For years Palm Springs has existed happily in its own category—far enough from L.A. to resist the gravitational pull of over-the-top celebrity snobbery, far enough from Las Vegas to resist the debauchery. Palm Springs is something different entirely, a desert outpost that grew up along with its state but one that managed to maintain an air of mystery thanks to its relative remoteness.
That’s not to say celebrities never put their stamp on it, nor has it proven difficult to get to. Indeed, many a sun-seeking retiree has emigrated with little effort and put down roots.
But today’s Palm Springs is a city comfortable in its own skin; it’s equally at ease with its celebrity history as with its large gray population while simultaneously embracing its newer label as a habitat for younger hipsters, adventure-seeking outdoor enthusiasts and fun-loving gay and lesbian travelers. Variety blooms here like desert flowers after a spring rain.
The diversity is reflected in the meetings industry, says Robert Enriquez, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Authority (CVA).
“We’re continuing to see a wide mix of group types here,” he says. “We’re bringing in a combination of groups, from association to corporate to incentive business. Whether they are being funneled in through third-party planners or directly through our marketing efforts, we are seeing the variety of groups that respond to the overall product types that our destination offers.”
The CVA is integral in marketing the destination as a single entity with a diverse mix of intra-regional micro destinations. Beneath the umbrella are eight distinct communities in the valley: Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, and Rancho Mirage. The CVA serves as a portal for experiencing any or all of these destinations and for booking events into whichever is best suited to a group’s requirements.
The common thread among all communities, though, is ongoing improvement. Lately, this has been a driving force in attracting business from both the leisure and group markets.
“There is a lot of reinvestment going on in the valley,” Enriquez says. “From hotel and facility expansions to complete renovations, the activity here is just fantastic. Planners throughout the country are seeing the new look, the new direction, and they understand the direction that this destination continues to go in. We bring planners in for FAMs all the time, and perhaps it has been three or four years since they’ve been here. Without fail they are overwhelmed at the continued change and the added product.”
Rising to the Occasion
From individual resorts adding meeting space and enhancing facilities, to the city of Palm Springs enjoying unprecedented popularity (witness the Palm Springs Film Festival), there is plenty of activity in the desert to attract group business.
In 2006, Palm Springs kicked off the New Year by cutting the ribbon on a newly expanded Palm Springs Convention Center. The state-of-the-art facility is now settling into its new look, courtesy of a $34 million expansion that brought total capacity to 261,000 square feet, including 120,000 square feet of continuous carpeted exhibition space, a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, 19 breakout rooms, and an 18,000-square-foot lobby that affords sweeping views of the nearby San Jacinto mountains.
The convention center is adjoined by the 410-room Wyndham Palm Springs, which has 30,000 square feet of meeting space of its own. Another block from the center is the recently built 228-room Spa Resort Casino, which has been wildly popular since it opened.
This year, another property is slated to break ground near the convention center: the Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs, which will feature 40,000 square feet of meeting space and a 20,000-square-foot spa.
Meanwhile, there are some 2,700 hotel rooms within walking distance of the convention center and all are within five minutes of Palm Springs International Airport, which has several daily direct flights from cities throughout the U.S.
Aside from the offerings in the city of Palm Springs, there is a varied mix of meetings-friendly properties throughout the valley.
The famed La Quinta Resort and Club in La Quinta has been a hideaway for celebs and everyday guests alike since 1926. The 800-room property features 66,000-plus square feet of meeting space and is also a recreational paradise, with 90 holes of world-class golf, 23 tennis courts, 42 pools, and five restaurants.
Also high on the list of group retreats are Westin Mission Hills Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage and two properties that are currently undergoing renovations: JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa in Palm Desert and the sprawling Rancho Las Palmas in Rancho Mirage.
In 2008, Rancho Mirage will welcome another property: the 344-unit Agua Caliente Casino Resort, with 13,000 square feet of meeting space and a 10,000-square-foot spa.
The city of Indian Wells is a growing meetings destination, with four high-end properties—Miramonte Resort and Spa, Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa, Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and Spa, and Indian Wells Resort—each offering distinct amenities and a variety of gathering facilities while working together to accommodate larger groups.
With facility expansions and new properties, the destination is becoming even better equipped for meetings.
The recently renovated Miramonte Resort and Spa just unveiled a new 6,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style ballroom that has an adjacent 3,000-square-foot lawn for outdoor functions that take full advantage of the destination’s natural beauty. With the new venue, Miramonte now offers more than 18,000 square feet of meeting space.
Meanwhile, Remington Las Montanas Resort Hotel and Spa is scheduled to open in 2008 with 530 guest rooms, 265 condo units, a 15,000-square-foot spa, and 65,000 square feet of meeting space.
The Golf Resort at Indian Wells is also undergoing a major renovation and expansion. One of its two new 18-hole courses opened in November and the other is set to open this December. The project also includes a 50,000-square-foot clubhouse and a 3,000-square-foot ballroom.
The community of Indio is also home to a recent newcomer. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, which debuted in late 2005, features a 250-room hotel and an array of meeting and convention space, including a 100,000-square-foot special event center.
In Cabazon, the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa caters to groups with nearly 12,000 square feet of meeting space.
From Retro to Rejuvenating
Palm Springs as a destination, like its meetings product, continues to evolve. But that doesn’t mean visitors won’t find a bit of history to explore. Indeed, in Palm Springs, everything old is new again. The abundance of well-preserved mid-century modern architecture continues to be a draw for the destination, just as it helps define the valley’s aesthetic.
A prime example is the newly renovated, 144-room Parker Palm Springs (formerly Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch and Merv Griffin’s Givenchy Resort and Spa), which hosted celebrities during the ’50s and is once again attracting glitterati with its vintage architecture and chic vibe. The property features 11,000 square feet of function space.
There are several other recently restored properties of the mid-century era in Palm Springs, as well as newer facilities that aim to capture their essence. Among the group-friendly boutique properties filling the retro revival niche are the recently opened Hotel ZoSo, Caliente Tropics, Movie Colony Hotel, and Ballantines.
Equally enticing is the valley’s long-standing reputation as an oasis of rejuvenation. For as long as there has been hospitality here, it has included some variety of spa treatment that leveraged the region’s natural resources. In fact, visitors can still visit the original “Palm Springs” at the Spa Resort Casino. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, which developed the property, continues to regard the restorative powers of “the magic waters” as do many of the area’s hotels and spas, offering outdoor mineral pools and services ranging from aromatherapy massage to specialty skin treatments that utilize native ingredients.
In the city of Desert Hot Springs, many of the 40 hotels and spas are connected to thermal wells of rich mineral water.
And in Indian Wells, the concept is taken to luxurious lengths, with the destination’s three spa resorts—Hyatt Grand Champions, Miramonte and Renaissance Esmeralda—pampering guests.
“Palm Springs allows people to rejuvenate and relax and recreate,” Enriquez says. “From the planner’s perspective they know that, ‘Not only can I conduct a successful meeting and convention, but I also feel very good while I’m here.’”
Post-Meeting Possibilities
Of course, the desert holds many attractions, from moonscape-like terrain to swanky, Hollywood-like nightclubs.
“There is an abundance of off-site adventures to have here,” Enriquez says. “That definitely becomes a selling point for us. Also, the impeccable weather we enjoy here almost year-round is without question a huge selling point. Individuals can come here and experience things that they can’t experience anywhere else.”
From everyday recreation, including golf, tennis, hiking, and biking, to more leisurely pursuits like spa outings and shopping, the valley holds something for everyone.
Among the most popular and arguably necessary attractions to see are the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
The Follies, a Broadway-style stage show featuring the music of the ’30s and ’40s, is a roaring good time and a favorite experience among groups meeting in the valley.
The Aerial Tramway is still the best way to get a bird’s-eye view of the valley, as it rises 8,500 feet through changing climate zones toward a mountaintop restaurant and the starting point for myriad hiking trails, each with eye-popping views.
For More Info
Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism 760.778.8415
www.palm-springs.org
Palm Springs Desert Resorts CVA 760.770.9000
www.palmspringsusa.com
City of Indian Wells 760.346.2489
www.indianwells.org
