History

A DESERT OASIS

Just a quick spin from L.A., Palm Springs emerged as a premier weekend retreat for industry players, movie stars, mafia, and moguls when Hollywood’s two-hour rule kept contract actors close. Originally built in 1929 by Frank Pershing, nestled among pink grapefruit, ficus, and skinny palm trees, the Estrella Motor Inn quickly became an iconic part of Palm Springs’ golden age. The (in)famous bungalows, added soon after, hosted legendary figures like Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and Errol Flynn, with Crawford famously demanding French bread and seven packs of cigarettes—three opened.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the property expanded with low-profile additions and a hefty dose of the era’s Diamonds Are Forever-meets-shag-n-mirrors cool–and a game of Twister in every room.

The Kor Group developed assumed the property in the early aughts. Never restrained to any one period, designer Kelly Wearstler earned recognition for her infusion of fresh, free style, from larger than life jolts of color and eye-pleasing symmetries to more organic California textures for a playful, modern glow.

Now renamed Avalon under the umbrella of Proper Hospitality in 2015, Estrella’s original personality still shines when you walk through those doors: a laid-back hideaway with deep desert roots.

All images featured on this page are courtesy of the Palm Springs Historical Society.