The rat package
This is also the case at the Twin Palms Estate, Frank Sinatra's famous swinging Palm Springs pad. In 1947, Sinatra hired architect E. Stewart Williams to build the mid-century 4,500 square foot showcase after spotting the land and a particularly beautiful pair of palm trees from an airplane. The entire property, including the legendary grand piano-shaped pool and recording studio, is available to purchase from Natural Retreats from USD 2,500 per night (up to USD 4,219 per night in high season) for a minimum of three nights.
The owners, Tom and Marianne O'Connell, bought the property in 2009 after renting it for their own short term stay. "They're Rat Pack fans," said Dann Richey, who manages the property for Natural Retreats. "They wanted to retire and saw it as both a vacation home and a business opportunity."
Of course, Twin Palms attracts those interested in its remarkable (and tumultuous) cultural history – a crack in the sink of the original master bathroom is believed to be the result of Ava Gardner throwing a champagne bottle at Mr. Sinatra after his Tryste with Lana Turner Gardner was there – but it also evokes its fair share of design and architecture fans. In the past, guests have been "a solid mix of international Sinatra devotees and people interested in the modernist architecture of the mansion in the desert," said Richey. "We were asked that all staff wear rat pack-style fedora when guests arrive, as well as those who are solely interested in the mansion as a mid-century architectural masterpiece."
While business in Twin Palms Estates has remained stable during the pandemic, the profile of the typical tenant has changed. "Right now, people are coming from areas within driving distance of Palm Springs, like the Bay Area and Nevada, and instead of staying three days at a time, they are staying for up to a week," said Richey. "I think the first draw is Sinatra, but in the end it's just an exceptional place to escape for a few days."
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