Simply Precious.
My wife and I travelled to Desert Hot Springs, CA from Orange County to discover a new boutique hotel and spa called the El Morocco Inn & Spa last weekend (this is Feb 2007)
There's only one word to describe this brand new totally amazing boutique resort: sublime. Well ok maybe a couple more words:
Perched on a Desert Hot Springs hill, it overlooks a myriad of famously local windmills and snow-capped mountains. At night, it offers magnificient sunsets and Palm Springs city views.
The El Morocco is all about, you guessed it -- Morocco. The owners (and resident managers) have spared no expense and certainly no effort in importing everything from fabrics to furniture and artwork from Morocco, Africa. Every little detail of this Inn was tastefully crafted to ensure genuine and comfort. From an aesthetic perspective, it's eye candy galore.
The El Morocco is also all about water. The purest water in the nation actually, as the property sits on a natural hot spring feeding its luscious pool (the water is _always_ warm) and hot water bubbling spa (sits 20 people comfortably in a private alcove)
The Inn's twelve or so rooms are all individually appointed. Again, everything is top-notch comfort from the bedding, to the furniture, the amenities, the well-stocked mini-bar, AV systems, you name it. There is nothing lacking in this place. You can spend hours discovering and marveling at little details all over the place. Or you could relax on one of the pool sofas while reading a magazine or a book. Or you could hang out in the 7 foot deep natural water pool getting a face tan. Or you could spend hours in the massage room getting worked on or...ok well you get the point.
I think there are several highlights to the El Morocco experience. First, the huge spring water spa privately tucked away and surrounded by open-air oriental windows draped in long multi-colored strands of rich middle-eastern fabric. The breeze frequently causes a danse of colors, like being tucked inside a magic jewelery case (includes massaging whirlpool jets of course).
Second, the fire-pit. You can sit around it on genuine Morocan leather "poufs" while sipping cocktails, or tea, or coffee, or sucking on a hookah (yeah, the real deal as well with a panoply of flavored tobaccos for the asking), or just watching the stars at night.
Third, the happy hour "social time" when Morocotinis are served (not sure i spelled that right) along with a good selection of wines and a chance to chat your fellow resorters and figure out where dinner's happening tonight.
More importantly perhaps, the El Morocco is all about well-being and non-stop subtle pampering by the genuine staff there. The inn is a family-run business and it shows. The owners put their heart and soul (and over 30 years hospitality experience) into this place and yes, they really do this because they _love_ to. And that, my friends, is pretty rare these days. Take it from a PIA customer :)
Upon leaving, you'll bottle up the unique visual, sensual and relaxing experience this magic place created for you. And you'll probably have made a little place in your heart for the staff as well. Simply precious.
And for us, there will always be a pre-programmed setting on our GPS for the El Morocco Inn and Spa in Desert Hot Springs as we cant wait to return!