Luxury Travel Advisor - December 2008 - (Page 10) DESTINATIONS PALM SPRINGS First a getaway for L.A.’s rich and famous, this posh enclave is now grabbing global appeal. BY DAVID EISEN In Hollywood’s Golden Age, the Coachella Valley, which comprises eight neighboring cities—Palm Springs its most familiar—was a seductive escape for movie stars from the pressure and pull of the film business. Only about 100 miles away from Los Angeles, it also fulfilled the movie studios’ “Two-Hour Rule” edict, which stated that a contract actor or actress had to be within two hours of Hollywood and its film lots, so, at a moment’s notice, they could be back on set if needed. This was the perfect getaway for Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, William Holden and Marilyn Monroe, who could slip away to the desert enclave flush with dry warm weather, great golf and mountain landscape. Most importantly, it was removed from the public eye. Today, the valley isn’t just for the drive-in market; it is becoming a getaway for the rest of the world, with its eclectic mix of desert resort properties, plethora of outdoor activities and whimsical luxury boutique hideaways. No property better represents Palm Springs’ materialization of exclusive luxury than Viceroy, Palm Springs (www.viceroy palmsprings.com), part of the Kor Hotel Group. Its privacy and covertness begins right at the entrance, hidden behind a cluster of trees and bushes. Once inside, a world of glam and posh hits like a ton of bricks. The intimate lobby flows right into the ultratrendy Citron restaurant, which is an explosion of white and yellow offset by custom-designed mirror paneling. Your clients will instantly feel like VIPs, even more so with the good chance a famous star is at the next table. (Matthew McConaughey loves the property and Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan have shared not-so-loving glares by the pool area.) Couples can also share a meal immediately outside at tables that perimeter one of the three pools. Note: The Viceroy is geared toward couples, not families. Dogs, however, are welcome; the restaurant even boasts a “Pooch Menu,” which includes a veal bone and a special French toast. Guests with pets are also given a doggie bowl at check-in. The property itself is made up of three distinct courtyards and accommodations are styled in a 1950s Hollywood vein with hanging chandeliers and other funky design elements. Our insider calls it Hollywood regency décor. Expect white-tile flooring, a keen use of yellows and blacks RIVIERA RESORT & SPA rooms (left) recall a bygone era with whimsical retro touches. VICEROY, PALM SPRINGS (pic- tured here) is an exclusive hideaway for VIPs and celebrities alike, offering idyllic landscape and top-line amenities and accommodations. 10 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | December 2008 http://www.viceroypalmsprings.com http://www.viceroypalmsprings.com
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