February/March 2018 85
COURTESY OF THE WILLOWS HISTORIC PALM SPRINGS INN; OPPOSITE: JAKE HOLT
“It’s dark, sexy and seductive and so reminiscent of mid-century
style,” he says of the Parker’s own hotel restaurant. “It’s really
stunning, and it is a very celebratory restaurant, but if you are not
going to celebrate, it’s wonderful for dinner.”
He also salutes Melvyn’s Restaurant (inglesideinn.com/melvyns-
restaurant), a classic dining experience with tableside preparation.
The former Rat Pack hangout is where Frank Sinatra would order
steak Diane, his favorite dish. “It’s a real throwback to the ’60s
with wait staff wearing tuxedos,” describes John.
Outdoor Action: Guests give thumbs up to local tours led by
exuberant personalities, says Paula, another Parker concierge.
Her recommendations for architectural tours include the Modern
Tour (themoderntour.com) offered by Michael Stern, “a highly
respected gentleman with access to the interiors of two or three
houses,” and a tour from independent guide Paul Nation, “a fun
guy in a convertible who always leaves our guests invigorated with
his upbeat tours.”
At PS Architecture Tours (psarchitecturetours.com), says Paula,
expert Trevor O’Donnell comes with great credentials as he gives
guests a deep dive on mid-century modernism.
Palm Springs Celebrity Tours (palmspringscelebritytours.com)
drives guests in an open-air electric vehicle. Best of the Best Tours
(thebestofthebesttours.com) leads treks to see Indian Canyons, midcentury
modern architecture, celebrity haunts, and windmill and
solar energy sites.
Parker Palm Springs. Rates start at $395. 4200 East Palm
Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. 760/770-5000, See theparkerpalm
springs.com
The Willows Historic
Palm Springs Inn
When ER doctor Tracy Conrad saw the “For Sale” sign in front
of this particular drooping estate, she couldn’t help herself. The
Los Angeles resident turned to her fellow ER doc and husband
Paul Marut, and they agreed they had to rescue and restore it to its
former glory. “It looked forlorn, and knowing that Albert Einstein
and movie stars such as Clark Gable and Shirley Temple stayed
here, well, that was unbelievable,” she says.
Tracy mined every photograph and document she could get her
hands on to replicate its 1925 splendor. What started in 1994 as
a labor of love opened for business Oct. 1, 1996, and eventually
earned AAA four-diamond status. The gem is hidden behind foliage,
fronted by a gate. A hiking trail leading toward the towering
mountains begins right behind the property.
The eight-room Mediterranean inn is a “conception of what it
was like in the 1920s, and you would come if you were fabulously
wealthy and wintering in the sun of Palm Springs,” says Tracy.
Trendier properties abound, but Tracy insists her inn transports
guests to the past with period antiques, photos from the era (including
images of Albert Einstein) and original stonework.
The Willows features arched doorways, antique wrought-iron
chandeliers and railings. Guests can relax in the individually
decorated and named rooms. In Einstein’s Garden Room, a photo
of the genius hangs on the wall. Guests often request this room,
knowing Einstein had slept there.
THE WILLOWS HISTORIC
PALM SPRINGS INN
