Charming Casa Cody in Palm Springs

While some people steer away from Palm Springs during the summer months when the temperature reaches over 100 degrees, I embrace it when I stay at Casa Cody. Now that it’s starting to cool down to the 80s during fall and winter, the desert is one of the most desirable  destinations.

The boutique hotel Casa Cody is one of those hidden gems just off Palm Canyon Drive. It’s an enchanting blend of history with modern interior design. Some of the 30 guest rooms are original Spanish Colonial revival, and there is one historic adobe house that date back over 100 years. Other guest rooms are a bit old west ranch-style with gable roofs, wooden posts, and shake roof shingles. Casa Cody feels more like a wealthy friend’s friendly residential compound.

Staying in Studio Suite #14, the clay Saltillo tile flooring provides a coolness in look and temperature. The large king-size bed is fitted with soft Parachute bedding and this room has both a front and back door leading out to both swimming pools.

Donning my bathing suite, I walked out the back door to the long rectangular pool heated by the Palm Springs sunshine. Lounge chairs are arranged on green grass and desert landscaping by TERREMOTO, offers a residential backyard ambiance. There are plenty of large umbrellas for shade to read, nap or get some work done. Bright pink bougainvillea flowers gently fall into the pool adding a pop of color as you swim.

A large grassy area offers the Winter’s House, one of the most popular spots in the desert for weddings. “We are booked almost every weekend until May 2022,” Assistant General Manager Sofia Jimenez said while giving me a tour of the two acre property.

A favorite for repeat guests is staying at Harriet’s Cottage and the Adobe House. Named after the first owner Harriet Cody, a cousin of the legendary showman Buffalo Bill Cody.  There is also the Olympic Cottage, a small house that was relocated to this two-acre property after the 1932 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

Guests are welcome to pick any of the citrus growing on trees to enjoy the sweetness of the fruit. “Aren’t the grounds and rooms so beautiful,” Jimenez said. “It’s like a second home.” Terremoto of L.A. also helped create an edible garden outside the Olympic Cottage.

Inspired by Casa Cody’s heritage, female run Electric Bowery, a Venice Beach architecture and design firm used a variety of colors and fabric textures in keeping with historic detailing. Salvageable materials fuse seamlessly with newer materials to enhance the design.

Many guest rooms offer kitchenettes or full kitchens with a selection of books and cookbooks, a wood cheese board to use, and variety of Mini Bar items to purchase to enjoy in your room or out by the pool. Soon the reimagined entrance will include a retail section and an artisanal marketplace where guests can shop for snacks, beverages and canned cocktails.

Complimentary parking is located in front of the hotel or on the street. Also complimentary is use of High Speed Internet (WiFi), and breakfast in the morning, presented inside the lobby offering Greek yogurt, granola, coffee, two different juices, bagels and croissants.

Bicycles are also available for guests to pedal and cruise around Palm Springs. Be sure to visit the newly installed and 26-foot tall, 24,000 pound Forever Marilyn statue of Marilyn Monroe. Created by artist and sculptor Seward Johnson, stories have been told that Monroe arrived to Palm Springs for the first time in 1949 at the age of 22. She was ‘discovered’ by a William Morris talent agent at Charlie Farrell’s Racquet Club.

Dress for dinner at the nearby 4 Saints Restaurant, a favorite of locals and guests staying at The Rowan Palm Springs. Diners enjoy panoramic views of Palm Springs up on the seventh floor, while sipping craft cocktails and selecting modern American fare executed by Chef Ysaac Ramirez. He makes a Marsh Hen Mill cornbread that is one of the most unique items on the menu. Other specialities include a beet salad as an appetizer, fresh halibut and variety of dry-aged steaks.

Walking back to Casa Cody, the air is clear and the stars above are magnificent. You might be tempted to put on your bathing suit one more time for a night swim underneath the majestic San Jacinto Mountains.

Casa Cody is one of the coolest places to stay in Palm Springs any time of the year.