This past weekend we had the good fortune of a) taking some much needed time off b) getting out of town and c) staying at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club in Palm Springs. We've been drooling over press images and hearing rave reviews from friends and bloggers alike so it was high time we make it out there to see for ourselves. Along with having a wonderful time we also spotted a couple of ideas to work into our own home: The interiors of the hotel rooms were design by LA team Commune who did a fabulous job of merging the traditional palm springs aesthetic with a new, earthier (tentier?) more rugged feeling that somehow feels really luxurious. The insides of the rooms are lined with canvas and make it feel cozy and a little bit like camping. The bed is a bit smooshy but overall the kind of low to the ground bed that you fall asleep in and just don't move in and the shower is refreshingly spare: white tile, simple soap dispensers. The bar comes well stocked so careful to bring your own otherwise you'll be really tempted to snack on what they have provided.
The restaurant Kings Road is delicious: we recommend the heirloom tomato salad and the harissa lamb and the pot brownie. Linda, the hostess with the mostess, sings show tunes while you eat. What more do you need to know? There are 2 saline pools: one is open 24 hours so if you plan to sleep make sure to request a room that is not near that pool. One drawback is that they don't allow you to bring in your own food or beverages when you're near the pool.
And here are a couple of the ideas we'd like to bring back from the rooms:
1) The black sheepskin they had by the sink in the 'kitchen' was so soft underfoot, and since it's black it won't end up turning a gross color of brown like a white one would. It felt so luxurious underfoot that we're considering one for our side of the bed.2) Vintage Kilim: the rugs that they had on either isde of the bed were vintage kilim rugs that we've seen a lot of around the blog world and were already starting to covet. They're vintage so they're already old and imperfect, and imperfectly charming. They bring a little color, a ittle softness under foot and a little nod to something older than mid century.3) Keep the shower simple. They had 3 dispensers in the shower: shampoo, conditioner and body wash. It was a refreshing change from the 10-15 bottles of necessities we have in the shower at home. Might not be able to get it down to 3 but less would definitely be more.4) Create some outdoor seating areas in small spaces. It didn't take much space but putting two chairs, a rug and a table outside instantly felt inviting for sitting down and hanging out. Careful though, their furniture was covered in a treated canvas/vinyl that gets way too hot in the sun to sit down on (esp in a bathing suit).5)Not sure how we can actually use it but we loved the knotted/macrame inspired scultpure in the lobby. Probably a little too out there for home use, but still a nice touch bringing a little bit of Gilligan's Island to the desert.
We lucked out and got to stay at the Ace during their Easy Rider weekend where everything (food, room, etc) was 20% off. Their rates are economical anyway (especially in the height of summer) so check out the Ace Hotel and Swim Club website.
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