Luxury holidays in Palm Springs

The Greater Palm Springs area's endless supply of sunshine made it a winter playground for the rich and famous in the Fifties, when life was lived with a putter in one hand and a martini in the other; the exploits of its former Rat Pack residents have passed into legend.The world-apart atmosphere of Palm Springs proper and its neighbouring desert cities is accentuated by their fabulous collection of mid-century Modernist architecture – in the style’s '50s heyday, even the most humdrum building merited a futuristic fin or space-age spoiler, to help propel it still further into the future. In recent years (thanks largely to the efforts of former Palm Springs mayor Sonny Bono), the cities have recaptured their swing – and not just on the golf course.

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Areas in Palm Springs

When to go

Palm Springs has sunshine and balmy temperatures year-round, which is what makes it such a popular winter destination; the population almost doubles during these months. If anything, summer temperatures are too hot, with temperatures way above one hundred degrees.

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Getting there

  • Planes

    There is an international airport at Palm Springs (www.palmspringsairport.com), but many of the airlines that fly there are domestic; you’ll probably arrive at Los Angeles airport (LAX), 100 miles east of the city.
  • Trains

    Amtrak (www.amtrak.com) connects Palm Springs to other US cities. There are two railway stations, Bakersfield being the best one for connections to LA.
  • Automobiles

    Like most US cities, you’ll need a car if you want to explore any further than the hotel boundaries – not least for the air-conditioning. Alternatively, you could hire yourself a Harley (www.eaglerider.com).
  • Taxis

    From Palm Springs airport, order a cab from Airport Taxi (+1 760 321 4470) or Yellow Cab (+1 760 345 8398); your hotel can arrange taxis for you if you need a ride anywhere local.