I spent my next two nights as a guest at The Rendezvous, a very charming unique ten room bed and breakfast originally known as the Mira Loma when it opened its doors in the late 1930’s. The quaintly decorated rooms are theme-oriented. My room was named ‘Stagecoach’, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The other rooms are called Shake Rattle n’ Roll, Hawaiian Surf, Detroit Iron, Rebel Without a Cause, Honeymoon Hideaway, Crooners, Silver Screen, Sitcoms and Pretty in Pink which is a beautiful room dedicated to screen icon, Marilyn Monroe. It is said that Marilyn was fond of this room and hotel for its privacy and comfort compared to the popular Racquet Club, which was a favorite of celebrities but was also frequented by the media. Other stars that stayed at the Mira Loma included Hugh O’Brien, Veronica Lake and Gloria Swanson.
Beautiful scene at the Rendezvous.
R & R
The fresh, pleasing-to-the-eye 1950’s atmosphere is relaxing and tasteful. The outdoor pool is attractive, and the staff is friendly, diligent and attentive. The operative words here are service, rest and relaxation. During the daytime hours, popular songs from the 1950’s play softly in the background in the public areas adding to the very relaxing, fun and laid back atmosphere.
John Wayne’s Room
The room Stagecoach is dedicated to movie stars of 1950’s Westerns with a big nod to everyone’s favorite cowboy – The Duke, John Wayne. The room is extremely comfortable and cozy yet very roomy. Every day, fresh delicious brownies are placed bedside plus each room has a special collection of DVDs of movies and television shows in keeping with it’s theme – two very nice touches, not to mention the huge luxurious sunk in tub.
Hollywood Royalty
Poolside at sunset.
I was also thrilled to be staying in the Stagecoach room because on my Hollywood Icons TV show that I hosted about Marilyn Monroe, author John Gilmore shared with us that Marilyn told him Stagecoach was her favorite movie and that she wanted to do a Western film. Also on the show was Stanley Rubin, who went on to produce the Western “River of No Return†which she starred in with Robert Mitchum, Rory Calhoun and Tommy Rettig. In addition to this, I was a guest of my friends Kat Kramer and Karen Sharpe Kramer (filmmaker Stanley Kramer’s lovely family) at the A.M.P.A.S. Centennial Tribute to John Wayne a few years ago.  Karen had co-starred with The Duke in “The High and the Mighty†and had won a Golden Globe as best newcomer in 1952. My personal and professional connections to Hollywood royalty resonated surprisingly and very pleasantly on this trip!
Award-winning Family Business
The Rendezvous is operated and owned by the Cohen family, who have years of experience in the hotel business. One of their other ventures is the highly respected, Shore House in Lake Tahoe where Marty Cohen serves as President of the Chamber of Commerce. Twenty-six year old son, dynamo Jake Cohen principally oversees The Rendezvous and recently won the 2009 California Hotel & Lodging Association’s Manager of the Year for Small Properties. He is also a great chef preparing Barbara’s (his mom’s) award-winning Monte Cristo for breakfast one day and a delicious turkey pesto and sun dried tomato omelet the next. Mrs. Cohen won first place for her Monte Cristo creation in the 1997 American Bed & Breakfast Associates Contest. Both meals were delicious and accompanied by a fresh fruit smoothie.
Walk of the Inns
That evening we took part in the very popular 14th annual Walk of the Inns which features 14 inns in the Historic Tennis Club Neighborhood beautifully decorated for the holidays, showcasing themselves for hundreds of locals and tourists. This year’s event included a Toys for Tots drive sponsored by the Marines at Twentynine Palms and was dedicated in loving memory to the late Jeannetta Dao, general manager of the Palm Springs Tennis Club.  It began at the Palm Springs Art Museum and concluded at McCallum Adobe now the home of the Palm Springs Historical Society, the former home of the McCallum family, the first non-native Americans to settle permanently in the area in 1884.
Horse Drawn Carriage Tours
We enjoyed our tour via horse drawn carriage from Palm Springs Carriages which was really a treat. Frosty, our good spirited horse, was a beautiful Grey Percheron born in 1988, stood 17.1 hands high and was a svelte 2000 pounds. Mary Jo Ginther, the friendly director of the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism says “The Walk of the Inns is a signature winter event in Palm Springs which spotlights our city’s unique small hotels. Locals and visitors alike love this annual walk- and it’s a wonderful way to learn more about Palm Spring’s historic past.†Many of the Inns served hot cider, hot chocolate and holidy treats and it’s really a fun community event.
Korakia Pensione
One of the highlights was the charming Naish House at the Korakia Pensione, once the home of silent film great J. Carrol Naish. Recent celebrity guests include Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt, Robert Downey Jr., Al Pacino and funnyman Will Ferrell. Nearby Rudolph Valentino shot scenes for his silent great “The Sheikâ€.  The Korakia Pensione also hosted Winston Churchill who painted there, while at the Casa Cody Charles Chaplin, a frequent guest of opera singer Lawrence Tibbits, performed while proud parents Lucy and Desi heard the pitter patter of tiny feet when baby Desi took his first steps nearby in courtyard #4 at the beautiful Andalusian Court.
Naish House at the Korakia Pensione
With the activity and holiday lights of Village Fest twinkling outside the window of the popular Belgium French eatery Pomme Frite, I enjoyed my last evening and dinner in Palm Springs, a tasty three course prix fixe dinner of cesar salad, sole, mashed potatoes and fresh spinach with a light and creamy flan for dessert. I had such a great time on this trip! I experienced wonderful activities, great meals, beautiful lodgings and excellent service. My enjoyable visit was drawing to a close but I knew that someday soon I’d be back again to visit and enjoy. Palm Springs really is a Desert Oasis!
For your own restful 1950’s Rendezvous experience in Palm Springs, contact them at:
Rendezvous Bed & Breakfast
1420 North Indian Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA
800-485-2808
www.palmspringsrendezvous.com
