The key-hole grand entrance to lobby houses huge, intricately-detailed wooden French doors left open to unify indoors with outdoors. A warm, citrus breeze drifts in from front courtyard and demands my attention to look up and examine stone paved courtyard and exotic central fountain.

French doors on opposite side are also left wide open, framing a custom-designed mosaic pool (with a crow at bottom of pool!). Fallen bougainvillaea petals surround trees. Everything in me - writer, dreamer, artist, photographer, explorer, individual - sensorizes. Famous celebrities, renowned photographers, leading publications, supermodels, and designers travel to this Mediterranean-but-in-the-U.S.A. location for inspiration, too! Nothing is set up, staged, or propped. Everywhere I turn is a perfect photo op or artist’s lookout point. Mix in Moroccan music, heavily-spiced tea, and pine nuts for a transporting exprience!

The Korakia comprises two historic villas. Scottish painter Gordon Coutts built original Moroccan villa and screen star J. Carroll Nash owned Mediterranean villa. Both villas were lovingly and tediously renovated by owner and leading California architectural preservationist, Douglas Smith. Local handymen, not master carpenters and landscape architects create dream. His style of design is more of an “un-design”, creating an atmosphere of originality. “Successful design means that I was never here,” says Douglas.

Lovely and polite General Manager Flor Schechtel invites me to stay in The Library, once unofficial cultural center of Palm Springs. How appropriate, putting a writer in The Library; perfect little extra touch.

Ignoring need to wash traces of rock climbing trip off my face, I plop into luxurious, exotic poster bed. The high wood beam ceiling draws my eyes upward but shelves of books draw them to side.

I am sitting where THE artist Gordon Coutts displayed and sold his paintings; surrounding me are rare and first edition books from around world. My mind was screaming! I could vividly picture artists and writers in their literary discussions and after their time together, taking home a souvenir landscape painting. Even Winston Churchill stayed here.

A few more I-cannot-believe-this minutes before I open French doors and kerplunk back into fluffy feather bed with exquisite linens, imprinted with Korakia insignia. Every single piece and design is a historical work of art. The high wood beam ceiling, Persian rug, chairs from Afghanistan, vases from Greece, a pillow from Macedonia . . . my eyes follow everything and then drift out on to glorious private patio. It is all so Moroccan, so perfect.

Then I touch all that I see. My fingers follow cool, smooth arches of room. No acute angles anywhere. I move my index finger over signature in books and smell their leather covers. I sense age of manuscripts, originality of artwork, history of place.

To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/hotels/calif/psprings/korakia/korakia.html

Lena Hunt Mabra, Jetsetters Magazine Editor – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com

Lena Hunt Mabra, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

PETS ARE WELCOME

Although we left our pets at home, Hotel Monaco can take care of your four-legged friends in style, taking term pet-friendly to a new level. The Bone-A-Petit package features bottled water, a dog bowl, Good Dog towels, top quality chew toys, gourmet dog cookies, Hotel Monaco's temporary dog tags, and clean up bags. You can also request Lassie, Babe, and Dr. Doolittle videos from their front desk. We didn’t get a chance to see if they offered doggie yoga.

Additionally, hotel offers Guppy Love, a complimentary goldfish along with fish toys to keep you company during your stay. The housekeeping staff feeds and takes care of goldfish - all you need to do is enjoy.

HEART OF THE THEATER DISTRICT

The Hotel Monaco sits in heart of theater district on Geary Street, just off famous Union Square. From hotel, you can walk in just minutes to all of San Francisco's most famous theaters: Orpheum Theater (which is currently showing The Lion King, American Conservatory Theater, Curran Theater (where Phatom of Opera played to packed houses for years), Post Street Theatre, Theatre on Square, and Yerba Buena Center for Arts.

DINING IN PLEASURE

When we told a friend, who is a wine collector and hedonist extraordinaire, that we were staying at Hotel Monaco, he asked excitedly, "You're eating at Grand Café then, right? I'll join you." The restaurant is connected to hotel by a large, ornate doorway, but businesses are two different entities. The Grande Café bills itself as "a French—California brasserie featuring contemporary French cuisine influenced by earthy seasonal flavors and wonderful local ingredients. The menu's diverse array of fresh seafood, roasted meats, and theatrical desserts satisfies

To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link: www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/hotels/kimpton/monaco/monaco.html Rob LaGrone, Jetsetters Magazine Editor – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com