Annie and Dave Margolis acquired the hotel from Robert Howard on a handshake deal made between Dave and Robert over cocktails one evening at the hotel. The highly social couple continued operating the hotel under the Howard Manor, a name that had become synonymous with Palm Springs glamour.

The Colony Palms Hotel is located in Palm Springs, California. The hotel has 57 rooms and suites. It re-opened after a 2007 renovation, and features the "Winner's Circle Suite" in honor of previous owners, Robert S. and Andrea Leeds Howard (owners of the racehorse Seabiscuit).

Under the handsome couple’s stewardship, The Howard Manor and its supper club, called the Academy Room, became a legendary Palm Springs hotspot. For the next 30 years, the hotel was a haven for Hollywood in Palms Springs.

After World War II, the hotel was renamed Howard Manor under the ownership of Robert Howard, the son of Charles Howard (owner of the championship racehorse Seabiscuit) and Andrea Leeds Howard, an Academy Award-nominated actress.

Jun 6, 2024 · Cluff converted Howard Manor into a spa called the Palms, bringing poolside aerobics to the desert. By the time its current owner, Steve Hermann, got a hold of it in 2020, the Colony Palms had undergone more ownership changes and renovations, and its old-Hollywood vibe had been watered down.

In the 1940s, Robert Howard and his wife, actress Andrea Leeds, purchased the hotel and renamed it the Howard Manor. The hotel changed ownership several times, with the famous boxer Jack Dempsey once being part-owner.

Want an authentic midcentury modern experience in Palm Springs? Stay at a small local or vintage hotel and enjoy! Our picks for best hotels... Palm Springs, California is one of the most recommended places to visit for travelers who appreciate the mid-century modern style of …

May 23, 2013 · Today, the 57-room, three-acre property boasts a pool, a gym, a hot tub, a Moroccan-themed spa, and several French-inspired gardens. The Colony also features a poolside fine-dining establishment named the Purple Palm, a nod to Al Wertheimer’s one-time membership in the Purple Gang.

The hotel was renamed The Howard Manor in the late 1940’s when Robert and Andrea Leeds Howard (owners of the champion thoroughbred Sea Biscuit) took possession. For the next 25 years the hotel was a haven for young Hollywood in Palms Springs.

Hotelier Steve Hermann’s snazzy 2021 update has transformed the 57-room Colony Palms into a desert version of the Beverly Hills Hotel, but more serene. It’s a cloistered idyll set around a turquoise-blue pool and full of green-striped umbrellas and lush landscaping all just a five-minute walk from downtown Palm Springs.