Sheltered by the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the north, the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south, and the San Jacinto Mountains to the west, Palm Springs has a distinctive desert climate that has been attracting visitors since the 17th century. Hollywood stars chose the valley as their retreat in the 1920s; its notoriety peaked in the '50s and '60s with the arrival of the Rat Pack. Today, Palm Springs retains a cool mid-century vibe, reinterpreted for a new millennium.

The area code for Palm Springs is 760. Prices quoted are for March 2006.

Lodging
Minutes from downtown on East Palm Canyon Drive, the stylish Le Parker Meridien eclectically combines Native American and mod (770-5000; palmsprings.lemeridien.com; doubles, $335–$605).

Plenty of smaller properties provide an alternative to the Parker's excess. Originally constructed in 1935 and recently renovated in the Spanish Revival style, the Springs of Palm Springs Hotel & Spa has lavish rooms with fireplaces, Jacuzzis, and balconies overlooking downtown (327-5701; thespringsofps.com; doubles, $165–$295). The romantic Andalusian Court, a short block from downtown, was Lucille Ball's favorite. Each private villa has a fireplace, a patio, and a kitchen, where staff deliver opulent breakfasts (323-9980; andalusiancourt.com; villas, $280–$400). In 2003 Estrella, a historic inn on South Belardo Road, was renovated to create the Regency-style Viceroy, a model of minimalist sophistication in white and lemon yellow (320-4117; viceroypalmsprings.com; doubles, $209–$300).

The recently constructed 163-room Hotel Zoso, on South Indian Canyon Drive, lacks curb appeal—being large, angular, and dark brown—but the interior compensates with 42-inch plasma TVs, Aeron chairs, and lush beds. The hotel also has some of the best deals in the city—for now (325-9676; hotelzoso.com; doubles, $199–$330).

Dining
The unpretentious Plum Restaurant & Martini Bar has friendly service, rich colors, and an intriguing bronze artwork made of found objects. The lunch and tapas menus include delicious seared jumbo prawns and Sevillian gazpacho (241 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way; 322-0200; entrées, $14–$22). Citron, at the Viceroy hotel, serves dinner in a pristine indoor-outdoor setting. Try the Muscovy duck breast with red currants and Bhutanese rice, and save room for the luscious molten Valrhona chocolate cake (318-3005; entrées, $28–$33). Have your digestif next door at the legendary Melvyn's, where old-timers cut a rug to the piano man's renditions of Elvis and Sinatra classics (200 W. Ramon Rd.; 325-2323).

On El Paseo in Palm Desert, 30 minutes southeast, Ristorante Mamma Gina is a local institution—and for good reason. Bob Mayo, the friendly maître d', will regale you with stories of celebrity guests and recommend the perfect wine (568-9898; entrées, $18–$37).

Reading
Architectural critic Alan Hess and art director Andrew Danish outline the best of modern desert design in Palm Springs Weekend (Chronicle Books, $40). For basic advice, check out palm-springs.org and the Destination Guide for Palm Springs.