of warm stones. My massage therapist placed these stones on different muscles of my body throughout the course of the Swedish massage. The combination feels like I’m in a warm spa and getting a massage at the same time. Awesome.

Architecture 

Yes, Palm Springs does have a lot of palm trees, but that’s not all that distinguishes the desert city.

Palm Springs’ architecture is something that simply has to be seen, whether you are into architecture or just like looking at things that are cool.

And if you want to explore all of this architecture, as well as the history that comes along with it, I highly recommend The Modern Tour via guide Michael Stern.

The tour, which lasts for a good two-and-a-half hours, highlights past and current celebrities’ homes, as well as some of the top architects in the area…all via a nice air-conditioned SUV. Homes of celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Elvis Presley, William Holden, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe and even Leonardo DiCaprio are highlighted. Architects include Donald Wexler, Albert Frey, Richard Neutra, John Lautner, E. Stewart Williams, Williams Krisel and William Cody.

Most of Palm Springs’ homes are designed to complement the natural environment, but there are some rebels out there that intentionally design homes to stand in stark contrast to the desert surroundings.

My favorite property I was able to explore was the Alfred Frey House, without a doubt.

First of all, the Frey House is one of the highest homes in Palm Springs, offering fantastic views of the city below. It doesn’t hurt that a pool overlooks said views. But more impressive than any of that may have been the highlight of the interior.

Imagine a giant boulder that is halfway in the house and halfway outside.

Hard to imagine?

Then go to the Frey House and see it for yourself.

The part of the boulder that is inside the house even comes complete with an embedded dial that dims the lights (they basically chiseled a strip of rock, inserted the wiring and then patched it back up). Lounge seating, wooden furniture with installed compartments, a long table for guests and a comfy bed surround the boulder.

Some amusing history is also shared during the tour. For example, I knew that Sinatra liked partying, but did you know Jack Daniels was a favorite drink of his?

How much did Sinatra like Jack Daniels?

Well, when he wanted to alert everyone that he was having a party, he would raise a Jack Daniels flag above his house on a flagpole (this is true).

Also, you may want to check out local Kenny Irwin’s house. It includes anything from giant robots and Transformer-like creations to aliens to some pink character riding a bicycle on top of the roof. 

Aerial Tramway 

PHOTO: View from Aerial Tramway

As a bonus, I was also able to take a ride on one of Palm Springs’ major tourist attractions, the Aerial Tramway.

Dubbed the world’s largest rotating tram, the Aerial Tramway takes you from 2,643 feet above sea level to 8,516 feet above sea level. The journey takes about 15 minutes, covering 2.5 miles. The floor rotates throughout the trip so you don't have to shuffle around to get good views/pictures. And just to give you an idea of how high the tramway takes you, my ears were popping on the way up and the temperature dropped from 93 degrees to 63 degrees from the bottom to the top.

And don’t worry, there’s plenty of room for you to hop on board. The tram boasts two $480,000 cars, each holding up to 80 passengers.

The Aerial Tramway was an $8.5 billion project that opened in 1963 (tax dollars were not used). Beyond the impressive ride, you also gain access to 54 miles of wilderness once on top of the mountain.

That includes Mt. Jacinto State Park, which is great for hikers, sightseers and photographers, offering plenty of mountain views, fascinating twisted giant logs and trees and wildlife such as birds, squirrels and lizards (I walked the quick 1.5-mile loop called The Desert Trail and I highly recommend the viewpoint labeled Notch 3).

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