2026/2027 Inaugural Season

2026/2027 Palm Springs Artists in Residence

Selected by jury for the inaugural cycle of the Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels Artist in Residence Program, twelve Southern California photographers will spend one to two weeks in residence from November 2026 through January 2027—documenting and interpreting the architecture, landscapes, history, and creative spirit of Palm Springs’ independently owned boutique hotels.

Selected Photographers

Meet the Photographers

Sessions run November 2026 through January 2027 across participating Palm Springs boutique hotels.

The 2026/2027 Hotels

Places that hold a century of desert light.

Sixteen independently owned Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels are hosting this season’s residents.

Alcazar Palm Springs AIR · Tag Christof · TwinArt

Alcazar Palm Springs

A 34-room Spanish-style boutique hotel in the Uptown Design District, built in the late 1920s and reopened in 2011 with a modern interior. Rooms open onto private patios around a saltwater pool and garden courtyard.

View on PSPSH ↗
Descanso Resort AIR · Carlos Vargas

Descanso Resort

A 16-room, clothing-optional resort for gay men near the Uptown Design District, built in 1957 and reimagined in 2021 with a relaxed Hollywood Moderne feel.

View on PSPSH ↗
Desert Hills AIR · Karen Elizabeth Baker

Desert Hills

A 1956 mid-century modern classic, designed by Herbert Burns, in the Historic Tennis Club District that keeps its original design, with rooms and kitchen suites around a heated pool and courtyard.

View on PSPSH ↗
Desert Riviera AIR · Karen Elizabeth Baker

Desert Riviera

A small mid-century modern hotel with 11 rooms set around a year-round heated pool, with views of the San Jacinto Mountains. Designed by Herbert Burns, it’s playfully preserved and has gorgeous gardens.

View on PSPSH ↗
Ingleside Estate AIR · Tracey Clark · Kelly Segré

Ingleside Estate

A 1922 Spanish Colonial Revival estate and Palm Springs Historic Landmark, once a private retreat for Hollywood stars. Its 30 rooms sit on two acres a block from downtown, home to Melvyn’s Restaurant.

View on PSPSH ↗
Los Arboles Hotel AIR · Trey Burnette · Justin Emord

Los Arboles Hotel

A family-run, 21-room hacienda-style hotel near downtown, with a courtyard pool, rooftop deck and easy walking to the uptown design district.

View on PSPSH ↗
Lucille Palm Springs AIR · Betsy McCue Gibson

Lucille Palm Springs

A 1921 Spanish Revival property, formerly The Andalusian Court, renovated in 2023, with nine suites and bungalows around a central pool.

View on PSPSH ↗
Old Ranch Inn AIR · Mary Mayer

Old Ranch Inn

An eight-suite, adults-only hotel in the Historic Tennis Club neighborhood that offers a modern take on the old West, set around a walled, gated pool.

View on PSPSH ↗
Stardust Hotel Palm Springs AIR · TwinArt · Betsy McCue Gibson

Stardust Hotel Palm Springs

The Stardust Hotel is a 1955 mid-century property in the Tahquitz River Estates neighborhood, one block from restaurants and bars, with its original pink exterior restored. Its nine rooms pair deep jewel-toned walls and bold tile with warm, retro furnishings.

View on PSPSH ↗
Terra Palm Springs AIR · Kelly Segré

Terra Palm Springs

A wellness-focused boutique hotel downtown with 13 suites and a Himalayan salt sauna, rain room and cold plunge for guests.

View on PSPSH ↗
The Cactai Hotel AIR · Wendy Garrett

The Cactai Hotel

A 1948 mid-century modern hotel that first opened as Los Dolores, with 12 apartment-sized rooms, a pool and hot tub, and work by local artists on display.

View on PSPSH ↗
The Skylark AIR · Justin Emord · Mary Mayer

The Skylark

A 28-room mid-century modern hotel on North Palm Canyon Drive, built in 1955 and expanded by architect Howard Lapham in 1956, with rooms around a courtyard pool.

View on PSPSH ↗
The ThreeFifty Hotel

The ThreeFifty Hotel

The ThreeFifty Hotel offers a colorful take on mid-century Palm Springs in the coveted Tennis Club Neighborhood, with ten spacious guest rooms arranged around a heated swimming pool and spa. Renovated in 2017, the hotel combines minimalist design, mountain views, and an easygoing atmosphere.

View on PSPSH ↗
The Villas Palm Springs AIR · Janis Wilkins

The Villas Palm Springs

A restored 1955 Spanish/Mediterranean hotel on North Palm Canyon Drive with 35 rooms and suites, most with kitchens, opening in January 2027.

View on PSPSH ↗
Triangle Inn Palm Springs AIR · Trey Burnette · Tag Christof

Triangle Inn Palm Springs

Opened in 1958 as the Impala Lodge and designed by architect Hugh Kaptur, it is now an eight-suite, adults-only, clothing-optional retreat for gay men.

View on PSPSH ↗
Twin Palms Resort AIR · Carlos Vargas

Twin Palms Resort

A 20-room, swimsuit-optional men’s resort in the historic Twin Palms neighborhood, opened in 1959 and renovated with its mid-century architecture intact.

View on PSPSH ↗
Swipe for all 16 hotels →
Panel of Artists & Placemakers

Meet the Jury

Terry Hastings

Terry Hastings

Artistic Director & Lead Juror
Artist & Owner, The Hastings Gallery

Terry Hastings is a Palm Springs–based artist whose work spans photography, digital collage, ceramics, and mixed media. He is also the Artistic Director for this inaugural residency.

Drawing upon backgrounds in theater, fashion, and visual storytelling, Hastings creates bold contemporary works that explore identity, architecture, movement, and the unique landscape of the California desert. His artwork has been exhibited at the Palm Springs Art Museum, Riverside Art Museum, Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, and galleries throughout California and beyond, earning honors including the Stephen Baumbach Achievement in Photography Award.

Anna Kula

Anna Kula

Creative Director
Palm Springs Life

Anna Kula is Creative Director for Palm Springs Life, where she oversees the visual direction of one of the desert’s most respected and beloved lifestyle publications. Before joining the leadership team at Palm Springs Life, Kula built an accomplished 25-year career in New York City magazine publishing with Entertainment Weekly, O, The Oprah Magazine, Money, and Real Simple.

As a juror, Kula brings an editorial eye for visual storytelling, originality, and craftsmanship that communicates a powerful sense of place.

Gary Armstrong

Gary Armstrong

Chair, Public Arts Commission
Brand Strategist & Creative Leader

Gary Armstrong is a Palm Springs–based brand strategist and creative leader whose career spans major media brands—including Vanity Fair, Us Weekly, Men’s Journal, Details, Glamour, Adweek, and Rolling Stone’s 15 international editions—along with high-level cultural and civic leadership.

He serves as Chair of the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission, President of Palm Springs Sister Cities, a Board Member of The Jazz Bakery, and a member of the City’s Airport Art Selection Group and Art & Culture Advisory.

Michael C. Green

Michael C. Green

Executive Director & President
Palm Springs Cultural Center · Chair, PSPSH

Michael C. Green is Executive Director and President of the Palm Springs Cultural Center and Director of Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival. He also serves as Chair of Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels and President of the Desert Gay Tourism Guild.

In partnership with his husband, Stephen Boyd, he has owned and operated the award-winning Triangle Inn Palm Springs since 2000, championing the idea that arts, culture, and hospitality are inseparable elements of a thriving destination.

Andrew Wilkin

Andrew Wilkin

Founder & Brand Strategist
Panoramic

Andrew Wilkin is the founder and brand strategist behind Panoramic, an award-winning Southern California brand strategy and creative consultancy. For nearly a decade, Wilkin has served as the lead creative strategist for Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels, guiding its brand positioning, visual identity, and creative direction.

As a juror, Wilkin brings the perspective of a creative strategist who understands the power of visual storytelling to shape how people experience a destination.