Having gone “two for two” with my prior Kimpton stays (Kimpton Hotel Palomar San Diego and Kimpton Armory Hotel Bozeman), I couldn’t wait to finally checkout one a little closer to home, the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs.
Review: Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs
Full Disclosure: We visited this hotel during the pandemic (when resort services were limited).
The IHG Rewards Club Redemption
Average Price Per Night During Stay: $311.91
Room Type: “Deluxe 1 King Bed”
IHG Rewards Points Required: 40,000 points (or [in my case] a Chase IHG Rewards Club Anniversary Free Night)
CPP for Redemption: .78 CPP
Point Redemption Value: Very Good for an IHG Rewards Club Redemption
Arrival & The Lobby
We arrived at the Rowan Palm Springs by pulling into the valet area.
I notified the valet we were “just checking in” and he told me to “scoot up” and park at the end of the drive-thru while we checked-in.
Upon entering the lobby, I could immediately tell I would indeed go “three for three” on my Kimpton stays.
The Front Desk & Check-In
I headed over to the front desk (to the right of the entrance), under the large owl(?).
I was warmly greeted and thanked for my IHG loyalty by the woman working at the front desk.
She told me my room had been upgraded to a “top floor” as a Platinum member.
She handed me the room keys, a welcome letter, and a wrist band.
I inquired about parking and she said I could either use the valet service (which is included with the $40.84 per night resort fee) or I could use the designated spaces for self-parking in the parking structure behind the hotel.
Local Artwork: Is it an owl? A monster? I see 2 palm trees and a hammock.
The Room Key
The Welcome Letter, Raid The Bar Coupon & Wrist Band
The Kimpton Secret Password
At that moment, I leaned in and mentioned the Kimpton “secret password” which was [at that time] “lift your spirits”.
The woman at the front desk perked up and smiled and said, “you are the first one I know of to use the new password!”
She told me to wait while she went to the back office to “grab the game”. She returned with a large poster-board with “5 little doors” under positive sentiments. I choose one that read [something like], “do good deeds for others,” and she opened the door to reveal my prize: an additional $10 food and beverage credit.
I decided to combine my “raid the bar” coupon with this prize and ordered two beers from the La Quinta Brewing Co. and a bag of chocolate and salty popcorn.
To my surprise, both beers were really good. Huh, La Quinta Brewing Co., who knew?
Poolside Blonde
Even Par IPA – 7.2% Alcohol!
The Elevator Area
Inside The Elevator
The “Mountain 1 King Bed” Room (Upgrade)
The Bedroom Area
Like all Kimpton Hotels, the room was clean, tight, well-lit and slightly kitschy.
From the looks of it, the Camel was this Kimpton’s “sprit animal”.
I loved the “leave no trace” artwork which doubled as a hiking trail map for San Jacinto.
PSA: Those waters are not free, they are $7 each.
The Living & Office Area
I’ve tried out several “white noise” machines recently…the MODIO is the best by far
The Closet
The “mandatory” Kimpton yoga mat
The green camel “spirit animal” in the closet
The Bathroom Area
Like the rest of the room, the bathroom was beautifully detailed and bright.
The Atelier Bloem brand was the Rowan’s choice of toiletries.
View From The Room
Our “mountain room” view was basically a view of the parking structure, the Palm Springs Art Museum and the start of the infamous Cactus to Clouds Trail.
The room also had a great view of the “Palm Springs Babies” (by David Cerny) and the “Fault Line Meditation” (by JEVPIC) art exhibits.
Walking The Property
Window Bar (Hotel Lobby)
Image: rowanpalmsprings.com
High Bar & The Swimming Pool
Perhaps the most recognizable feature of the Rowan Palm Springs was the High Bar and its rooftop swimming pool.
Unfortunately, the weather was a little crummy during our stay, but it’s easy to see how this would be “the place” to hangout in Palm Springs on a hot sunny day (or on a hot desert night).
The view of Palm Springs from High Bar
4 Saints (Rooftop Restaurant & Bar)
4 Saints (Image: rowanpalmsprings.com)
Juniper Table
The Fitness Center
Image: rowanpalmsprings.com
The Artwork
Just outside the hotel proper (in street-level complex), are several worthwhile art exhibits.
Below are a few that really caught our eye.
The Palm Springs Babies
Greetings [From Palm Springs]
The Bottom-Line Review: Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs
We really enjoyed our stay at the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs.
The location was unbeatable and the service was excellent.
The hotel was elegant, upscale, modern, and “desert chic”. Can a hotel be sexy? If so, this was that too.
The overall vibe was akin to the VIP Lounge at Coachella; the Rowan Palm Springs was just as fun, but without the monster price tag.
Highly Recommended.
Final Rating: 9 out of 10
