Desert Star

About Desert Star

Howard Lapham designed the Desert Star in early 1955 for three married couples who commissioned the building, and it was completed as a motor court the following year. Lapham was among the defining modernist architects of mid-century Palm Springs; the Desert Star represents one of his early and most intact works, a colliding flat and shed roof structure in which two roof planes meet at an angle that remains largely preserved today. On October 5, 2016, the Palm Springs City Council approved a Class 1 Historic Site designation, the highest the city issues, following a unanimous endorsement from the Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board. The property is operated by Debra Hovel, who is on-site and personally involved in every stay, sending handwritten thank-you postcards to guests after checkout.

What Desert Star Is Known For

The Desert Star is not a property with mid-century influence or inspiration. It is a building Howard Lapham designed in 1955, classified by the City of Palm Springs as a Class 1 Historic Site in 2016 following a 44-page preservation nomination, furnished with authentic Eames, Nelson, and Bertoia pieces, and operated by an on-site owner who sends handwritten postcards. No hotel chain owns this. No design team applied a mid-century aesthetic to a renovated budget property. This is the thing itself, and it is available to book six studios at a time.

Amenities

• WiFi
• Authentic Eames, Nelson, and Bertoia furnishings in every studio
• Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Site (Howard Lapham, 1955)
• Six 600-square-foot studios with full kitchens
• Private patios with gas fire pits
• Heated pool with mountain views
• Flexible pool hours (early morning and late-night access)
• Cruiser bikes for neighborhood exploration
• Curated book collections in each room
• Free WiFi
• Free on-site parking
• Adults-only property
• 2-night minimum stay

The Room

Each studio has a fully equipped kitchen, a large private patio with a gas fire pit, and interiors furnished with authentic Eames, Nelson, and Bertoia pieces: not reproductions, not interpretations, the actual designers. Reviews describe the furnishings as well chosen, clean, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing, and consistently note the curated book collections in each room. The aesthetic is described by guests as mid-century Palm Springs meets contemporary Nordic: spare, warm, and specific rather than themed. Mountain views are available from several units. Studios share the same footprint and kitchen configuration but have individual identities. Private entrances are standard throughout. Cruiser bikes are available for guest use to explore the surrounding neighborhoods. A two-night minimum applies.

The Grounds

The Desert Star is arranged as a classic motor court: six studios surrounding a central heated pool with mountain views. The colliding flat and shed roof modernist facade is the defining exterior feature, two roof planes at opposing angles largely preserved from Lapham's 1955 design. Each studio opens to a private patio with a gas fire pit and then to the shared pool grounds. Pool hours are flexible, allowing early morning and late-night swimming. Free on-site parking is included.

The Experience

Debra Hovel is present and involved: she manages inquiries, handles check-in, and sends handwritten thank-you postcards after guests check out. One reviewer described staying here as like your friend let you stay at their vacation house, a specific feeling that a Class 1 Historic Site designation and authentic Eames chairs can support but cannot guarantee without the owner behind it. A stay at the Desert Star is organized around the studios themselves: the fire pit on the patio in the evening, the pool in the morning before the valley heats up, the book collection, the kitchen. Palm Springs high season runs October through May; summer temperatures regularly exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The fall and spring shoulder months are the most comfortable for outdoor activity. The Arenas Road corridor is within walking distance for restaurants and bars. The Palm Springs Art Museum and the Uptown Design District are accessible by bike or a short drive. Modernism Week, held every February, is the largest mid-century modern design event in the country and draws peak crowds to the city; advance booking is required for February stays.

Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Things to Do Near Palm Springs

Uptown Design District

1.2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.

The Uptown Design District on North Palm Canyon Drive is the primary concentration of vintage dealers, mid-century furniture shops, and design galleries in Palm Springs. The shops stock exactly the category of objects that furnish the Desert Star's studios, making it a natural extension of the property's aesthetic and an easy bike ride from Calle Palo Fierro.

Palm Springs Art Museum

1.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.

The Palm Springs Art Museum holds a permanent collection with significant holdings in mid-century modern design, Native American art, and photography of the American West. The museum's own architecture is a product of the Palm Springs modernist tradition; the collection includes work directly relevant to the design sensibility of the Desert Star.

Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort

0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.

Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort operates two 18-hole courses on the south end of Palm Springs within a short drive of the Desert Star. The Legend course was designed by Ted Robinson; the Resort course is more accessible for casual play. Peak golf conditions align with the Coachella Valley's general visitor season: October through May.