Back in 2017, Tommy Bahama conducted focus groups with customers who were asked what else the island lifestyle brand should be doing. “Why aren’t you in the hotel business?” was the recurring theme in the responses.
Now, five years later, the brand is unveiling its first hotel: Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa, where desert luxury meets island living. The elevated lifestyle hotel officially debuts Nov. 1, 2023.
Located in Indian Wells in the greater Palm Springs area, the Miramonte property, with sparkling pools and colorful bougainvillea, was a perfect fit for the brand’s debut resort. Tommy Bahama already has a significant presence in the region, with the Tommy Bahama Home, Tommy Bahama Restaurant and retail store in Palm Desert, and the Marlin Bar in Palm Springs.
From top-notch golf resorts to spectacular mid-century modern architecture, plus a robust festival scene, the Palm Springs area has a rich history the brand appreciates, said Rob Goldberg, Executive Vice President, Resorts, Restaurants & Bars, Tommy Bahama Group. As for the Miramonte property? It’s set among olive trees, fragrant citrus groves and flower gardens, positioning it as a lovely fit for Tommy Bahama’s first resort.
In addition to the beautiful grounds, the property boasts California mission-style buildings with red tile rooftops that are spread out through the 11-acre property, Goldberg says, and guests have front row views of the Santa Rosa Mountains.
“We live to inspire people to relax,” Goldberg said. No doubt, people associate Tommy Bahama with vacations—they pop into stores for shirts, shorts, or dresses ahead of getaways. But in addition to leisure guests, Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa is well equipped to handle meetings and incentive groups that are looking for a chic desert escape.
Through the redesign, Tommy Bahama infused the guest rooms and villa suites with subtle tropical design aesthetics and conceptualized new dining outlets, like Grapefruit Basil (named after Tommy Bahama's signature cocktail) and a fun pool bar. In-house artists with the brand were on property, too, creating custom floral and tropical-print murals for the resort, which are showcased in the lobby, spa and restaurants.
Meeting in the Desert
Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa features more than 35,000 square feet of multipurpose indoor and outdoor space for meetings and corporate events for up to 500 guests, plus unique amenities, like bocce ball courts where groups can socialize while rolling balls at pallinos.
The resort’s seven meeting venues have been renamed to fit Tommy Bahama’s island spirit (think: Paradise and Marlin Ballrooms). Sought-after spaces include a second-story Sunset Terrace that’s outfitted with a grand stone fireplace and cathedral columns, a Grand Ballroom and a signature Grand Lawn.
With the feel of an intimate desert oasis, Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa’s garden pathways wind through mature citrus trees and the newly planted olive tree grove. Hanging lanterns, eight outdoor fire pits and a signature fire wall that’s lit each night provide the desert oasis with a warm glow in the evening.
Island Living Meets Desert Luxury
One thing that the Tommy Bahama team loved about Miramonte was how the rooms were arranged; there’s no long hallways, but rather guestrooms are spread out among the landscape, with eight to 10 rooms in buildings which are connected by paths.
As Tommy Bahama enters the resort space, the intention is for each hotel to have its own character, Goldberg said. At Miramonte, room designs connect to the property’s classic architecture and gorgeous landscapes.
The resort’s 215 guestrooms have been redesigned with custom Tommy Bahama wallpaper that has lush green palms and pops of pink grapefruit. Other details include tailored upholstered headboards, hand forged metal accents, and art.
Each of the resort’s five villa suites—the Tiger Suite, Palm Suite, Pineapple Suite, Paradise Suite, and Grand Marlin—are uniquely designed, with Tommy Bahama furniture, décor, wallpaper and bedding.
Spas and Pools
Wellness is also central to Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa.
The 12,000 square-foot Spa Rosa offers desert-inspired treatments and rituals like gemstone facials and raindrop therapy massages tailored to create an island state-of-mind body treatment. In addition to treatment rooms, the spa features eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, outdoor cabanas with open-air showers, meditation dens, and more. The resort also has three saltwater pools, including a quiet pool.
Groups can rent out to the spa for private wellness retreats and unique experiences, like a sound bath session with a local Shaman, or workshops to create bath salts and body oils incorporating citrus from the on-property groves.
New Tommy Bahama Dining Concepts
Developed exclusively for Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa, Grapefruit Basil will be the resort’s signature restaurant and bar.
The indoor-outdoor dining venue will feature seasonal cocktails and coastal-inspired dishes, with farm-to-table ingredients sourced across California, like salmon smoked in Santa Barbara, beef from a Santa Carota ranch in Bakersfield, Fiscalini White Cheddar, Rancho Gordo beans harvested in Napa Valley. Set among the olive groves, the outdoor patio is especially scenic.
The resort will also get a cheeky new pool bar, aptly named Chiki Palm. Guests can sip on tiki cocktails from pouches and fresh dishes are served in melamine Bento boxes, with menu highlights including ahi poke bowls, flatbreads, and poblano chicken quesadillas.