This time of year, snowbirds are flocking to desert locales—Phoenix, Scottsdale, Palm Springs—drawn by the promise of warmth and, this year, a break from the frigid Polar Vortex. If you happen to be one of them and find yourself in Palm Springs, then you need to check out the Hard Rock Hotel there, the newest addition to the Hard Rock family. It also happens to boast a must-see cement tile installation featuring Granada Tile‘s own Echo Collection‘s Fez cement tile design. As with their other locations, the vibe is glam rock-and-roll, and extends to every corner of the hotel, including Sessions, the pool-adjacent restaurant and bar. Serving a fabulous menu of fresh, local fare with a Southern flair, it’s a hotspot, made hotter by its great design, the work of Mr. Important Design, a firm known for creating glam hospitality spaces.
Walking in, it’s a mix of warm browns and luxe textures. The floors are covered with a rich, distressed looking wood. On the walls, irregularly spaced and sized carved panels add dimension and an unexpected twist to the typical treatment, and turned-wood spindles serve as screens. Fez appears at the bar, adding a jolt of color to the otherwise neutral palette. The velvety feel of the cement tiles also plays well against the more rough-hewn textures of the woods on the walls and floors. It serves as an inviting path to the bar itself—the cement tiles cover a portion of the floor and run up the wall, providing an unbroken line of stunning pattern.. As the new Hard Rock Hotel proves, Palm Springs isn’t your grandparents sleepy desert town anymore. It’s brimming with the chic details that the city is now known for. If you’re in Palm Springs, be sure to drop by. And, if you love Modern design, be all means try and plan a trip in the next couple of weeks—the city’s legendary Modernism week is kicking off February 13 and will showcase some of the best and most iconic design around.
