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Little Sign Little Place I love the name of our Palm Springs hotel.  The little oasis behind the wall, was really more of a motel, than a hotel. Retro Motel? The 1-story inn had just a handful of rooms, looking out on a rectangular pool. That's how I remember cozy motels, from my childhood.  But this pool was filled with saltwater and there was soothing music playing. The view included rustling palms and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Not exactly like my midwest motel memories from the 1960s. Desert Knight in 1968 Maybe the hotel is older than 57 years, but what I learned goes back to 1968, when Eadie Adams opened up the hotel. This came after her career in singing and acting. She left Hollywood and moved to Palm Springs to start a career in real estate. In 1968, she opened up The Desert Knight... now Little Paradise.  Long before the 1960s, Hollywood stars began coming to Palm Springs in search of relaxation and privacy. Eadie did some real estate work with stars like Natalie Wood, William Holden and Steve McQueen. However those clients weren't guests at her resort. Desert Knight catered to women only, for 30 years. Desert Knight Celebrities? The Desert Knight was Palm Springs' first lesbian friendly hotel. The only Hollywood celeb known to frequent Eadie's hotel was Gloria Swanson. The star of one of my favorite movies!  Gloria was about 50 when she portrayed Norma, an aged silent film star in the film, Sunset Boulevard. She was about my age (68) when she began to frequent the Desert Knight. Swanson had 6 husbands and her sexuality is up for debate. But she evidently felt comfortable at the cozy little hotel. Queen of Hearts Resort 15 years ago, Little Paradise had yet another name.  The little Palm Springs getaway continued as resort for women. In recent years, it changed hands again. Spiffed Up! Today Little Paradise welcomes all kinds of folks... except kids and pets.  The layout remains the same but the rooms and pool area have been remodeled beautifully. Lucky 7 We checked into the little office with our gracious host, who was wearing a festive shirt with palm leaves. He seemed pleased to announce he was putting us in Lucky Number 7.  All 8 rooms had their own little front patio, with cushioned seats and curtains for shade. Spacious and Bright Our large and light unit had been recently remodeled. I appreciated the decor, especially all the symmetry. Mostly because that means Don and I "get our own". We each had a comfy chair and our own bedside table, with mirror and hanging lamp.  The cushioned headboard and linens, were very comfy too.  The graffiti inspired wallpaper was fun. At least it looked a bit like respectful graffiti. It reminded me of the wall that surrounds Graceland.  The art in the sitting area was appealing also. Weather was too warm to try out the fireplace, but the curved TV was pretty impressive. Symmetry Again Once again I was pleased we had TWO sinks, TWO drawers and TWO plush robes in the closet! The towels were deliciously soft!
The "Hedonistic Shower" was pretty wild. It took me a minute to figure that thing out!  The light fixture above the sinks had a dimmer switch. It became a dramatic nightlight, after dark. Kitchen We hardly needed a kitchen for our 1-night stay. But it was a nice setup with fridge, stove top, Kuerig and plenty of dishes.  There was a cute, tall table with 2 chairs. One had a view of the back patio. The other looked towards a mounted wall TV. Mountain View Our room didn't have a mountain view, but there was seating all around the pool, with great views.  By about 5, the lounge chairs were almost filled. Some couples relaxed with books, other floated on noodles and blowup mattresses. Some chatted with each other quietly. Very zen. Fire Pit Nook The weather on April 29 was just about 80.  There was a cozy space under an awning, with couches and a fire pit.  It was too warm for a fire, but there was nice shade over the comfy couches. Staying Put It would have been fun to explore the nearby restaurants.  But Don and I were content to stay put. We made lots of use of our cozy sitting area. Hummingbird Entertainment We spent quite a bit of time admiring a nearby mama hummingbird, tending to her babies. The nest was above a lightbulb, just between our room and the next.  We got to know our next door neighbors through this mama bird. Our bird discussions led to talk of travel and grandkids and mutual appreciation for our sweet little hotel. Empty Around the Pool While we chatted, we noticed guests beginning to vacate the pool area.  Quietly towels and pool "toys" were gathered and put away. Every umbrella was lowered and every lounge chair straightened. At first I thought I'd missed a strict memo with pool rules. We pondered with our neighbors and concluded this was just a nice place, with gracious guests... leaving the pool as they found it. . Pool to Ourselves Our neighbors departed and Don and I had the place to ourselves. I took advantage of the tidied pool deck and took photos.  What a calm setting to spend the evening... when in truth, Don and I were on edge. Pizza on the Patio We were scared to wander off to dinner where we might miss a text or call.  We ordered pizza and salad delivery and sat on the patio, waiting for the next bit of news. Why Anxious? Our daughter-in-law and son had been in the hospital for 2 days awaiting the birth of their first baby.  Don and I were over halfway from Houston to Sacramento. We had aimed to be in Sac a week before Baby Nora's due date. Nora's Moon By 7:50 pm I looked up above the mountains and saw the perfect little smile of a moon. I decided that must be Nora's Moon. A good sign.  We got an update in the wee hours. By 4:51 she was born! The sun was glowing by 6:15, on the morning of April 30. We grabbed bananas from the big bowl in the hotel office and hit the road for Sacramento.  By 5:30 we were in the hospital.  Sweet Baby Nora! What's Notable? Our gracious little hotel really was a tiny bit of paradise, tucked into a quiet neighborhood. I love what it has become and I also appreciate the history. Wish I knew more.  Besides the pretty pool area, the stunning mountain view and the lovely room, we enjoyed the people. The host and guests all seemed friendly and courteous.
Mostly though, I'll remember how excited and happily anxious Don and I were. It was the perfect calming place to be, on the night before our granddaughter was born.
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Ninety Notable
Nights My New Year's Resolution for 2014 was to start documenting some of the memorable overnights I've had in some very odd and curious motels and hotels. Like the adventures in my Dining Blog, I have learned to enjoy the surprises that happen when you step out of the comfort zone, far away from the well-known chains. I began with a few entries recalling my very first home away from home memories from my youth. Then, I started sharing about some of the quirky and unforgettable motels, hotels and inns that my husband and I have discovered in recent years. The best part about this challenge was making some lists with Don and getting on the road in search of new overnight adventures. I gave myself a 2-year goal to write up 90 stories and the goal was met. Now we just keep on adding! Archives
May 2025
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