Like stepping into a Slim Aarons photograph, Los Felices is a candy coloured Palm Springs oasis that feels like it’s been there forever.

It’s bold pink and yellow exterior resembles something of a mid century hideaway that Elvis or Sinatra would have holed themselves aways with a mistress or two in, away from the prying eyes of paparazzi and more importantly, their wives.
Bring your mistress here, bring your husband here, bring your wife here. Fuck it, bring your husband, wife and mistress here together, the rooms are big enough.
Throwing open it’s doors less than 10 days ago, we arrived on the Island around 11pm and are instantly transported out of the vortex filled with package holidays and house music, into a perfectly crafted nod to one of LA’s most iconic postcodes. The driveway plays pride of place to an iconic 70s chocolate brown Buick that looks like it parked up there in ’72 when the top rock stars rolled into town to fuck everyones girlfriend’s and it truly feels like they never left.

A perfect paring of 2 swimming pools are crowned by a pink reproduction of the infamous Futuro House which plays host to DJs, Bands and fashion shows in the hotel’s rapidly developing events calendar. With a retro bingo night coming soon, branded with John Waters’ muse Divine and a vintage fashion market imminent, it is another jewel in the Concept Group crown who have curated an itinerary across their hotels that allow you to exist in a bubble where you go from Cuban Salsa Dancing at Cubanito or a Venice Beach Roller Disco at Paradiso to hitting your sexy sleaze pole dance class at Romeos or a French new wave cinema night at Grand Paradiso. In my experience, there’s really not much reason to leave. And if I had my way, I wouldn’t. Think Patti Smith living in The Chelsea with the likes of Janis Joplin or Bob Dylan only with slightly less drugs and much cleaner toilets. That would be me.
Los Felices is on course to be the poster child of the Spanish fashion and design scene throughout the hazy summer months, with the fashion theme running strong throughout the grounds. Rooms meticulously named after designers past, present and future and the walls throughout the hotel are emblazoned with huge motifs of style throughout the golden ages of fashion as a continuous loop of runway shows from the likes of Charles Jeffery Loverboy or Di Petsa premier above the reception.
With truthfully one of the best desks I’ve ever seen, as a glasses wearer myself, I can’t help but fall in love with the sunglasses shaped check-in desk flanked by staff members in custom Levis designer get ups. The Levis collaboration doesn’t end there with an on site boutique from fashion brand Les Fleurs which features a bespoke collection of upcycled Levis denim that have been timelessly transformed into a range that will last a lifetime truthfully unachievable by many outfits sold nowadays. A news stand style store with books from legends like Helmut Newton, Nadia Lee Cohen and Vivienne Westwood are available to purchase and send your luggage over the weight limit as well as their Los Felices coffee mugs as seen in the room. Do the right thing as I did and buy yourself one to prevent the inevitable cup envy kleptomania which could lead to one accidentally ending up in your suitcase. Seriously guys, just buy one.

The lobby area is completed with a second pop up space, most recently occupied by Spanish fashion giant, Pull & Bear, as they become one of the first brands to take over the hotel for endless content and branding activations. This hotel is truly engrained in both the past and the future of fashion and I’d expect to see many top names pitching up camp here in the coming years.
Like many of the group's hotels featured in everything from Dua Lipa’s Versace campaign to vintage inspired menswear brand Phix being a regular shooting at multiple locations owned by The Concept Group, they have perfected building film worthy, photo ready backdrops to bring brands and creativity to life. The iteration on the perfect formula means a unique experience can be had at each location, and Los Felice’s is no different.
The hotel’s Futuro house is a real masterpiece, having only ever seen one in person myself in the Parisian Flea Market Saint Ouen, this disco ready recreation is a fucking incredible piece of work that any true vintage or mid century lover will adore.
The spaces around the hotel always manage to feel private and intimate despite this being one of the groups biggest hotels to date but you never feel overwhelmed or pryed on and having enlisted gluten free pizza giant Bambola for the on site restaurant, the food is seriously next level.
As we check into our Villa, one of only a handful on the property you’re instantly transported to a real Californian getaway. From the atomic pink tables to the egg yellow bathroom, no detail has been left unchecked. A personal highlight being the interior and exterior cinder block detailing that is so synonymous to Palm Springs that you feel right at home, quickly forgetting momentarily you are indeed on Ibiza and it is not in fact 1965 California.
The yellow and pink of ‘The Palms Club’ pool area really put you in that desert oasis mood, providing instant romance with it’s Beverley Hill’s hotel style cabana’s and the circle of yellow sun loungers as a nod to the iconic Slim Aarons photo - you just get the feeling that Ann Margaret or Priscilla would have spent many hours lazing around this pool sipping cocktails like it was their last day on earth.
As a self confessed hotel nut, you’ll often catch me finding places like this before a single brick has been laid, having stayed at almost all of the themed hotels owned by the group, this is a seriously impressive places. With a bed big enough for at least 3 of you if you are that way inclined, Los Felices feels like the backdrop for a nostalgic Hollywood fever dream, the clientele treat breakfast like a runway show and the buffet is your catwalk. Bring your A game when you stay here, it’s not the place for hoodies and flip flops. In fact, it’s not for ‘normal’ people in any way. It’s like living on a movie set, a sort of wonderful pastel Truman Show.
Lazing away days under the blazing sun here is truly a pleasure, what feels like a mirage in the desert, take it from me, you will leave your stay at Los Felices satisfied yet somehow still wanted just one more day.
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