A long way from Tangier, nestled in the heart of a Southern California desert at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains, lies an unmistakably Mediterranean experience.
A Moroccan inspired retreat, Korakia Pensione is housed in two lovingly restored historic villas, and rests on 1.5 lush acres, consisting of bungalows, guest houses, gardens and pools. With an abundance of architectural elements as well as the whisper of the Mediterranean, Korakia has been internationally recognized by the Times of London as one of the top small hotels in the world.
The Moroccan Villa
Built in 1924, The Moroccan villa, originally named Dar Marroc, was the former hideaway of Scottish painter Gordon Coutts. The villa served as the venue for Coutts to re-create his earlier life in Tangier by employing a wide variety of architectural features that promoted a Moroccan decor.
A visionary with a dream to re-live his art-filled Moroccan days, the flamboyant Coutts did not stop with the recapturing of his physical existence in Tangier with Dar Marroc, but his social existence as well. Coutts hung his paintings in the library, where he regaled his guests with tales of adventure. Dar Marroc quickly became a gathering place for musicians, visiting artists such as John Lavery, Agnes Pelton, Nicolai Fenshin and Grant Wood and celebrities such as Rudolph Valentino and Errol Flynn. It is rumored that even Winston Churchill has painted in the villa's Artist Studio.
The Mediterranean Villa
J. Carol Naish, an early silent-screen star and neighbor to Coutts, owned the 1930's Mediterranean villa. The Naish property blends the charm of Southern Europe with North African accents throughout its structure. The main house boasts an impossibly romantic master suite, high wood beam ceilings, an indoor/outdoor bathroom and a massive fireplace.
Using a variety of textures and colors, the outdoor area of the Naish property lends an exotic feel to its poolside experience. Within the sun-drenched pool area itself, the villa and bungalows' exterior walls greet visitors with a vivid blend of earth-tone hues, that range from deep ocher and rusts to tawny yellows and stone.
The Orchard House is a rare 1918 California adobe. Two 1940s steel windows have been welded together to create a dramatic pivoting window wall. The whitewashed stone wall encloses a grove of citrus trees.
Korakia Pensione
Rescued from disrepair in 1989, the Moroccan villa was renamed Korakia (Greek for "crow") and crafted into a Mediterranean-style pensione. Naish's Mediterranean-style villa and the Orchard House were added shortly thereafter. The retreat's Moroccan inspired design, from its distinct keyhole-shaped grand entrance housing a set of ornately carved Moorish wooden double doors to the antiques and handmade furniture found in every room, creates a Mediterranean oasis in the California desert.
Today the legacy of the original historic Dar Marroc lives on. Visitors see the renewed life of the original villa, creating a Moroccan-inspired hideaway. What the art community once favored during the 'old Palm Springs era' continues. Korakia remains a popular rendezvous for an eclectic crowd, including renowned actors, writers, producers and photographers.
With citrus blossoms, olive trees, oleander bushes, date palms, bougainvillea vines, gorgeous Moroccan fountains and a stone waterfall spread across the main courtyard area, every aspect of the villas have been restored to the artistic ambiance of Korakia's halcyon days.
The unique environment has become a favorite photo shoot location for top photographers. Dramatic photo spreads of Korakia have graced the pages of such leading publications as Architectural Digest, HIP Hotels and Condé Nast Traveler as well as Vogue, Elle, Marie-Claire and their European counterparts. The New York Times has called the Korakia "One of the sexiest hotels in America."