The Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn Reopens for the Season

Rates at the eight room hideaway, which welcomed its first guest on October 1, 1996 and is the recent recipient of TripAdvisor's 2016 Award of Excellence, an accolade given to outstanding hospitality establishments receiving praise and recognition from actual travelers, start at $395 per night and include a chef-driven, three-course breakfast plus evening wine and hors d'oeuvres, poolside snacks and en suite edibles.

The History

The Willows has remained a timeless piece of Palm Springs history that modern-day travelers can experience. The estate was completed in 1925 for William Mead, a prominent Los Angeles housing developer, businessman and philanthropist who played an instrumental role in the development of the Owens River Valley Aqueduct. He and his wife Nella engaged William J. Dodd to design their desert hideaway and construction began in 1924. Dodd created a Mediterranean villa with a keen eye for detail and craftsmanship, which called for hand-carved doors carved from rich mahogany; intricate scrolls of wrought iron; and limestone chiseled by hand with rare Spanish tiles laid throughout. The hilltop setting and spectacular gardens, with exotic and rare plants selected by the Meads, coupled with winding rock pathways, were offset by a spectacular 50-foot waterfall that still cascades down the hillside today making a spectacular backdrop for the Inn's dining room.

During the 1930s The Willows served as the pied a terre for Samuel Untermyer, whose name has resurfaced suddenly recently between the pages of J.R. Moehringer's best-selling book Sutton about notorious bank robber Willie Sutton who tended to Untermyer's New York estate gardens. During Untermyer's tenure, The Willows was a revolving door of celebrities, dignitaries and politicos. The Einstein Room at The Willows is named for the genius, who slept behind its doors on many occasions. Even his favorite garden bench remains on a tiny knoll overlooking the grounds. Other notables included Joseph Kennedy, Shirley Temple, and Billie Burke. After Untermyer's death in 1940, The Willows remained in the family passing to his eldest son Alvin who continued to maintain the estate for the next several years.

Enter stage left (or right) Marion Davies, who leased The Willows from Alvin Untermyer in the mid-1950s. Ms. Davies had faded from Hollywood in the late 1930s after making nearly 50 films. She was as well known for her acting abilities as she was for her 30 year affair with married publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst. Ironically, William J. Dodd, who designed The Willows, also designed the Hearst-owned Herald Examiner building in downtown Los Angeles.

Marion Davies departed The Willows in 1960 and died just a year later in Los Angeles of cancer. During the next three decades The Willows saw a succession of owners and occupants with its glory days fading with each passing year. The architectural integrity was, at times, compromised and the once tended gardens were neglected and weed choked. The Willows and its history was altogether forgotten as residents passed on or moved away.

The Rebirth of The Willows

The Willows made a comeback in true Hollywood fashion when Drs. Tracy Conrad and Paul Marut purchased the property in 1994. These two physicians, who also happen to be husband and wife, resuscitated The Willows by breathing new life into this former beauty. The pair devoured its history by spending hours at the Palm Springs Historical Society scouring the archives. During the next 24 months Paul and Tracy meticulously restored the house and its once famous gardens to their original splendor.

On October 1, 1996, The Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn welcomed its first guest. Although it's been more than 50 years since Marion Davies lived here, her spirit is felt throughout. Those who want to channel Old Hollywood and the silent screen star have few choices: They can rent her Beverly Hills mansion for thousands of dollars a month; drive up to San Simeon and tour Hearst's Castle where she lived part-time with William Randolph Hearst; or slumber in her namesake room, lounge on the terrace, dive in the refreshing pool, and enjoy the paparazzi-proof existence that Marion herself once enjoyed with a stay at The Willows.

The Guest Experience

With only eight incredible chambers–including one named for Ms. Davies--The Willows plays a starring role among the desert's more typical mid-century properties. Registered guests receive the red carpet treatment and are privy to an abundance of privacy and amenities. Each suite is a capsule of luxury boasting its own style, charm and design with fireplaces, tandem claw foot tubs, private balconies, separate entrances, fainting couches and more. Each room features a king or queen-size bed, plush linens and hand-selected antique furniture reminiscent of the era in which the inn was built. Guests can connect to the outside world via high-speed Internet access, adjust their en suite temperature using individual climate controls, catch the latest installment of Downton Abbey on a flat screen television behind closed doors, view movies on a DVD player, or simply throw on a plush robe that is provided and lounge.

The 2016-17 Palm Springs travel season will mark The Willows Historic Palm Springs Inn's 20^th Anniversary as a luxury retreat. The award-winning hideaway is open September through June and is the only AAA Four Diamond property within city limits. The Inn and its sister property, The O'Donnell House, which rests on a promontory just above The Willows, are available for weddings, receptions, corporate retreats and special events. The Willows, open to registered guests, is located at 412 West Tahquitz Canyon Way just one-block south of Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs and is open to registered guests only. Reservations are now being accepted for the upcoming season. Call 800.966.9597 or visit us online at www.TheWillowsPalmSprings.com