coast magazine - korakia pensione

T R AV E L > G E TA W AY S
G E T T I N G A W AY T O . . .
With its keyhole-shaped grand entrance (above
left) leading to a set of ornately carved Moorish
KORAKIA
F
rom the moment you enter the distinct keyhole-shaped grand entrance and walk
through a set of ornately carved Moorish
wooden double doors, the magic that is Korakia
Pensione starts to play its tricks on your senses.
One minute you are on the freeway leaving
Orange County, and two hours later, you are
somewhere that feels far, far away, back in time,
in a foreign country, with air that smells like jasmine and orange blossoms.
In 1989, when Doug Smith, an architectural
preservationist, lovingly rescued and restored a
1920s Moroccan villa in the heart of Palm
Springs that was the former hideaway of
Scottish painter Gordon Coutts, he renamed it
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COAST APRIL 2008
wooden double doors (right), Korakia Pensione in
Palm Springs feels like a land far, far away.
Korakia, Greek for “crow.” The villa had served
as the venue for Coutts to recreate his earlier
life in Tangier, and the still present meticulous
Moroccan details allow visitors a desert experience that is decidedly Mediterranean. Now
owned by Newport Beach-based Makar properties, the company behind the St. Regis Monarch
Beach’s modern makeover, the property will
maintain its original architectural charm with
embellishments that only add to the ambiance
that already includes a Moroccan tea service,
luxurious spa treatments and fine service.
Korakia Pensione is housed in two magically
restored historic villas, and rests on 1.5 lush
acres, consisting of bungalows, guest houses,
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T R AV E L > G E TA W AY S
KORAKIA
Korakia’s 16
unique accomodations surround
a pool and fire
pit; Every
evening starts off
with a traditional
Moroccan tea
service
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COAST APRIL 2008
gardens and pools. The original Moroccan villa,
built in 1924 and originally named Dar Marroc,
includes 16 unique accommodations (without
televisions) surrounding a pool and fire pit. Our
private suite in a courtyard adobe had a Queensize built-in bed and a large indoor/outdoor
stone tub. The suite featured a full kitchen, fireplace and a sitting area, with a private patio
with dramatic views of the San Jacinto
Mountains. With citrus blossoms, olive trees,
oleander bushes, date palms, bougainvillea
vines, gorgeous Moroccan fountains, and a
stone waterfall spread across the main courtyard area, there is no reason to leave this property except to eat.
We started our morning with a yoga class
(available on weekends) before joining other
guests for a complimentary full-cooked breakfast in the Moroccan courtyard. Afterwards, we
relaxed poolside, awaiting a side-by-side massage. In early evening, the Moroccan tea service
starts off the evening mood as torches and firepits flicker, illuminating the heated pools. A classic film was playing on an outdoor screen while
on the other side of the street, a cushioned
bench, facing a waterfall lit with fire-pit flames,
was filled with guests discusssing the latest
offerings of the Palm Springs Film Festival,
which Korakia was hosting.
The Mediterranean Villa, originally owned by
J. Carol Naish, an early silent-screen star and
neighbor to Coutts, blends the charm of
Southern Europe with North African accents
throughout its structure. The main house offers a
romantic master suite, with high wood beam
ceilings, an indoor/outdoor bathroom, a sun
room, farmhouse kitchen, and a massive fireplace. The Orchard House, a rare 1918 California
adobe, has two 1940s steel windows that have
been welded together to create a dramatic pivoting window wall. The whitewashed stone wall
encloses a grove of citrus trees.
A shaded outdoor yoga deck is in the works,
as well as a larger, full service spa. But even as
it is, Korakia Pensione is one of the sexiest
hotels in California.
For more information, call (760) 864-6411 or
log onto www.korakia.com –JUSTINE AMODEO