When vacationing in Palm Springs, the one place I always visit is the historic Ingleside Inn and its iconic restaurant, Melvyn’s. Walking the grounds of this historic Palm Springs location is like a portal to another time with its architecture and atmosphere.
The Ingleside Inn & Melvyn’s Restaurant has been featured as one of the top ten Bed and Breakfasts in the United States by the television series “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous” and on its walls are photographs of some of the many internationally known celebrities who have stood on these sacred grounds. Everyone from Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Howard Hughes, Greta Garbo, Clark Gable and many more.
Originally owned and operated by Ruth Hardy, one of the pioneering founders of the once-sleepy little village that would one day become the “Playground of the Stars,” the Ingleside Inn was originally the private residence of Mrs. Hardy, purchased in 1939.
One of Ms. Hardy’s passions was hosting movie stars and celebrities who discovered that a getaway from Hollywood to Palm Springs was the perfect recipe to recharge their creative batteries. Unlike other popular resorts of the time, reservations could not be made at the Ingleside Inn. It was only by personal invitation that guests like Garbo, Gable and Hughes came to the intimate bed and breakfast.
Unfortunately, after his death, the inn fell into disrepair. In 1975, after only 15 minutes of viewing the property, Melvyn Haber, the current owner and namesake of the now famous restaurant, fell in love with the property, its history, and its grounds.
After a thorough restoration and refurbishment, the Ingleside Inn was reopened to all guests, famous and not famous. Today, the Ingleside Inn is a thirty-room, two-acre property and an official Palm Springs Historic Landmark. The inn is quiet and secluded. Yet it is only one block from the heart of Palm Springs’ famous Palm Canyon Drive, with its commercial and small-town atmosphere.
During my last trip to the desert, I stopped for Sunday brunch and attended a “Jam Session” of musicians in the club attached to the restaurant and bar. Our group made new friends on the outside patio and the afternoon sun shone perfectly!
If nothing else, your next Palm Springs vacation should include lunch at Melvyn’s Restaurant and a stroll through the historic grounds once occupied by legends.
