Korakia Pensione has always been more than a hotel; it’s a desert refuge where artists, actors and eccentrics once gathered beneath the desert sun to trade ideas. Among its storied guests was one figure whose presence looms larger than most, and one of the retreat’s most distinctive suites pays homage to him. The Churchill Suite honors not only Winston Churchill the statesman but also Churchill the painter, who found inspiration here alongside his friend, Scottish artist Gordon Coutts.
Yes, Winston Churchill once found his way to Palm Springs not to give speeches or plot campaigns, but to paint. And where better to pick up a brush than in the living room of Coutts, the flamboyant artist who built the Moroccan-inspired villa that would become Korakia? Nearly a century later, the property has restored that spirit in a suite designed for travelers who want a bit of history served with their martinis, hammocks and sun.
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The Suite with a Story
Step inside, and the past continues to resonate. The suite centers around a king-size bed facing the original wood-burning fireplace, laid in 1924 and still ready for a crackling blaze on cool desert nights. French doors open onto the library courtyard, the kind of spot where you’ll curl into a hammock with a novel and a spritz in hand.
It was here, nearly a century ago, that Coutts held his salon-style gatherings, filling the villa with painters, writers and Hollywood stars. Rudolph Valentino drifted through. Errol Flynn drank here. And Churchill, who never missed an opportunity to turn a landscape into brushstrokes, set up his easel under the desert sun.
An Artistic Lineage
To understand the Churchill Suite, it helps to know a bit about its origin story. Coutts wasn’t just another expat artist; he was a Scottish painter who had lived in Tangier and decided, in true bohemian style, to recreate Morocco in the middle of California’s desert. He built what was then called Dar Marroc, with whitewashed walls, arched doorways and courtyards perfumed with citrus.
Palm Springs in the 1920s wasn’t the playground of midcentury modernism yet; it was still a frontier for people reinventing themselves. Coutts’ villa became the hub, a place where art and intrigue mingled freely. Churchill, an amateur but passionate painter, was drawn to both the light and the company. In the evenings, the two men debated and painted, building a friendship over canvases and conversation.
Fast forward to today, and Korakia Pensione has become the heir to that spirit, with 28 eclectic accommodations spread across its Moroccan and Mediterranean villas. The Churchill Suite is part of the ongoing masterpiece.
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Beyond the Suite
Of course, you don’t check into Korakia just to stay indoors, though it’s understandable if the fireplace and a good book beckon. The property feels like a portal. Hammocks swing between palms in hidden courtyards. Moroccan lanterns flicker at night, casting shadows across adobe walls. Saltwater pools glisten under the sun. Guests pad barefoot from their bungalows to yoga sessions, sip mint tea in the afternoon, and, if the mood strikes, join an impromptu art show or musical performance.
Korakia has always leaned into the creative side of Palm Springs. Alongside the buzz of Coachella and Stagecoach (two festivals that turn the Coachella Valley into a global stage), the property hosts its own calendar of events: art exhibitions, intimate live performances and wellness retreats. It’s about community, echoing Coutts’ original vision.
The Neighborhood Story
Korakia’s charm doesn’t end at its gates. The property itself is an amalgam of historic homes. Across the street, the Mediterranean villa once owned by actor J. Carrol Naish now houses Naish House, with its soaring beam ceilings and wood-burning fireplace. The Orchard House, an adobe dating back to 1918, still keeps its private citrus grove. And just down the block, Auric House, a Spanish Revival gem from the 1930s, has been folded into the Korakia family.
But the best part here is the light. It’s the quality that lured Coutts and Churchill. Sit in the courtyard of the Churchill Suite at sunset and you’ll see it for yourself. The mountains turn violet, the sky flares coral and suddenly you understand why painters picked up their brushes in the first place.
The Churchill Suite may be Korakia’s newest addition, but it’s timeless, like Palm Springs itself.
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