For the last year, the team behind Villa Royale Palm Springs has been at work restoring – and preserving – a piece of local history. Located in the Tahquitz River Estates neighborhood, the property previously known as the Villa Royale Inn was regarded for its south-of-France-feel.

But a new partnership between Portland-based bar company Lightning Bar Collective and Provenance Hotels will usher the inn into a new era. This fall, it will re-open as an exclusive, private hotel and bar.

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“The property is a true Palm Springs time capsule,” said co-owner and co-designer John Janulis via email. “We did our best to not disturb the overall feel and charm.”

With 38 rooms total – each with a unique look and feel – guests can expect new mahogany woodwork, vintage mid-century furniture and original oil paintings. Plus, in-room cocktail parlors with liquor, mixers, cocktails books and tools. (You can rent a bartender for larger events or hosted parties.) Janulis and designer Anne L’Esperance also sprinkled colorful, graphic tile from Portugal, Spain and Mexico throughout the interiors and exterior.

A quick glance through the hotel's Instagram reveals a distinctly ocean-esque color palette amid the Old World feel. There are baby blue couches, deep green comforters, a strikingly teal lifeguard chair, and turquoise umbrellas.

“We were influenced by the Spanish tiled roofs and time period in which Villa Royale was built,” Janulis said. “We found an array of old photos of the property that inspired and influenced the design.”

The Evelyn Pell Villa, in particular, is a private residence with its own hot tub and garden, Janulis says. There are three heated pools onsite.

In 2015, The Desert Sun reported that the property was built in 1947 as the estate for Hollywood actress and Olympic gold medal figure skater Sonja Henie. However, Renee Brown of the Palm Springs Historical Society says Henie is not listed in phonebook records dating back to 1928, though she notes it's not the most effective search since many stars did not list their names. "I have heard many stories of her living there, but we have never been able to verify that she did," Brown said in an email.

In its Class 1 Historic Site nomination application, the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation noted that Villa Royale's original owners included "three generations of a family that contributed to Palm Springs' history," including Evelyn Pell and her parents. The nomination says Pell and her family owned and operated the property until 1963.*

Janulis says his team wanted to complement the property’s historically private nature by adding a ficus hedge around the perimeter. They also cleaned up and planted grass in a large lot in the rear for events.

A new restaurant, Del Rey, will be open to the public for dinner. Chef Louis Martinez, who opened Bar Casa Vale in Portland, will focus on Spanish and Mediterranean flavors in small plate form, Janulis says. “The shared plates and lounge atmosphere evoke conversation and serious drinking,” the owner added.

Like all of Lightning Bar Collective’s spots, the beverage program will serve boozy slushies with different flavors everyday. Guests can also look forward classic and original cocktails like Operation Summer, made with pineapple rum, tonic, coconut sorbet, cardamom bitters and lime; or Mucho Mucho, a bloody Mary spinoff with tequila, house-made bloody mix, watermelon and picked fennel. "The idea was to take classic drinks and make them ideal in the heat/sun," bar manager Justin Diaz wrote in an email. The wine program will consist of California wines and Spanish varietals.

Villa Royale will be accommodating for pooches, too. Pet amenities will include in-room pet beds and plush dog toys from West Paw, dog and cat food produced by The Honest Kitchen, custom-made dog tags and in-room VIP (Very Important Pet) door hangers, according to Janulis.

Lightning Bar Collective has designed and built more than 15 bars and restaurants in Portland, such as Century and The Bye and Bye. The company currently manages and operates 10 properties, including Villa Royale. Provenance Hotels owns and manages 11 properties throughout Minnesota, Washington, Louisiana and Tennessee; Villa Royale is its first California site.

Kristin Scharkey is the editor of DESERT magazine and community content editor at The Desert Sun. Reach her at kristin.scharkey@desertsun.com or on Twitter @kscharkey.

*This story has been updated to reflect that records indicate Villa Royale was built by Evelyn Pell and her family, not actress Sonja Henie.