Palm Springs in a box

'Welcome to Palm Springs in a box,' said Jennifer as she opened the door and ushered us into the sauna. In a place where summer temperatures soar to the high 30s her claim was no exaggeration, and after sweating it out for a lot less time than a local girl who was already ensconced on one of the wooden benches, we beat a hasty retreat.

That said, we were reliably informed that while locals head indoors and domestic visitors prefer ‘cooler’ winter temperatures averaging the mid-20s, the proverbial mad dogs and Englishmen - and women - still go out to bask in the midday midsummer heat, making Palm Springs a year-round destination as far as sun-deprived Brits are concerned.

Los Angeles and Hollywood may be the historical centre of the American film industry but it was to ‘The Springs’ that the glitterati of yesteryear began heading in the 1920s when a condition of their contracts said they mustn’t be more than two hours away from the studio. Away from prying eyes in the pre-paparazzi and gossip column days, they variously unwound, partied and indulged in illicit trysts in a desert hideaway that was the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente tribe of Cahuilla Indians.

Small but perfectly formed

Small by American supersize standards, Palm Springs is home to 45,000 residents and with its small atmospheric hotels, independent shops and restaurants focused on flavoursome rather than fast food it’s a wonderful antidote to huge impersonal cities and high-rise resorts.

Many of the 100 plus hotels range from the unashamedly kitsch to the retro and romantic, keeping a firm hold on the architectural style of diners and days gone by. Palm Springs is also famous for the sleek lines of its so-called desert modernism, having one of America’s largest concentrations of mid-century modern architecture.

An achingly cool property is Ace Hotel, a favourite for fashion shoots. Centred around a pool, and with fantastic food served in an adjoining old Denny’s restaurant that’s now in taken the guise and of an American diner, the rooms are casual, bohemian and kitted out with an eclectic mix of vintage furniture and knick knacks. 

A gay old time

If you’re a solo female traveller or going away with a friend or girlie group there’s Casitas Laquita, where I hung my sun hat. As well as being something of a pensioners’ paradise, laid-back Palm Springs has also made a name for itself as a leading gay destination. While the self-contained and beautifully equipped casitas, all with their own kitchens, primarily opened as a lesbian resort in the 80s, the atmosphere is comfortable and inclusive and I felt totally at home as a straight guest.

Palm Springs has built an entire tourist industry around its famous name past and present and a great way to get acquainted with its star-studded streets is on the Rich and Famous sightseeing trip run by Best of the Best. Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, the names tripped of the tongue of our guide and driver Ken as we rubber-necked our way through the 90-minute tour worth every cent of the $30 ticket.

With a couple of golf players in the group the non-players, including me, reluctantly agreed to spend a morning at Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort which enjoys a fantastic reputation amongst those in the tee-time know. Pro Jerry Elwell had the unenviable task of trying to teach us the basics but with a blend of unfailing patience and humour he got us all hitting balls in roughly the right direction and at the end of the session the golf rookies were all grinning from ear to ear.

Spa time

Before we’d realised it was going to be so much fun we’d already agreed on payback time, a trip to the spa. ‘Taking the waters’ is a Palm Springs institution and a chance to wallow in its namesake warm natural spring water. While all kinds of other treatments are available at the Spa Resort Casino, and the chocolate facial and chocolate dipped strawberry pedicure sounded seriously tempting, we opted for the classic $40 experience that culminates in a 10-minute soak in the spring water after dipping in and out of various heat treatment rooms.

While spas can often be full of pitfalls, such as the dilemma of what to put on or take off, the aforementioned Jennifer and her colleagues couldn’t have been more helpful as they gave us a showround of the whole process and checked our progress en route.

Another Palm Springs ritual is the Thursday evening Villagefest when Palm Canyon Drive is closed to traffic and turned into a giant open-air market of food, clothes and art and craft stalls and many shops stay open late. It’s a great place to pick up presents and souvenirs (although it didn’t stop us from dropping by at Desert Hills Premium Outlets Mall on the way back to the airport.

Hollywood heritage

The Springs’ celebrity heritage has made an impression on its restaurants and for a side order of stardust, and mean margaritas, the Los Arboles Hotel that once served the old Hollywood clientele now houses a really authentic Mexican restaurant that will knock just about any other Mexican meal you’ve ever eaten into a cocked sombrero.

Italian fans will want to head to Johnny Costa’s which has the added cachet of being owned by Frank Sinatra’s former personal chef. A haunt frequented by members of the Rat Pack is Melvyn’s which attracts modern day crooners and is a fun place for an after dinner nightcap.

I may not have been in town when George Clooney was around – helpful hint: the best time to clock A-listers is during the Palm Springs International Film Festival every January – but hey ho, there’s no shortage of star appeal on the street, stage and night sky in this Californian playground of assorted desert delights.

Need to know

• Virgin Atlantic flies twice daily from London Heathrow to Los Angeles with return fares from £624 per person. T: 0844 2092 770.
   
• Casitas Laquita offers self-contained casitas and suites, including some with private patios, from $100 per night.
   
• Ace Hotel has rooms from $150 per night.
   
• Palm Springs visitor information