(Current Rendering of Thompson Hotel Entrance from Palm Canyon Drive)

Palm Springs, CA

After a long and tumultuous past, real progress is being made at the Thompson Hotel. I saw it with my own skeptical but hopeful eyes.

This past week, a number of news media outlets including the Palm Springs Tribune, got to tour the construction site of one of Palm Springs most anticipated hotel projects. The site has sat languishing for years on Palm Canyon Drive at the quintessential location and junction of Downtown Palm Springs and the Uptown Design District. It hasn’t been uncommon for local residents fed up with the on again, off again nature of the project to bemoan the site as an eye sore on various social media platforms.

(Rendering of completed Thompson Palm Springs at the corner of Palm Canyon Drive and Alejo Rd)

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has officially reiterated plans for the 168-room Thompson Palm Springs, which will join the luxury lifestyle portfolio and mark the second Thompson Hotel property in California, located in Hollywood.

Although hotel representatives along with owner Craig Hall, were hesitant to say the exact date the Thompson Palm Springs is expected to open, they did make it abundantly clear they are working towards late 2023 for the north side of the hotel to open, and spring 2024 for the south side to open. They also noted the many obstacles they’ve had to jump through and showed a strong dedication to the project after having to take it over from bankruptcy in 2020.

The north side of Thompson Palm Springs will include the first 100 rooms, main pool area, and a Middle Eastern Inspired Kitchen and Bar named Lola Rose. The restaurant will be open to the public and accessed from both inside the hotel and a separate entrance on the outside of the hotel. It will seat 180 people indoor and outdoor showcasing panoramic views of the San Jacinto Mountains and the city of Palm Springs.

(Rendering of Lola Rose, a Middle Eastern Inspired Kitchen at Thompson Palm Springs)

(Current construction of main pool being developed)

(Rendering of main pool once complete)

The south end of the hotel with an estimated completion date in Spring 2024, will include 68 more rooms including larger suites and an additional pool up a level.

(2nd Pool up a level with an estimated completion of Spring 2024)

The prorject is impressive as is the owner, Craig Hall of Dallas-based Hall Group and his team’s ability to take what essentially was a mess of a development fraught with obstacles and turning it into a jewel for the greater Palm Springs community.

Thompson Palm Springs will offer over 20,000 square feet of ground-level retail along Palm Canyon Drive which will include HALL Napa Valley, a 3,400 square foot tasting room from owners Craig & Kathryn Hall showcasing selections from their family of wines: HALL, WALT and BACA.

Unique guestroom bungalows will be surrounded by two outdoor pools, gardens, lounge areas and winding walking paths, immersing visitors in the natural landscape of Palm Springs. Guests can expect additional amenities including a well-appointed spa and fitness concept, and approximately 8,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space.

In addition, once complete there will be a new street connecting Palm Canyon Drive to Indian Canyon Drive in front of the Thompson Palm Springs’ main hotel entrance.

Palm Springs newest hotel will be led by general manager Jeffrey Miller, who will oversee all operations and commercial strategies for the hotel. A Palm Springs local who has been enjoying the destination for decades, Miller joins the hotel from Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows where he served as general manager for three years. “Palm Springs has always been a diverse destination where local culture is celebrated, and Thompson Palm Springs will embody this energy by serving as a dynamic home-base for guests, local tastemakers and emerging creatives to connect with each other and what inspires them. We truly desire to be a local’s destination,” said Miller.

(Thompson Palm Springs Guest Room)

Thompson Palm Springs will build on Hyatt’s intentional growth strategy in key leisure markets, joining 18 Thompson Hotels properties worldwide, with four additional properties expected to open by the end of 2024 in destinations like Houston, South Beach Miami, and Monterrey, Mexico, as well as the brand’s entry into Asia Pacific in Shanghai.  

To learn more about the Thompson Hotels brand, check out www.thompsonhotels.com.