Ingleside Inn, Palm Springs, USA

The Ingleside Inn is on the west side of Palm Springs at the junction of West Ramon Road and Belardo Road. The location is peaceful, lying close to the mountains, but you are also near the city centre. Transfers from the airport take around 20 minutes and there is valet or free self-parking behind the property. Downtown, including the Palm Springs Art Museum, is just a few blocks north. Walk west to hike into the mountains from the North Lykken Trailhead or the scenic Tahquitz Canyon lies close by.

By plane: flights to Palm Springs take 14 hours from London with a stop in Phoenix, Arizona. The hotel is a 20-minute drive from the airport. Parking available. Book flights to Palm Springs.

Opened as a hotel in 1939, Ingleside Inn comes in a typical Spanish Revival style featuring white, two-storey buildings with terracotta-tiled roofs. Mature trees, palms, cacti and rampant bougainvillea create a sense of sanctuary and it's easy to see why stars from Greta Garbo and Marlon Brando to Katy Perry and Justin Bieber have checked in.

The hotel has a small footprint, just 2.5 acres, but squeezes in a grassy fountain courtyard and a 50ft heated pool with a fire pit. Walk around to Ingleside Inn's larger sister property, Avalon Hotel, for more pools, the sophisticated Estrella Spa and a 24/7 fitness centre. Bikes are available for rent.

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Terrace
• Garden
• Swimming pool
• Jacuzzi
• Bike hire
• Adults-only
• On-site parking
• Free Wi-Fi

Rooms channel a casita feel with their dark woods, black metalwork, tiled floors and sumptuous textiles. There are working fireplaces for winter; bathrooms are unfussy with patterned tiling and vintage-style fittings.

Room types: Room, Deluxe Room, Premium Patio Room, Haber Suite, Melvyn's Suite

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with Davines toiletries, bathrobes, hairdryer, flat-screen TV, curated minibar, free Wi-Fi

Only open in the evenings, Melvyn's Restaurant and the companion Casablanca Lounge has been a famous Palm Springs dining spot since the mid-1970s - and there are numerous paintings and photos of celebrities to prove it. If you want to dress up and drink martinis to a tinkling piano, this is the place. Breakfast is served à la carte on the veranda, in the garden or can be ordered to the room.

Melvyn's Restaurant: stylish restaurant and raw bar. Classic cuisine, dishes include steaks, risotto and catch of the day. All-day dining, open daily. Brunch served at weekends.