Amin Casa: Relaxed Luxury in Palm Springs, California
During a recent visit to Palm Springs, California, we stayed at Amin Casa and were completely and pleasantly astonished by the magnificent property. Known as the Gloria Swanson Residence (the silent film Hollywood actress owned the property)—and more recently known as Arenas Gardens Hotel—Amin Casa has been impeccably refurbished, modernized, and improved by the new owners, Nelson and Ramon.
To help plan your next Southern California getaway, see our things to do in Palm Springs guide.
Thank you to Amin Casa and Visit Palm Springs for hosting McCool Travel.
Amin Casa: The Rooms
In spite of the extensive upgrades, the owners lovingly retained many of the quaint classic elements of this charming and historic property. We stayed in Bungalow One which retains the original 1928 tile in the bathroom and 1950s knotty wood kitchen cabinets and panelling.
In total, there are five bungalows. Four have full kitchens, living areas, and bedrooms. One is a studio suite.
The premiere space at Amin Casa is the two bedroom original residence of Gloria Swanson, featuring a grand living room area and historic stone fireplace.
Amin Casa: The Grounds
While the owners drastically overhauled the landscaping—in fact, Nelson told me, spending more on the exterior than the interior—two flora remain from the original grounds. Ask someone in the front office to show you the old palm tree and cactus.
The pool is the highlight feature of the grounds and it is continually patrolled by a giant inflatable swan, appropriately named Gloria SWANson. The pool lunge chairs are elegant and comfortable.
The open air cabana invites socializing or is a pleasant spot to read, relax, or update your social media accounts. I did all of them but not at the same time.
Amin Casa: Location
The Amin Casa location is ideal, just a short walk from the Palm Springs Art Museum and Palm Canyon Drive in the heart of downtown Palm Springs. For a true vehicle-free vacation, try Tesloop—a Tesla between LAX airport and Palm Springs. Everything you need is within walking distance of Amin Casa but The BUZZ shuttle operates Thursday through Sunday.
Amin Casa: Amenities
Each bungalow comes with standard luxury amenities you would expect, including high quality toiletries, plush towels, comfortable pillows (my favorite amenity!), robes and slippers, and blazing wi-fi. Unexpected amenities that made Amin Casa a really special experience for me include:
- fully equipped kitchen
- Brita water filter
- keyless security with custom code
- complimentary washer and dryer (full size, modern, and clean) with detergent and dryer sheets
- grapefruit trees with picker
McCool Travel Tip: Stay at Amin Casa for 29 or more nights and save big. First, guests receive a 20% discount; 10% discount for stays of 7 to 28 nights. Second, long-term guests are exempt from paying the 12.5% Palm Springs lodging tax. Thus, you save 32.5% by staying over 29 nights. In essence, you can pay for three weeks and get the fourth week for free.
Do you have a favorite place to stay in Palm Springs?