Korakia Pensione stirs the imagination with all the trappings of a bygone era
Words by DAVID NASH
For world-traveling aesthetes, talk of Morocco often conjures visions of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé’s iconic villa in Marrakesh, set within the Jardin Majorelle, and bohemian expats Talitha and John Paul Getty Jr. lounging on the rooftop of their palace, Le Palais des Plaisirs. But much closer to home is a century-old retreat with the same timeless appeal marked by similar Islamic architectural details and riad-style living.
Hidden in the center of Palm Springs, Korakia Pensione is an historic and captivating resort that embodies the yearning for adventure and escapism that led the jet set to North Africa from the 1960s through the 1980s — and in the decades before. With the San Jacinto Mountains as its gloriously cinematic backdrop, the 1.5-acre refuge, originally called Dar Marroc (or the Moroccan House), was conceived in 1924 by Scottish painter Gordon Coutts, who envisioned it as the physical manifestation of his time spent in Tangier from 1910 — during the twilight of the Edwardian Era — until around 1920. Renowned for his Impressionist-style portraits and landscapes, Coutts and his wife, Gertrude, entertained a roster of well-known friends at their desert property, from the U.K.’s future prime minister Winston Churchill and actors like Errol Flynn and Rudolph Valentino to American Gothic painter Grant Wood.
Having celebrated its centennial last November, the adults-only Southern California sanctuary — with its Mediterranean and Moroccan-influenced styling — is rife with history (including six original paintings by Coutts) and contemporary amenities. Of its 28 dreamy and well-appointed bungalows, guesthouses, and villas, The Churchill Suite is the resort’s latest addition. A luxurious king-size bed faces rustic French doors that open onto the otherworldly library courtyard (where a hammock is strung beneath the canopies of two trees), a 1924 wood-burning fireplace keeps the suite cozy on cool summer nights, and a built-in sofa makes for a comfy spot to curl up with a copy of A Death in Medina by James von Leyden or Esther Freud’s Hideous Kinky. Its eclectic interiors include an antique writing desk; shelves lined with books, art, and artifacts; and plenty of rustic charm. Other accommodations offer guests distinctly unique experiences. The one-bedroom Aegean Suite includes a Japanese-style soaking tub, an open shower, a full kitchen, and access on two sides to the Mediterranean courtyard pool, and the Orchard House is a 1918 Palm Springs–style adobe with a full kitchen, separate living and dining rooms, and a generous wraparound courtyard set within a private citrus grove.
Just off property in the tony Historic Tennis Club neighborhood, the resort-operated Auric House — a six-bedroom, six-bathroom, family-friendly hacienda — is another way to experience the mountain-backed haven just two-and-a-half hours outside Los Angeles. This separate desert dwelling evokes feelings of being transported to 1940s Palm Springs with its own Moroccan tile pool, covered and open-air patios, full kitchen, and spacious common areas to call your own. Of course, stays here include all the signature amenities of Korakia, like morning coffee delivery and outdoor movie nights.
Midweek, during the low season, rates at Korakia Pensione start at $309 per night, and around $459 per night during the high season (which generally runs from January to April) on a bed-and-breakfast basis. After your first stay, an annual — or seasonal — pilgrimage will become a distinct likelihood given the memories made under sun-drenched skies and star-filled nights, and the feeling you’ve traveled somewhere much farther flung. korakia.com.
April 24, 2025
Discover more TRAVEL news
