I Took a Solo Trip With Auric Road in the Midst of Grieving—This Is What I Found

Two hours apart lie two California properties with magic in their foundations.

Korakia Pensione and Hotel Joaquin / Per Korakia Pensione and Hotel Joaquin

One month into writing for SI Swimsuit, I found myself plucked from my office and shuffled between stale hospital rooms and pleather airplane cushions. This was the result of an unfavorable prognosis of a loved one, and my once methodical efforts to complete routine tasks felt inordinate with my newfound reality. My future’s uncertainty seemed to sit next to me as the summer months loomed. 

The majority of my airline miles rewards racked up, and as May faded into June, a reminder for a trip I’d committed to weeks prior buzzed on my calendar. The invitation sent me cross-country and included a four-day stint at two Auric Road properties in Laguna Beach and Palm Springs.

I had promptly obliged at the time—excitedly, in fact. And yet, as I boarded my flight, I’d felt riddled with guilt at the thought of traveling to the Golden State when my mind was tinted gray. 

Three months later, what I failed to realize at the time was that, perhaps, these properties were meant to find me all along.

1. Hotel Joaquin
2. Auric Road
3. Korakia Pensione
4. Why visit?

Hotel Joaquin

Hotel Joaquin pool / Per Hotel Joaquin

Stop number one on the West Coast was Hotel Joaquin. Roughly a 20-minute drive from John Wayne Airport, Orange County, with plenty of ocean views en route, the 22-room boutique Laguna Beach hotel sits alongside the Pacific Coast Highway. 

Outside of Hotel Joaqin / Per Hotel Joaqin

Its manager, Katie Cahill, tells me that the flipped Motor Inn—which was acquired by Auric Road in 2016—is a mix of “St. Barths and your best friend’s beachhouse,” adorned with plenty of greenery, cozy seating and a record player in the heart of its lobby.

“What we want for everybody that comes in is to disconnect from the outside world, and either reconnect with yourself [...] or whoever you’re traveling with,” she adds. 

Hotel Joaquin lobby / Per Hotel Joaquin

At Hotel Joaquin, your experience begins before you set foot on the property. Guests can choose their own room, with some named after the streets of Laguna Beach, while another, Liyah, is named after its owner’s daughter, Cahill elaborates.

My room, Ciel, overlooked the waters of Shaws Cove and featured vinyls of Amy Winehouse and Bob Marley, among others, awaiting my arrival.

Hotel Joaquin bedroom / Per Hotel Joaquin

When you enter the property’s wooden doors, you’re met with its welcome cocktail, named “The Greeter” for local legend Eiler Larsen, who sports the same nickname. The vodka-based beverage comes with cucumber, sweet peppers, Thai basil and lime, which you can sip while exploring the space’s exterior.

Just steps away from Hotel Joaquin’s lobby is its heated saltwater pool, and—if you travel 400 feet West—you’ll end up at Shaws Cove Beach, featuring seaside cliffs and a secluded appeal like you’ve uncovered your own private oasis.

Hotel Joaquin lobby / Per Hotel Joaquin

During my 48 hours on the property, I started my mornings on the Laguna Beach Coastal trail, where I learned about the community’s tide pool, wildlife and love for lawn bowling—a newfound concept to me, which I enthusiastically shared on my return.

I joined a yoga class on the shoreline, participated in an astrology reading in its lobby and rounded out my first evening with a screening of Mamma Mia! on the lawn, which I viewed from outside of my room. 

Hotel Joaquin lawn / Per Hotel Joaquin

I challenged myself to remain as present as possible: something I have—and still do—struggle with, but I swiftly realized that it was difficult not to be present at Hotel Joaquin.

From beginning your day by consciously placing a vinyl on the record player, welcoming a light breeze during breakfast (at its indoor-outdoor restaurant, Saline) or allowing the Pacific’s waves to crash into your shins, the property intentionally connects you with nature by omitting unnecessary technology, like televisions, during your stay. 

Saline at Hotel Joaquin / Per Hotel Joaquin

“We want to make people think about what they want to experience, and we want conversations and local culture to be a central component of somebody’s stay along with relaxation,” Auric Road’s CEO and founder, Paul Makarechian, told Lodging Magazine on the choice to replace televisions with record players.

Hotel Joaquin bedroom / Per Hotel Joaquin

And, as a guest at Hotel Joaquin, it was evident that the property’s dedication to its community was a focal point of the business. In fact, the hotel is “Ocean Friendly,” with sustainability as a pillar of its foundation.

Shaws Cove / Per Hotel Joaquin

“The ocean plays a huge role in helping our visitors find peace and serenity,” Cahill told The Surfrider Foundation on the initiative. She added, “Guests seek out destinations like ours for their natural charm, and it’s our responsibility to preserve these treasures for future generations.”

Auric Road

My second destination was Korakia Pensicone: an adults-only property in Palm Springs with an over 100-year-long history. It takes approximately two hours by car to reach the property, where, en route, my curiosity surrounding Auric Road peaked. 

When you first click on the group’s website, you’re met with a four-word phrase: “Soul Is Our Style.” Consequently, my goal was to find the soul of Auric Road properties. 

Hotel Joaquin Lawn / Per Hotel Joaquin

In addition to Hotel Joaquin and Korakia Pensicone, the brand has two other petite resorts: Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, Mont., and Rex Ranch in Amado, Ariz., the latter of which is set for a 2028 debut. 

“The intimate environment [of a petite resort] allows us to provide custom visits for each guest, as well as inspire them to live our lifestyle on or off the property,” Makarechian told Hotel Business in August—a perspective that mirrored my own experience at Hotel Joaquin. 

Korakia Pensione retreat / Per Korakia Pensione

Jennifer Preciado-Anderson, Auric Road’s Director of Revenue, echoed the sentiment when chatting with her at both California hotels. She explained that each petite resort had its own essence—unique from its sister properties, yet similar in its transcendent nature. 

“The story behind Auric Road is based upon the idea of alchemy and building gold from dust,” Makarechian continued, scaling into the ethos of the company. “It’s about the never-ending experience of pursuing a personal highest potential, and being on a journey where, along the way, you will find beautiful people and places that move you.”

Shaws Cove / Per Hotel Joaquin

With this in mind, I reflected on my own mindset upon entering Hotel Joaquin. In need of healing—unbeknownst to the host—I found some, simply by embracing the resources on the property. I felt the sand between my toes; I wound down to the crackle of a vinyl. I chuckled with a pair of guests while sipping on morning coffee.

And then, when I reached Korakia Pensicone—after stopping for a “date shake” at Hadley Fruit Orchards during the commute—I realized that the intercontinental-inspired hotel had a unique energy all its own.

Korakia Pensione

Outside of Korakia Pensione / Per Korakia Pensione

Stepping into Korakia Pensicone genuinely feels like you’re entering a movie set. Framed by taupe-colored mountains that sit above a floral-framed arch, the Mediterranean and Moroccan-inspired hotel has been a staple of its community for over a century.

Korakia Pensione / Per Korakia Pensione

“There’s an art to [Korakia],” its general manager, Paulette Monarrez, explained during its 100-year celebration in November. “This is a living, breathing work of art that people get to actually partake [in] and experience in; and I just don’t know how many more places like this there are in the world.”

Korakia Pensione / Per Korakia Pensione

The 28-room resort—with 16 Mediterranean villas and 12 Moroccan villas—has roots dating to the 1920s, I learned while glancing at a brochure in one of its two lobbies. Gordon Coutts, a Scottish painter, and J. Carrol Naish, a silent film actor, called its land home before Korakia Pensicone acquired the space and its buildings to create the petite resort. 

Korakia Pensione / Per Korakia Pensione

Its Moroccan side, which you enter through the floral-adorned archway, looks like a structure stuck in time. The property’s original architecture, like its sprouting fountain, is just steps from its newly developed Moroccan Bar.

Like Hotel Joaquin, I was met with a welcome drink. This time, it’s traditional mint tea along with lavender-scented ice towels to beat the Palm Springs heat, which consistently sat at over 100 degrees during my visit in June. 

Korakia Pensicone Moroccan Bar / Per Korakia Pensicone

“This heat, it kind of works for the benefit of the wellness,” Morannez says as we take a stroll across the property. In addition to wellness retreats, the hotel’s heated saltwater pool is available 24 hours, and they routinely provide activities such as south baths and yoga sessions for guests.

Auric House at Korakia Pensione / Per Korakia Pensione

I actually stayed outside of Korakia Pensicone’s main campus during my 24 hours on location, at the property’s Auric House. A short walk from the hotel’s lobbies, the adobe ranch-style residence sleeps 12 and is the only location at the petite resort that is open for children.

I spent most of my day at Auric House, where I set up shop in its casita—accompanied by its own record player—and lounged in its private pool. 

The Orchard House at Korakia Pensione / Per Korakia Pensione

For those also looking for a house of their own, Korakia Pensicone offers two more options: The Naish House (appropriately named for the silent film actor who lived at the residence) and the Orchard House, which is an authentic adobe villa from 1918.

Before I’d had the chance to view it myself, Preciado-Anderson described the Palm Springs hotel using one word: “magic.” And, truly, the quality is fitting. 

Korakia Pensione / Per Korakia Pensione

As the sun falls below the mountains, Korakia Pensicone lights over 100 candles across its 1.5 acres. On the Mediterranean side, a black and white film reels on an outdoor projector, like you’ve been transported to the land at the time of its inception. Across the street, I met a belly dancer who moved to the tunes of Moroccan music and taught me a couple of (very beginner) moves. 

Korakia Pensione pool / Per Korakia Pensione

Before heading back to Auric House, Morannez encourages me, alongside fellow attendees on the trip, to jump in the pool: a sendoff for our final night in California. We don’t decline, and head back to the villa—our apparel soaked, as the dessert heat expedites its drying process. 

Why visit?

As I headed to Palm Spring International Airport the following morning—which is roughly a 10-minute drive from Korakia Pensicone—I pondered my own question from 24 hours prior: What is the soul of Auric Road?

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And admittedly, I didn’t find my answer right away. In fact, as I write this months removed from the trip itself, I don’t believe that its soul can speak to a singular guest—and I think that’s the point. 

“When you leave, we want you to leave ready to take on the outside world again,” Cahill declared candidly in Laguna Beach. And that, perhaps, is the spirit of Auric Road that has stuck with me most to date.

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A post shared by Hotel Joaquin (@hoteljoaquin)

What I’ve gathered while lodging with Auric Road is its community doesn’t necessarily distract you from the outside world—its stressors, unpredictable highs and lows, etc.—at least, not in a way that discredits their existence. In fact, my takeaway is that they encourage you to live in the now, in your present, with the beauty of the local regions as your backdrop for relaxation, learning and connectivity. 

And maybe, like me, when your luggage is zipped and you head on your way, you’ll bravely enter the outside world again in stride. 

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