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Palm Springs is home to a world famous collection of modern architecture, immaculate golf courses, gated communities, a bustling night life, trendy shopping, and a brand new casino. However, Palm Springs also has a very eclectic side which stems from its rich history. There was a time when this sun-drenched desert valley was a cultural center for artists, musicians, dancers, and literati.

In spite of all new resorts, old Palm Springs is making a new comeback. Guests are choosing smaller, more intimate hotels, allowing them to live destination instead of just visiting. They enjoy other side of Palm Springs, side set to a beat of chamber music and a time when writers and artists traded their works in Bohemian manner.

Like generations before us, people from around globe flock to this desert oasis to retreat. Perhaps we withdraw to escape routine and stress of everyday life. Maybe it’s to gain renewal through creativity, meditation, study, getting back to nature, or just to chill and have a good time.

To escape means to step into another pattern, a different time, and an unknown world. If this is side of Palm Springs that you want to experience, then I have perfect hotel for your great escape!

To get to it, you have to take a back street, just a short walk from main strip of restaurants and shops, but far enough away that you are tucked into shadow of San Jacinto mountain peak where you can hike trails that leading into alp.

I appear at Korakia Pensione after one adventurous week of rock climbing and slumbering in a pitched tent on desert floor. Blackened from sun and soil of my last climb before trip into town with beaten and dismantled luggage surrounding my dusty feet, I can only envision thoughts that flash through minds of hotel staff as they greet me. I am quite a sight! However, their hospitality is as warm as heat of Palm Springs and owner Douglas Smith compliments my tan.

Arch you glad you checked in!

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While at hotel front desk checking out we completed our usual vacation ritual: we mailed ourselves a postcard. Even if it is just a short visit, we do this to remind us of what an excellent time we had, because as we all know, memories of a vacation often fade much quicker than sunburn. In whatever time it takes, either a few days or weeks, for ___ (fill in blank with appropriate country's postal system) to deliver our postcard to doorsteps of our home, our vacation refresher arrives. We typically use a picturesque postcard of one thing that will remind us most of where we've been and what we've enjoyed. We try to keep our message succinct, and in this case, it only needed to say nine necessary words, "Sweet dreams from The Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa."

By writing this on our postcard, it appeals to one of most basic instincts that our unscientific minds are confident is genetic and originates from early days when cave men roamed earth. Of course, we're referring to utmost in primal urges and is lusting after cocoa concoction of gods commonly known as chocolate. It's a proven fact that there is no better way to make my wife weak in knees than to hook her up with rich creamy goodness of chocolate coupled with a good cabernet wine. In this case, at Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, they made a point to put two delightful squares of Godiva chocolate on our pillows each night of our glorious stay. This obviously resulted in sweet dreams that rounded out each day's jam-packed activities planned at The Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa.

Like chocolate, Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa has an equally rich and luxurious history. On February 23, 1929, Albert Chase McArthur, an architect, builder and former architectural student of Frank Lloyd Wright, and Frank Lloyd Wright, his consulting architect, christened this to be jewel of Arizona desert. With its 39 beautifully landscaped acres it quickly became Phoenix's premier destination resort.

During this project, Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian concrete block was used extensively. This was a concrete block that was poured on-site using local indigenous materials and was often poured into a mold that had a decorative geometric motif. Frank Lloyd Wright was once quoted as saying, "I believe in God, only I spell it nature." In only remaining hotel he designed, this massive architectural creation is reminiscent of a Mayan temple and uses a repeated organic form of a crosshatch design inspired from trunk of a desert palm tree as main focal point. This design is known as "The Biltmore Block" and was created by southwest sculptor Emry Kopta.