SEATTLE, Wash.—Seattle-based hospitality management and consulting company Columbia Hospitality announced today a new management and operating agreement with Palm Mountain Resort & Spa. Located in Palm Springs, Calif., the 142-room resort—equipped with a spa, pool, and event space—joins Columbia Hospitality’s portfolio of award-winning hotels. This is the first management contract for the company in Palm Springs.
Wright Hotels, Inc., a hotel-asset management company based in Seattle, finalized its purchase of Palm Mountain on April 19. John Oppenheimer is also an investor in the Resort, which recently completed a multimillion dollar renovation.
“Palm Mountain Resort & Spa is an amazing addition to our expanding set of distinctive properties,” said Columbia Hospitality founder and CEO John Oppenheimer. “Columbia’s partnership with the great team at Wright Hotels is a perfect fit for us—they share our commitment to guest service while providing first-class accommodations. As we continue to expand into vibrant destinations such as Palm Springs, we look forward to working with partners like Wright Hotels that value outstanding hospitality as much as we do.”
“We are pleased to partner with Columbia on this new venture in Palm Springs,” said Stuart Rolfe, president of Wright Hotels, Inc. “We are confident that Columbia’s expertise in management and day-to-day operations will help take Palm Mountain to the next level.”
Located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs, this desert hideaway hosts a wide variety of travelers seeking a warm-weather resort to relax. Palm Mountain Resort & Spa is footsteps away from Palm Canyon Drive, offering visitors a vibrant nightlife, restaurants, and quaint shops, museums, theaters, and galleries. With the resort situated directly across the street from Mercado Plaza, its guests are a walk away from the Spa Resort Casino and Palm Springs Convention Center.
“All of our amazing team is excited to join Columbia Hospitality and continue our commitment to providing guests with the best possible experience while staying with us,” said Tim Ellis, general manager of Palm Mountain Resort & Spa. “We are perfectly situated near restaurants, recreation, and all the best things Palm Springs has to offer—we anticipate great things ahead for leisure, business, and group travelers.” In addition to his duties as general manager of Palm Mountain, Ellis serves as chairman of the board of directors for the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The Palm Mountain Room, including an open air patio, offers flexible event space for up to 100 people. The landscaped grounds feature a patio and courtyard space for gathering, an outdoor swimming pool, hot tub and terrace, fire pits for cool evenings, and an onsite spa. The majority of guest rooms and suites at Palm Mountain feature a private patio or balcony, allowing guests to enjoy the striking views of the San Jacinto Mountains.
Commonly known as the “golf capital of the world,” Palm Springs boasts more than 130 area golf courses, and Palm Mountain offers special access to Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort and Escena Golf Club. The Resort is also readily accessible from outdoor recreation in the Coachella Valley, and from the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, a 2.5-mile journey from Valley Station up the mountain to the San Jacinto Mountain State Park and Wilderness Area, at an elevation of 8,516 feet.
