Unqiue Sleeps: Ace Hotel & Swim Club Palm Springs

Paradise in Palm Springs

I have long dreamed of staying at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club in Palm Springs and dreams seem to have a way of coming true in sunny California.

Driving from Beverly Hills to Palm Springs only took a few hours but was a tad terrifying – on the wrong side of the road in huge wide lane freeways everywhere. Thank God for the GPS!

The temperature rises when you drive into the desert holiday town of Palm Springs. And it stays that way. Just like I dreamed, this town is a slice of retro Americana right in the middle of the desert.

The Ace

At the ACE we’re greeted by the famous oversized metal letters – I’m a big fan of typography and these letters certainly spell out what our stay was to be A-C-E Ace indeed!

We check in at the super cool reception – all timber and stone, complete with giant macramé, retro style decor, even a black and white photo booth and gift shop. Everything is considered but not overdone. Cool but not too cool. Even the room swipe cards have a cool design. At this point, I want to own everything and redecorate my house.

The vibe of the hotel is obviously very laid back, casual and relaxed, just like my own decorating/lifestyle. I instantly feel at home.

All the Ace Hotels have their own distinct personality and so do their gift shops. I’ve spent a bit of time browsing the shops online – their product selection is totally cool and I had to buy a couple of their T-shirts as souvenirs.

The rooms take the design ethos to another level – the décor is retro but minimal and cosy, decorated perfectly but not overdone. The walls are stripped back white timber panelled walls lined with canvas detailing, just like you’d expect in a glamping style tent. Suitably colourful but pared back, warm and relaxed with generous proportions.

I loved the details – the giant bed head with large denim cushion head board, the Kilim rug and throw cushion, the metal and leather stools, the very cool lamps and light fittings.

Our room even had a generous outdoor area with a wrap around sofa and fireplace, perfect to hang out in the evening.

Pool Side

So, what did we do during our three day stay? To be honest we hardly left the hotel. Most of our time was spent poolside (right in the centre of the compound). A schedule of swim, sun bake, drink and repeat was the order of the day.

After a hectic few days sightseeing and shopping up a storm in LA, relaxing by the pool was just what we needed. Note – this is a dog welcome poolside, and we spotted plenty of super cool pooches.

Fun Times

The Amigo Room has fabulous bingo and karaoke nights, with the diner style restaurant called Kings Hwy always popular too. Think super cool Americana décor, complete with tan leather booths and vintage décor. The minute steak and the pancakes were definite favourites.

We were pleasantly surprised that the hotel wasn’t just full of super cool types, but a nice mix of families, hipsters and holiday makers of all kinds. Everyone was definitely relaxed.

The weekend after our stay, it couldn’t be more different. The Hotel is transformed for events and parties during the annual Coachella music festival.

Whilst staying at the hotel I of course Instagrammed like a crazy man and even met up with a fellow Instagrammer poolside – now that’s cool.