Last we toured The Rowan by Kimpton, in Downtown Palm Springs, many of the rooms didn’t have walls and now most of the fixtures and flooring are in and while it’s not quite ready for guests to check in, the hotel has made huge progress. The hotel is part of the Downtown Redevelopment Project’s $150 million first phase that includes apartments and offices.
Just four months ago, the outside still had scaffolding, but now, it’s looking more and more like the boutique hotel the now CEO of Grit Development, Michael Braun, envisioned.
"We’re really happy about the progress the project is on time right now it will open up this fall," says Braun.
The living room area where guests and locals are invited to meet and mingle has been transformed by warm woods.
"We need to be good neighbors with this project, it needs to basically fit in with the makeup of Palm Springs," says Braun.
Now the grand fire place, surrounded by a giant bookshelf, made by local woodworker, Paul Kaufmann, is looking more inviting.
"The hotel is 95 percent complete … we’re basically down to the last details that need to be executed," says Braun.
The Rowan’s 150 rooms are just about guest ready.
Braun says many are designed with families in mind, "A lot of suites 32 connecting rooms so that families can stay there with their children," adding families are their main demographic.
Almost all rooms have incredible views but the event room, is special thanks to walls that disappear merging the space with endless views of Palm Springs.
"We always knew we just cannot build a box for visitors to come here we need to do something architecturally significant … to bring another landmark to Downtown Palm Springs," says Braun.
Braun tells me the hotel is set to open in November and will bring 180 jobs to Palm Springs, adding that projections show it will bring $100 million over the next 30 years in tax revenue alone.
