Old Hollywood and Parker Palm Springs
“Is there anything better than to be longing for something, when you know it is within reach?”
— Greta Garbo
Timeless style is like a perfect suit or stunning dress — it exudes easy charm, is both classic yet contemporary, and is comfortable in the knowledge of its relevance. Old Hollywood has it and so too does Parker Palm Springs.
The relationship between Hollywood and Parker Palm Springs is surprisingly symbiotic, one that dates to another time yet continues to flourish today. In the early years, when the great studios ran the film industry, they had a rule: actors under contract could not be more than two hours away. Palm Springs was a two-hour drive, about as far from Hollywood as you could get, without breaking your contract.
As Palm Springs grew as a destination for Hollywood’s elite, many of them decided to settle here, including Gene Autry, known the world over as the Singing Cowboy. He purchased the property in 1961 and christened it Melody Ranch. The ranch soon became a favorite spot for other Hollywood royalty, a stunning, magical setting where they could truly relax.
A year earlier, Gene Autry had bought the Los Angeles Angels baseball team (now the Anaheim Angels). Palm Springs soon became the spring training home for many professional baseball clubs. After purchasing the ranch, Mr. Autry began an expansion of the property that included a second swimming pool, for the exclusive use of the players.
The 1990s arrived and so did a new owner — talk show host and media mogul, Merv Griffin. The property became the exclusive luxury hotel in Palm Springs and the destination where Hollywood met to make and seal deals.
Today, Parker Palm Springs continues to be a place of escape, an exceptional destination, comfortable in its elegance. Brandon McCurley, Managing Director, states it perfectly. “Our secluded, 13-acre property is unique for a hotel in Palm Springs, if not California. Our guests are continuously amazed by the ambiance that awaits them here.”
Like the great films of yesteryear, whose stories stay with us long after we leave the theater, Parker Palm Springs lingers in the memory of guests.
They remember the match on the terre battue tennis courts followed by an afternoon with an elegant, poolside beverage. They remember a stroll amongst the citrus trees after an exceptional meal on the terrace. They remember an evening spent reclining in a hammock strung between date palms, taking in a desert night sky one must see to believe.
All these memories and more are in one special place – and still only two hours from Hollywood.
Call 760-321-4606 or email us with questions
