As you know, before moving to California, I spent many holidays here in Los Angeles… And most times, I tried to make space for a little jaunt into the desert too. On some trips, I just drove to Palm Springs for the day, with just enough time for brunch at Cheeky’s and a dip in the Ace swimming pool. I also stayed there overnight a couple of times, but always in hotels. While there is no shortage of design hotels in Palm Springs, I always left feeling like I didn’t get the full experience.
You see, what attracted me to the city in the first place is its insane architectural variety and interesting Classic Hollywood history, so I’d always wanted to stay in an iconic house there. And that’s exactly what I did last weekend at the Kirk Douglas House with my friend Allan from Bungalow5. I think we actually came up with the recipe for a perfect (extended) weekend in Palm Springs… Do you want to know what it is? Ok here goes:
First, find a glamorous home to call your own, even if only for a few days. Bonus points if the home used to belong to a classic Hollywood film star. We were invited by Acme House Co to stay at the Kirk Douglas house, which is where he used to stay in the late fifties. The decor of the house is an eclectic mix of Hollywood regency and quirkier, Johnathan Adler-esque touches, in a monochrome palette with citrus accents. Essentially the ideal backdrop to shenanigans with friends, which leads me to my second point…
Find some good friends to share the house with! Our home for the weekend had 3 bedrooms (2 queen and one master king) as well as a casita (with king bed). This means the house comfortably hosted 4 couples and a child. There is ample space inside and outside, so it never felt crowded. We could all hang out by the pool when we wanted company, but we could also just as well isolate ourselves for some morning meditation if necessary!
I mentioned the pool quickly, but let me get back to it as it is one of the main ingredients to a successful Palm Springs stay: you need a pool. And you need good AC. Because PS gets HOT, especially in the Summer. The temperature there can reach up to 50C (it went up to 45C while we were there) and so you will need to just sit in the pool in the shade, sometimes for the entire afternoon. Or you will want to have a nap in an air conditioned bedroom. The pool at the Kirk Douglas house is one of those classic kidney shaped ones, with just the right amount of shade.
Final ingredient to my recipe: a well-appointed inside-outside space where you can watch the stars and listen to the cicadas once the temperature goes down and the night breeze comes in.
If you fancy organising your own dream weekend in Palm Springs, check out the Kirk Douglas house – if it is a little large, don’t worry as the Acme House Co has you covered on their site. Check it out!
