Del Marcos Hotel - Adults Only 21 & Up

William Cody's First Palm Springs Commission, Built in 1947

Del Marcos opened in 1948, a year after winter resident S.W. Marcos handed a young William F. Cody his first independent commission in the city that would go on to define his career. The AIA's Southern California chapter gave the project an honorable mention, and it is easy to see why: a two-story, U-shaped plan arranges every room for cross-ventilation and a pool view, built from redwood and stone rather than the stucco shorthand so much of midcentury Palm Springs reached for instead. A sun deck still runs across much of the upper floor, largely unchanged from the original design, and interior designer Emily Laser's period furnishings carried that restraint indoors.

Why It Works

We chose Del Marcos because it offers genuine, AIA-recognized architecture at a scale few travelers associate with serious design history, seventeen rooms rather than a sprawling resort. The saltwater pool, framed by orange lounge chairs and a firepit nook, keeps the social energy Cody's courtyard plan was built to generate, and guests tend to gather there instead of retreating to their rooms. Retro furnishings, terrazzo and cork floors among them, read as preserved rather than reproduced, which matters on a street with more than a few hotels trading on a midcentury look they never earned. Part of the Kirkwood Collection, the hotel also benefits from a sister-property network nearby that extends what a small footprint alone could offer.

Why This Location

The hotel sits about a block off Palm Canyon Drive, close enough to walk to the restaurants, bars and shops of downtown Palm Springs without the noise of being directly on the strip. A sister property next door under the same ownership group carries the restaurant and spa that Del Marcos itself skips, giving guests a short walk to full-service dining while the hotel keeps its own footprint intentionally small. The quieter residential streets around it also suit guests who want to walk back from dinner rather than drive.

Fast Facts

• Price: Boutique Premium

• Vibe: Preserved 1947 midcentury modern, social, retro

• Rooms: 17 individually decorated rooms, several with kitchenettes or patios

• Best For: Design-minded couples who want documented architectural history

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The AIA-honored 1947 William Cody design, largely intact

• Dining: Continental breakfast and a nightly happy hour with drinks and snacks

• Amenities: Saltwater pool, firepit nook, free bike rentals, free parking

• Attractions: Palm Canyon Drive restaurants and shops about a block away

A U-Shaped Plan Built for Cross-Ventilation and Pool Views

Every room in Cody's original plan opens toward the pool, a layout decision that still shapes how the hotel feels today: there is no room that reads as an afterthought tucked behind another. Deluxe rooms add a kitchenette for longer stays, while the suites step up to a private patio or a separate living area. Terrazzo and cork floors, orange and green accents, and retro furniture carry the period styling through every category without tipping into costume, and every room keeps air conditioning, a flat-screen television and a mini-fridge as a quiet concession to the present.

Happy Hour by the Saltwater Pool

The saltwater pool anchors the courtyard, with orange lounge chairs, white umbrellas, and a partly covered firepit nook for cooler evenings. A nightly happy hour brings drinks and snacks poolside, and it is where most of the hotel's social life happens, since there is no full bar or restaurant on site. Guests who want a sit-down dinner walk next door to the sister property or into downtown, a short, easy trip either way that keeps the hotel from needing a kitchen of its own.

What to Expect

Del Marcos is adults-only, and stays often carry a two- to three-night minimum, worth checking before booking a quick overnight. Dogs are welcome only in designated rooms for a fee, and a daily resort fee applies on top of the room rate. There is no on-site gym, which fits a hotel built around the pool and the neighborhood rather than a full amenity list, and free Wi-Fi throughout covers the one modern expectation most travelers still ask for.