Parker Palm Springs dates back to the late 1950s, when it was originally the site of the first Holiday Inn in California.

Ever since I discovered photographer Gray Malin’s “Gray Malin at the Parker series," it has been a dream of mine to visit the Parker Palm Springs—a stunning boutique hotel in Palm Springs that features whimsical decor, beautifully manicured gardens, and of course, the Palm Springs Yacht Club (PSYC) spa.

Spa Profile: Palm Springs Yacht Club at Parker Palm Springs

When my husband Eric surprised me with a pre-Christmas getaway at the legendary property, the first thing I did (besides squeal with excitement and jump for joy) was book a spa day at PSYC. I highly recommend making a half or full day (if you can) out of it, as the 18,000 square-foot spa offers plenty of space and amenities for guests to enjoy. By the end of your visit, you won’t want to leave!

The Best Palm Springs Resorts

The entrance to Palm Springs Yacht Club (PSYC), the spa at Parker Palm Springs.

Here’s what you’ll love about Palm Springs Yacht Club (PSYC) at Parker Palm Springs:

It features a charming country club atmosphere with stylish nautical decor and unique accents by designer Jonathan Adler, making it the ultimate pampering paradise.
The 18,000 square-foot spa has an indoor saline pool, co-ed relaxation lounge, hot tubs, saunas, eucalyptus steam rooms, a movement studio, and fitness center.
All guests receive a complimentary shot of cucumber-infused vodka.
All of the sea-inspired therapies feature fun and innovative names like Ahoy Mate!, Yachtsman’s Voyage, and more.
In addition to fresh infused waters and snacks, guests can also order off the full-service food and beverage menu by the indoor pool.
The gift shop sells a wide array of themed PSYC and Parker Palm Springs merchandise, along with Jonathan Adler items, Pure Fiji and Tata Harper skin care, and more.
The spa also offers complimentary yoga classes.

The spa’s spacious and welcoming reception area.

PSYC is located in a building of its own off to the left of the hotel’s main entrance and lobby—a short walk through the gardens and you’re there. Upon our arrival at the spa, we were greeted by the friendly front desk staff who helped us check in and had us fill out the standard paperwork prior to our services.

In addition to the reception area, PSYC also has several sitting areas, a yoga studio, and a gift shop in the front. The stunning nautical decor and unique accents by designer Jonathan Adler can be seen throughout the spa. I’ve never taken so many pictures in my life while visiting a spa, but I knew this was an opportunity not to be missed—I wanted to make sure that I documented my entire spa journey from start to finish.

PSYC features stylish nautical decor and accents by designer Jonathan Adler.

After checking in, an attendant served Eric and me each a shot of cucumber-infused vodka, which is complimentary for all guests. We were then led off to the separate men’s and women’s facilities, but would later be reunited in the co-ed relaxation lounge.

The women’s facility includes a spacious locker area, vanity table, sauna, eucalyptus steam room, as well as nautical-inspired showers and bathroom stalls. After slipping into my comfy PSYC bathrobe, I headed to the relaxation area to unwind before my treatments began.

The nautical-themed showers and changing rooms.

The co-ed relaxation lounge has plenty of sitting areas that are perfect for larger groups, as well as cozy nooks and corners for couples or solo spa-goers who wants some privacy and quiet time. There was an array of reading material and magazines laid out on the tables, as well as a refreshment stand with water and fruit-infused water, an assortment of fruit, and nuts to snack on. If you’re feeling particularly famished, you can easily order off the full-service food and drink menu, then have your items delivered to you anywhere in the relaxation lounge.

The co-ed relaxation area features a charming country club-inspired atmosphere with nautical details.

The refreshment area includes infused water, fresh fruit, and nuts.

The other highlight of the relaxation area is the large indoor saline pool, which is flanked by stylish deck chairs. I made sure to lounge in one of the chairs between my services—if I hadn’t had multiple treatments on today’s agenda, I most likely would have dozed off and taken a blissful nap poolside.

In addition to the pool, there are also two hot tubs for those looking to ease sore and tired muscles. PSYC also has a copy of its own Manifesto on display up on the wall, which reflects the spa’s mission—a charming touch!

Another sitting area next to the jacuzzis.

My therapist found me relaxing by the pool and I followed her through the double doors that led to a hallway filled with treatment rooms. Each room has a name, and I learned that they are all named after different boats. My first treatment took place in the “Black Magic” room, which came with a private shower.

Here, I received the 45-minute Sugar Scrub treatment, which exfoliates and reveals softer, more hydrated skin. My therapist first painted my entire body (from the neck down) with a brush dipped in cold pressed virgin coconut milk, then she rubbed fresh sugar cane crystals in firm circular motions all over my skin, starting with my arms and legs, followed by my feet and abdomen. Halfway through the treatment, she had me flip onto my stomach so that she could do my backside as well. It wasn’t uncomfortable at all; in fact, the scrubbing felt good and the product she used (Pure Fiji) smelled amazing!

All of the treatments rooms are named after various boats, including the “Black Magic” room, where I received my body scrub.

Here, I enjoyed a 45-minute full-body sugar scrub treatment.

After she was finished exfoliating all the dry skin off, my therapist stepped out of the room while I jumped into the private shower and rinsed off. My shower had a detachable head, which made it so much easier to wash all of the sugar granules off and get to those harder-to-reach areas. One day I’m going to get one for my home!

When I was done drying off, I lay back down on the treatment bed and my therapist returned to the room. She then proceeded to apply a creamy body butter (also by Pure Fiji) in the same sweet tropical fragrance as the scrub to my entire body, rubbing it into my skin. When I checked out later at the front desk, I was also gifted a take-home sample of the scrub—which lasted several uses and I thoroughly enjoyed!

She recommended that after the treatment I spend a few minutes in the dry sauna, which would help the product penetrate deeper into my skin for extra hydration benefits. She advised me to avoid the jacuzzi or pool for the rest of the day in order to keep my skin hydrated and prevent it from drying out, so for those of you that are interested in booking the sugar scrub treatment, make sure you dip in the pool and hot tub before.

I was a huge fan of the detachable shower head in my private shower.

After my scrub, I spent some time in the sauna to help the product better penetrate my skin.

After spending 10 minutes in the sauna, I emerged ready for my second treatment. My skin felt extremely soft, all of the dry patches (especially on my elbows and ankles) were gone, and I smelled heavenly! The gift shop also sells the Pure Fiji range, including the scrub and body butter, so you can continue the experience at home and maintain soft, hydrated skin until your next service.

My next therapist greeted me and led me to the “Alinghi” room, where I was going to experience the Tailor Made, which is PSYC’s signature treatment. It’s available in both 60 and 90-minute versions, and is a custom crafted massage that is tailored according to the guest’s specific requests. Whether you want a deeper touch or soft, kneading strokes—the entire service is guided by your individual needs. As an added benefit, the treatment helps promote circulation, while increasing flexibility and range of motion.

I headed to the “Alinghi” room for my next treatment.

Today I asked my therapist to focus on my legs, where I could tell I had a few knots in my calves, as well as the tight muscles in my upper right shoulder blade area. While he used firm and deep strokes as per my request, the massage felt great and was extremely relaxing. By the end of the 60-minute service, it really felt like he had managed to massage out all of the knots and tightness.

The day after I was slightly sore—a sign that my masseuse had done his job. Two days after that, my soreness was completely gone, and my muscles felt looser and more relaxed. I realized it had been a good two months since I had received my last massage, and it reminded me of my goal to try to get a massage a least once a month so that my muscles don’t get so tight. Fun fact: comedian Bob Hope was known to receive daily massages and even had a private massage therapist that traveled with him throughout the years. #goals

Here, I enjoyed a 60-minute Tailor Made Massage, which is customized according to the client’s requests.

For my third and final service of the day, I was taken to the “Mischief” room, where I enjoyed a 40-minute LightStim Professional LED Bed treatment as per Spa Director Charleen Senior’s recommendation. This service is fairly new to the spa and has been a big hit with all of the guests.

The LED bed promotes total body wellness and peak physiological function, and is designed to rejuvenate, renew, and revive one’s body. LightStim MultiWave Patented Technology simultaneously emits four different wavelengths (colors of light), which work together to increase blood circulation, promote faster cell renewal, and deliver a soothing, gentle treatment that sets in motion the body’s inherent pain-relieving process.

My final treatment of the day took place in the “Mischief” room.

During the treatment, it is recommended that one remove their clothes. With a towel draped over me, I spent 20 minutes on my back followed by 20 minutes on my abdomen, and enjoyed the warmth that was emitted from the bed. Similar to a tanning bed, I wore goggles while I was on my back—but they’re not mandatory and you won’t sustain any damage to your eyes if you opt to go without goggles. They’re merely provided to protect your eyes from the brightness of the lights.

Afterwards, I felt super relaxed, as if I had just woken up from a light nap. After I had changed and made my way back to the front desk, the attendant told me that I was glowing and look refreshed, which is always nice to hear!

I experienced a 40-minute LightStim session, which emits multiple wavelengths of light to increase circulation and set in motion the body’s inherent pain-relieving process.

To me, no spa visit is complete without a visit to the gift shop. As my eyes darted around from shelf to shelf, I spotted tons of items that I wanted. The PSYC carries a wide variety of spa and hotel-themed merchandise, Jonathan Adler decorative pieces for the home, a variety of skincare products by different brands such as Pure Fiji and Tata Harper, as well as other toiletries and amenities, including the Hermès soap and container (which is available to all hotel guests in their rooms).

The spa also offers complimentary yoga classes.

The gift shop sells an array of PSCY and Parker Palm Springs themed merchandise.

There is also Jonathan Adler merchandise and decor for sale.

I went home with a large Parker Palm Springs beach towel, which feature the same “Shining”-inspired print that is featured in the hallway carpets of the resort.

I ended up leaving with a Parker Palm Springs towel that featured the same design depicted on the carpet of the hotel hallways (inspired by the movie The Shining), along with a cute pair of Parker Palm Springs pajamas for me and matching swim trunks for Eric. I also had my eye on the cute mini gold banana decorative piece, which is a mini-version of the giant bronze banana sculpture that can be found on the hotel’s main lawn, and I’ve decided that next time we visit the Parker (which will be soon), I’m going to buy it to add to our home art collection.

All in all, my spa day at PSYC was absolutely perfect. From the relaxing treatments and the friendly, courteous staff to the beautiful environment, it was a memorable experience that left a lasting impression on both my husband and me. Between the two of us, we have been to our fair share of spas, and while we’ve enjoyed virtually every experience, there’s something about PSYC that is special and unique—and I can’t wait for my return voyage.

We also took home a pair of the Parker Palm Springs PJs (for me) and swim trunks (for him).

Cost: Sugar Scrub 45 minutes ($150); Tailor Made Massage 60 minutes ($195) 90 minutes ($265); LightStim Treatment 40 minutes ($175)

Insider Tip: Arrive 15-30 minutes early so you can enjoy the amenities before your treatments, or set aside time to relax afterwards. Bring a swimsuit/trunks for the indoor pool and jacuzzis. If you let the front desk know, you can order off the full-service food and drink menu in the co-ed relaxation lounge.

Hours: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Mon-Thur); 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Fri-Sun)

Address: 4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264

Phone: 760-321-4609; 760-770-5000

For more information and to book an appointment, visit Parker Palm Springs’ website. Follow them on Instagram: @parkerpalmsprings

[Images by Kamala Kirk]