When setting out to design the first new build hotel in Palm Springs in more than a decade, award-winning architect Chris Pardo knew he had to create a property that not only fit into its desert surroundings but was also environmentally friendly.
“I typically use three materials in my designs,” Pardo says to me over iced drinks at Ernest Coffee, another of his Palm Springs projects.
For the forthcoming ARRIVE Hotel, he selected:
- Corten steel, known as “weathering steel” because of its design to naturally rust with time.
- Wood grain ceramic tiles, an ideal choice to emulate the look of natural wood without the need of annual repainting.
- Glass.
The combination of materials coupled with its building strategy and bent on technology has the ARRIVE on track to attain LEED Gold Certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is a green-building certification recognizing projects that take extra sets to minimize their carbon footprint.
Another green initiative is placing windows at higher positions in the restaurant/bar space, Reservoir. This will still allow for views of the San Jacinto Mountains while keeping the direct mid-day sun out, and require less energy to cool the space during the scorching summer months. Reservoir will offer the majority of its 32 seats outdoors with built-in heaters and misters, a concept similar to Birba. 
Guests of The ARRIVE will enjoy options to check in via a mobile app or by visiting the bartender for room keys and a cocktail. Other unique elements include:
- A TV system streaming Netflix & Hulu.
- Use your smartphone as your room key.
- Schedule housekeeping service via the mobile app.
The hotel will consist of multiple buildings all surrounding a central pool space that is situated more than four feet below the hotel rooms and will provide guests with shaded space in the built-in cabanas, and no, outrageous bottle service is not required!
While Pardo had originally included pre-fabricated guest rooms in his plans, he had to make a change to a traditional build after researching the strict ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements. The building’s design will pay homage to the midcentury architecture of Palm Springs, complete with the iconic butterfly style roofline and cinder block walls throughout.
The ARRIVE Hotel breaks ground this month on the north end of Palm Canyon Drive, just a few blocks from The Riviera.
Arrive Hotel, 1551 N. Palm Canyon Drive. Visit www.arrivehotels.com for more information.
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