a Weekend at Riviera Resort & Spa Palm Springs
Riviera’s Lobby Area
The Riviera Resort & Spa is located just minutes from the Palm Springs Downtown Area, offering all the benefits of a resort while maintaining a close convenient location to city shopping and dining. The Riviera originally opened in 1959, and quickly became one of the deserts most popular resorts.
In 2008, The “Riv” as it’s called by many, reopened after having completed a massive $70 million renovation. The Riviera preserved its “Spoke Style” design, maintaining an intimate feel despite having over 400 guest rooms and suites. The entire resort design contains over 8 Guest Room buildings in total, covering nearly 25 acres of land in the middle of Palm Springs. The Riviera choose to design the hotel in keeping with its retro past, while incorporating fun contemporary touches throughout.
Guest Rooms:
Nearly half of Riviera’s guest rooms are “Mediterranean Rooms”, Trip Kick’s favorite guest room type. These rooms are located in the “Spoke Design” of the resort, with close proximity to the main pool as well as the resort Spa, Fitness Center, Main Restaurant and Lobby. The Mediterranean Room category acts more like a suite, as they feature a distinctive sitting area, oversized bathroom with deep soaking tub and separate glass shower. Furthermore, Mediterranean Rooms all feature balconies or walk-out patios, some with fantastic mountain views. Other room types include “Riviera Rooms” the resorts standard category, also generously sized, but do not offer the separate shower/tub feature, and balconies upon request. Riviera’s Suites are dynamite, ranging in size from 600 square feet +. Some suites feature fantastic outdoor areas with fire pits as well as outdoor private jacuzzi’s (One Bedroom Starlite Suites)
Mediterranean Room, 1 King Bed (Room Number 3112)
Starlite One-Bedroom Suite, 1 King Bed (Room Number 3100)
One-Bedroom Marquee Suite Mountain View, 1 King Bed (Room Number 4309)
The Pools:
Riviera offers two swimming pools, each with its own vibe. The “Deep End” pool is located in a quieter area of the resort, offering a more intimate pool experience. The Main Pool however is the focal point of the 6 “Spoke Buildings” and is center to the resort’s main bar area and within close proximity to the Riviera’s main restaurant: Circa 59. The Main Pool is surrounded by a fantastic bar (day or night) as well as several fire pits for those sometimes cold Palm Springs nights.
Main Pool Area
Circa 59 Restaurant:
Riviera’s main restaurant is Circa 59, which is centrally located between the Lobby and Guest Room buildings. Circa 59 takes a modern approach to dining and has just unveiled an enitrely new menu experience which features a wide range of contemporary American selections, as well as a few exotic choices too. Already well received by locals (a good sign for a hotel restaurant) Circa 59 has a stand alone reputation for offering some of the finest entree selections in Palm Springs. A charming yet sophisticated evening dining atmosphere coupled with great food makes Circa 59 a great spot for romantic occassions or even dining with the family. Circa 59’s setting is a must see at night, offering both indoor and outdoor seating (poolside of course) as well as a “hybrid” of the two, with a half indoor/half outdoor setting. Menu selections include an “Asian Pear Salad”, “Braised Shortribs” (our personal favorite) and several other savory choices.
Circa 59 Resaurant
Palm Springs has become an overwhelmingly popular destination for many, and there are a wide variety of hotel and resort choices available. The Riviera combines a true resort experience with the convenience of Downtown Palm Springs. A recent renovation has elevated the Riviera to once again being a world class resort that will appeal to the contemporary minded traveler. Guest rooms and suites are thoughtfully designed and include features that we admire, most notably a wonderful bathroom experience as well as bright, modern design tones. Information on Riviera’s best rooms will be available soon, stay tuned.
