Hoosta Magazine

The Modernist architecture, relaxed atmosphere, and South Beach vibe, make this, the Movie Colony Hotel a transporting getaway. Relax by the pool, admire the stunning San Jacinto Mountains, and soak in the old Hollywood glamour. There are 16 modernist rooms with custom furnishings, king pillow top beds, TV’s with CD/DVD players, telephones with voicemail, plantation shutters, bathrobes, irons, hairdryers, and Aveda bath products. Most guest rooms feature private patios or private terraces. In addition, there are 3 large poolside townhouses with mountain views and private balconies. Other amenities include complimentary continental breakfast, evening wine hour, and beach cruiser bikes. Complimentary wireless internet access is available. A truly modernist gem, the Movie Colony Hotel was built by noted architect Albert Frey in 1935 and is located within easy walking distance to downtown Palm Springs.

The Movie Colony Hotel has only 16 rooms, its grounds are a mere fraction of the viceroy of the parker, but every inch of the property is packed with history.

Built by the father of Desert Modern, Albert Frey, in the 1930s and 1940s as the San Jacinto Hotel, the hotel is a must see on any trip to the desert. Frey, a swiss-born architect, came to Palm Springs in the 1930s and designed numerous buildings, including Palm Springs’ City Hall and a gas station-turned-visitors center at the city’s entrance.

The Movie Colony Hotel’s overpowering whiteness and Frey architecture give the resort a slight edge over any of his other desert creations. Its restoration by Urrutia Architects and interior design by Donald Lloyd Smith give the property a Hollywood serenity of the 1930s and 1940s that frey perfected.

Frey designed the resort, which consists of nine patio rooms, four standard rooms and three townhouses to look like a cruise ship.. His vision is made more apparent by the metal railings around the upper decks or private terraces. Yellow fabric was added to the railings to make the metaphor more literal.

Its pearly whiteness captures an almost Gatsbyish Hollywood feel, a true Hollywood Regency style, but the hotel never seems large or limitless. It maintains a playful intimacy with its handful of guests, sharing a happy hour with Dean Martinis. Guests often lounge near the pool, or they can retreat to their private patios and lie near a tree ripe with grapefruit.

The hotel redesigned its bathrooms for modern-day guests , making them larger and lined with natural stone, but the rooms are designed with mid-century modern in mind. Clean lines, cubes and cutouts are strewn around rooms on sea-grass rugs, now Palm Springs staples. “People who come here like the architecture and they want more experiential weekends,” says Bruce Abney, general manager. “We are definitely not a Brand X hotel.”

• Movie Colony Hotel
726 North Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California 92262
Phone: 1-760-320-6340 | Fax: 1-760-320-1640
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