Historic Casa Cody in Palm Springs, CA

As one of the most historic properties in Palm Springs, boutique hotel Casa Cody gives a glimpse into the past while offering modern amenities, unique rooms, and a quiet relaxing setting tucked under the San Jacinto Mountains. We love this hotel for a peaceful and/or romantic stay where you can really unwind and soak up the desert sun at your own pace.

Harriet Cody – the property’s first hotelier. Photo: c/o Casa Cody

Boasting the impressive title of being Palm Springs’ oldest operating hotel, Casa Cody’s roots began over a century ago. The hotel’s namesake Harriet Cody was a pioneer who offered space and hospitality to early travelers to the Palm Springs area. As one of the first lodgings in the area, she housed travelers (and often their horses) and even a few well-known celebrities of the time such as Charlie Chaplin, American Opera Singer Lawrence Tibbett and AnaÏs Nin.

These days, Casa Cody is run by Casetta, a small boutique hotel group that breathes new life into storied, and often historic, properties. Special care is given to honor the history of each building while designing for modern communities. The group also operates the Pearl Hotel in San Diego, and Hotel Marina Riviera in Big Bear, with soon-to-open locations in Los Angeles and Taos, New Mexico.

Harriet’s Cottage. Photo: Cathie Rattanakone

An assortment of lodgings from studios to entire casita-style homes offers something for almost every traveler’s needs. Each accommodation is one of a kind and blends heritage elements with a modern Spanish style to create truly unique stays.

The property spans over an acre of manicured grounds full of bougainvillea, cacti and fruit trees. Explore the many nooks and crannies to find the perfect place to lounge and feel like you are in your own private oasis. Several private lawns offer serene settings for group events or weddings. There are two swimming pools at the hotel, one a kidney-shaped and palm-flanked pool by the lobby and another rectangular pool set between rows of lodgings with plenty of loungers to relax on and enjoy the view of the mountains. Both pools are heated in the winter months for year-round swims.

Photo: Cathie Rattanakone

What really makes Casa Cody stand out are the historic and unique cottages and houses on the property. The early 1900s authentic Adobe House is a two-bedroom and one-bathroom home with a separate kitchen, dining room, and living room. The home is the oldest on the property and is a Class A historic site – we’re sure its walls hold memories of many storied nights. (Bonus: there is a secret wine cellar underneath its living room.) Harriet’s Cottage is right next door with its own private patio and is one of the property’s most requested spaces.

The Olympic Cottage was transported here after the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This is a great pick for those traveling with pets as the yard is gated and the home is set back from the lobby pool. The full kitchen is perfect for longer stays and we love the outdoor shower in the private patio. Find the Winter’s House tucked away on the North Lawn of the property for ultimate privacy. Indoor and outdoor dining spaces, a complete kitchen, and a private patio with an outdoor tub are perfect for those who want to unpack and unwind.

The Winter’s House. Photo: Josh Cho Photography

The lobby features a Marketplace selling a small but thoughtful selection of goods. Loaner bikes are available to cruise around town – but we won’t blame you if you find the perfect spot to cozy up with a book on property. An on-site treatment room offers reiki and soft tissue massages for ultimate relaxation.

Standard and large studios are the smallest of the accommodations available at this boutique hotel and they are well-appointed spaces for shorter stays. Upgrade to a one or two-bedroom suite for longer stays to take advantage of the complete kitchens and extra space these room types have on offer.

Photo: c/o Casa Cody

Continental breakfast is served in the lobby each morning alongside a fresh brew of the Casetta group’s ethically sourced organic Other People’s Coffee brand. Supplement the continental offerings with some of their breakfast menu items like avocado toast or chia pudding. From 11 am to close 10 pm the all-day menu has a small but delicious selection of salads, sandwiches, and poolside snacks. Pick up your menu items in the lobby’s Marketplace or scan the QR code from your room or poolside to have your snacks and beverages delivered to your preferred location.

Two select cocktails are batched on site, the San Jacinto’s playful take on a margarita paying reverence to the mighty mountains that define the local landscape while the gin-focused For Harriettpays tribute to the founding mother of the hotel. Brews from San Diego’s Mikkeller and wines from Santa Barbara County’s Lo-Fi (who have a tasting room at one of our favorite Central Coast outpost towns Los Alamos) find themselves alongside hard seltzers from Los Angeles-based AMASS. Up the ante on your stay by ordering a cocktail kit of either 375 mL of AMASS gin or vodka or 200 mL of Madre Mezcal accompanied by ice, Topo Chico sparkling water, whole citrus and a juicing kit so you can play bartender at your room or by the pool.

The on-site seasonal garden supplies chilies for the guacamole and lavender and basil for the simple syrups used in the cocktails. If you are visiting during the citrus season, grab a citrus picker from the lobby to give your cocktail the freshest squeeze possible. Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, tangerines, fig and olive trees are present throughout the property.