Read More Regarding Riviera Historical Timeline

RIVIERA RESORT & SPA:
PALM SPRINGS’ MOST LEGENDARY AND LUXURIOUS RETREAT IS REBORN 

Originally opening in 1959, the original Riviera Resort immediately became Palm Springs’ go-to hot spot for celebrities and cultural sophisticates around the world who wanted the ultimate “Palm Springs experience.”  Original architect and visionary, Irwin Schuman fashioned the resort after major Vegas hotels like The Sands, The Flamingo, and The Stardust.

The innovative wheel-shaped design of The Riviera was not only unique, but created an immediate sense of intimacy for hotel guests with its progressive and seductive aura.  All of the hotel’s two-story buildings (and later, a three-story building was added) jutted out like spokes of a wheel and encompassed a central hub gathering area, which contained a huge swimming pool, restaurant, and lounge.  All guests felt connected to one another in this futuristic environ as well as a sense of community while staying at this luxurious resort. 

The hotel was featured in the 1963 film “Palm Springs Weekend” where actress Connie Stevens had her rendezvous lunch by the pool with actor Robert Conrad.  The resort was further immortalized as the likes of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin would lounge by the pool and in the Presidential Suite.  Elvis Presley was a frequent visitor at The Riviera and sought both refuge and rehearsal space in the Mediterranean Room for his band before leaving for tours and shows in Las Vegas. 

Today, nearly fifty years after its creation, The Riviera will rise once again like a beacon in the most original section of downtown Palm Springs.  Once considered part of a trio of celebrity hot spots, along with the El Mirador Hotel and the famous Racquet Club Resort, only The Riviera Resort still stands as a monument to classic mid-century Palm Springs.  With the current $70 million dollar rejuvenation underway since 2007, the “Riv” as it is affectionately referred by locals, will rise to levels never before attained.  

While The Riviera Resort was always ahead of its time in the late ‘50s, ‘60s and beyond, the new Riviera will become an instant classic as its rich history is both revitalized and modernized in what is now the famous “Hollywood Regency” style mixing themes of past and present with traditional American and European influences.

The landmark resort will re-open in Fall 2008 with 406 spacious guest rooms, a luxurious 12,000 square foot spa, a signature restaurant and sophisticated lounges.  Private pool cabanas will be sprinkled amongst The Riviera’s famed centerpiece pool along with new poolside bars and fire pits.  Lushly landscaped gardens, courtyards and exclusive retail boutiques will also be added to the historic property’s eclectic list of amenities and services.