Ace Hotel Palm Springs, California

The basics

There’s a joke that every resort in Palm Springs started life as a Howard Johnson’s, but the Ace Hotel Palm Springs actually did. Erase all images of orange-and-blue interiors and replace them with simple white-louvered rooms, crocheted hammocks, vintage furniture, and flat screens, and you’ve got the picture of the update.

Wedding details

Although the hotel is as kitchy and cool as it gets in Palm Springs, the Ace staff has a soft heart for romantics, and love to do weddings. You can put up “no shoes” signs and keep the party totally barefoot, or challenge your guests to root around for Rat Pack duds and do a theme wedding. There’s a large event space called the Commune that can accommodate a crowd, and artisanal/local/organic catering from King’s Highway (formerly a Denny’s). And the room prices are friendly to even slim wallets, so chances are good everyone can stay on site, creating instant camaraderie.

Getting there

Palm Springs is about a two-hour drive from Los Angeles and San Diego; there’s also an airport five minutes away.

Keep in mind

Everyone’s welcome: Kids, dogs, grandparents, you name it. And here’s the clincher: There’s a midnight tamale cart. Party on!