Palm Springs is a welcome escape for most Angelenos. It’s a relaxing getaway with good food, good drinks, heat, and much needed pool time. You can find all of that at the Colony Palms Hotel. It’s a quaint hotel with a Spanish flair, tons of foliage, and numerous Buddhas for you to rub for good luck every time you pass.
The Colony Palms Hotel, originally named the Colonial House is a Spanish Colonial style hotel that was opened in 1936 by Al Wertheimer, a mobster and member of the Purple Gang. Back then, there was an underground speakeasy and brothel that was accessed through a secret staircase behind a pantry cupboard.
After World War II, the hotel was renamed the Howard Manor and was owned by Robert Howard and his wife, Andrea Leeds Howard. Robert was son of Charles Howard, owner of the racehorse, Seabiscuit, and Andrea Leeds was an actress who had been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in “Stage Door”. For the next 30 years, the hotel was the spot for Hollywood in Palms Springs.
The hotel changed hands many more times and re-opened in 2007 with an extensive renovation. The renamed Colony Palms Hotel is now a four-star boutique hotel with a restaurant named the “Purple Palm Restaurant,” (ode to the Purple Gang), a “Winner’s Circle Suite” in honor of legendary racehorse Seabiscuit, and the “Palme D’Or Residence,” the hotel’s finest accommodation inspired by the highest prize awarded each year at the Cannes Film Festival.
We checked in and headed to the Purple Palm Restaurant for a bite to eat. The restaurant is beautiful and uniquely designed with floor to ceiling maroon and white patterns. Tyler ordered their burger and I dove head first into their shrimp cocktail (I ordered it a few times over the weekend). It wasn’t your typical shrimp cocktail. It was layered with cocktail sauce, greens, mango, and avocado. It was refreshing, yet filling and perfect for the Palm Springs heat (and with a glass of champs).
A few other spots we ventured to over the weekend include Ruben & Ozzy’s and Pinocchio’s. Both restaurants are far from fancy, but they serve up amazing food and a fun, unique atmosphere. Ruben & Ozzy’s serve up some of the best seafood you will find including fish tacos, fish kabobs, oysters, seafood pasta dishes, and my personal favorite, the cioppino, which is a seafood and marina sauce “stew.” At Pinocchio’s you will find a divey little diner that serves breakfast all day, huge salads, burgers, a full bar, and $3.95 bottomless champagne. (yep, you read right). All in all, they are both a great time and full of character.
After getting a food coma, we laid by the pool and ordered drinks from the Purple Palm Restaurant all day. I loved that their top-notch food and cocktails are available pool side. I started off with a bloody Mary, which was savory, garnished with cocktail onions and green olives, and it hit the spot. I then ventured to the Purple Gang (had to keep with the theme), made with vodka, muddled grapes, lemon, and a pinot noir float. It was sweet, but refreshing. The perfect poolside drink.
Whether you are looking for great food, amazing cocktails, relaxation, or a little bit of history, the Colony Palms Hotel has it all. It’s a quiet oasis in the middle of the desert that is the perfect break from Los Angeles.
Lil hint…take the tram either on your way into Palm Springs or out. It’s worth it! It’s a fun ride that looks over the whole desert (but skip the ride and meal ticket…you won’t want to eat up there).
