The Riviera Resort & Spa, built in 1959, recently underwent a $70-million renovation. It has 406 rooms on 24 acres. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The Riviera is full of bold colors and is reminiscent of Las Vegas. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The straight lines of the Riviera pool’s edges have been curved. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The Riviera’s guest room decor is heavy on brown and orange. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
For visitors who’d like smaller hotels, Palm Springs has plenty to offer, including the Alexander Inn. Its four suites (each is approximately 1,200 square feet) surround a central pool. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The 11-room Desert Riviera, built in 1951, advertises itself as being “retro-licious.” Visitors’ reviews have made it the No. 1 Palm Springs hotel on TripAdvisor.com. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The 16-room Del Marcos Hotel, built in 1947 and designed by noted desert architect Willam F. Cody, combines jaunty angles and earth-tone stonework. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Del Marcos Hotel is rich with midcentury details, such as this clock and artwork. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The palms at Indio’s Shields Date Garden, a popular stop for midcentury Palm Springs visitors, bend in the afternoon breeze. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The main appeal of the Shields Date Garden is trying a date crystal shake. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
A sundial catches the first rays of morning sun at the Living Desert, a wildlife and botanical park in Palm Desert. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
A look at some of the Living Desert’s prickly residents. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
