OUT OF THE OFFICE

Travel + Food Blog

  THE PARKER

  PALM SPRINGS

LOBBY

LOBBY

PROPERTY

The Parker is set on expansive grounds with flourishing gardens and hummingbirds.  At every turn you encounter a new delight- whether it be an old fashioned drink stall serving lemonade, an outdoor fire pit for roasting marshmallows or a retro kidney shaped pool. You really are taken back to an era when things were just a little more effortlessly cool. Everything at the Parker is immaculate and they have kept the integrity of an era that is synonymous to Palm Springs. The lobby is full of interesting retro pieces (including an amour and "drugs" sign). The stylist and decorator- Jonathan Adler- got everything spot on. It could have ended up looking slightly garish in the wrong hands, but somehow he balances eclectic and retro perfectly.

ROOMS

Rooms are stylish but on the small side. We chose the most basic room, so maybe we should have expected this, but for $300 a night I had hoped for something more. In saying that, the beds were comfortable, the bathroom amenities (Hermes) were a beautiful touch and we got a very good nights sleep. I think the hotel could start adding a few modern touches (such as LCD television rather than the old bulky sets) as these don't add any style to the rooms.

FOOD

We did not eat at the popular Mister Parker's opting for the relaxed Norma's instead, which served more home style cooking. It was a delicious meal of crab cakes and an Asian salad. The next morning we had the lemon pancakes and they were out of this world. I would thoroughly recommend these to anyone who likes pancakes. All meals were reasonably priced and the service was good- we were one of only three tables for dinner, but breakfast was very busy.  Next time we will try the more upmarket Mister Parker's for something different.

SERVICE

We only ever encountered friendly, helpful staff during our entire stay (including the reservations department when booking). They went out of their way for me on a couple of occasions and it was much appreciated. I heard a rather unpleasant experience from a guest in Norma's and the waitress handled herself very professionally, keeping her calm and her manners and it was very impressive.

OVERALL:

I would definitely recommended this hotel for anyone passing through Palm Springs or wanting a weekend getaway from Los Angeles. Its uber cool (in a relaxed way where you wont feel out of place) and is very family friendly. There were a few children around the pool and the grounds are very child friendly (flat, open and very easy to keep your eye on kids). I would try a different room category next stay and opt for a ground floor room with a patio, to be able to sit outside for evening drinks. If possible, try and snag one of the Parker's deals called the "Glutton Package". This package includes a $200 free food voucher per room/ per day- and on occasions you can get rooms for as low as $200 (basically the room pays for itself!). Please note this does not include alcoholic beverages. All in all, a lovely stay.

Fore more information: www.theparkerpalmsprings.com

GARDEN AREA

GARDEN AREA

FRONT ENTRANCE

FRONT ENTRANCE

FIREPLACE  IN  LOBBY

FIREPLACE  IN  LOBBY

FRONT SIGNAGE

FRONT SIGNAGE

NORMA'S RESTAURANT

NORMA'S RESTAURANT

All photos by Belinda- www.outoftheoffice.com.au