The desert continues to bloom and the latest attraction is the long awaited Thompson Palm Springs, finally open after years in the making. The hip hotel is located right in the center of Palm Springs, at the beginning of the Uptown Design District, and spans two and a half city blocks on iconic Palm Canyon Drive. It’s a big new draw for the social scene, creative inspiration, and culinary excellence of Hyatt’s newest hotel.

Enter through the lobby by the new HALL Napa Valley Tasting Room and admire the grand scale art pieces and ride the elevator up one floor to be wowed by an expansive open room with bar and various social lounge spaces – beautified with carefully selected décor, curated art, and design-centric furniture with fun fabrics. 

A dreamy mountain-scape backdrop with swaying palm trees greets guests who dine at the pool (known as the swim club), indoor outdoor bar lounge, and new Lola Rose. You might think you are in Morocco, as the sunset basks the landscape and San Jacinto Mountains, but you are the California desert where the sunny temps are near perfect most of the year.

Tonight we arrive for a 5 PM early reservation – as the desert often makes “early to bed early to rise” seem like a much better idea, to take advantage of the winter’s short days. Within the hour, the restaurant is packed. We suggest starting cocktail hour with the Porn Star Martini, accompanied by a chilled shot glass of champagne; or the Tzatsiki Clarified Milk Punch, which requires a 3 day process to create the signature cocktail. Begin your people “gazing” and canoodling conversation over the Celebration Bread, a puffy hot focaccia that arrives fresh from the tandoor oven infused with herbs, salt, and lemon zest.

The generous bowl of Hummus is a must order. Topped with crispy chickpeas, this Mediterranean Grand Mezze concept is a celebration of Levantine-inspired dining, with a California twist, thanks to Chef Quentin Garcia. The menu showcases fresh seafood, spiced braised meats, and poultry, all thoughtfully paired with fresh local ingredients.

As this restaurant is all about the sharing of plates, continue on with a light appetizer like the Yellowtail Ceviche – with passionfruit ponzu and flavor bursts of citrus and jalapeno. Between bites, take time to admire the unique pieces hanging on the walls, from vintage art finds to woven tapestry. 

Shareable kebobs are one of the highlights – like spicy lamb, saffron chicken, and beef tenderloin – which arrive on a sheet of thin pita with fire blistered tomatoes, shishito peppers, and accoutrements of thinly sliced onions, peppers and herbs. A menu of sauces is available to mix up the flavor profiles. A fish and vegan kebob are options too. My husband and I agree beef is our favorite kebob and we’d easily order it again.

A rice dish is the best way to round out the kebob experience. Try the “Bazaar,” a mound of crisped rice with figs, yogurt, and topped with poached carrots and doused with pistachio nuts – flavors unknown to me before tonight but a cacophony of interesting tastes that really work together.

For dessert, a Vegan meringue with coconut rose sorbet is light, while the Mango yogurt mousse might remind you of India. But we suggest ending with the Turkish coffee date dessert, with a cocoa crunch. 

“Food nurtures people. You look forward to it. It gets you excited. When you are tired or anxious or stressed, food is the answer,” says Chef Quentin Garcia. I couldn’t agree more.

For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, discover a colorful array of dishes that invite you on a culinary journey, capturing Lola Rose’s modern nomadic spirit.

The Thompson Palm Springs hotel features 168 bungalow-inspired rooms, each with private balconies and stunning views from a level above the city streets. Now open, Thompson Palm Springs will soon debut an exclusive adults-only tower, Upper Stories, with 42 guest rooms (including five suites), and the added advantage of a private pool and lounge. A second restaurant, Bar Issi, from Los Angeles-based Boujis Group, is set to open in early 2025. The hotel also boasts more than 30,000 square feet of ground-level retail space, a fitness studio with TRX and Peloton equipment, and 20,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space.