The newly renovated Desert Hot Springs Motel, designed by John Lautner in 1947. The motel is now surrounded by a protective wall and includes a small relaxation pool at the rear. Inside the wall is desert planting similar to that inside each unit.Judith Lautner
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Desert Hot Springs, Calif. – One of California's classic mid-century motels has reopened as a chic desert hideaway. It took more than three years for interior designer Tracy Beckmann and furniture designer Ryan Trowbridge to transform the Desert Hot Springs Motel (originally created by architect John Lautner as a prototype for 1940s-era desert living) into Hotel Lautner. Two hours east of Los Angeles, the recrafted concrete, glass and redwood structure has all the trappings of a 21st-century boutique resort. But it isn't the Frette linens, L'Occitane bath products and free Wi-Fi that make it special. Beckmann and Trowbridge have tipped their hats to the hotel's roots, weaving in vintage designer furniture, old photos and a DVD library chronicling the work of the original architects. There are four suites which can be rented individually or together as a holiday house. hotellautner.com
BIGWIGS AT BIGHORN
Revelstoke, B.C. – Well-heeled skiers can live the good life at Bighorn. The eight-suite chalet comes with its own helipad, bringing the area's famed glacial bowls and tree runs virtually to your doorstep. After a day spent schussing, come back to a made-to-order meal, do sun salutations with a local yoga instructor, or unwind with a dip in the hot tub, a steam in the sauna and a massage in the spa. Evening entertainment is also taken care of thanks to an in-house cinema that comes complete with a well-stocked DVD library. This type of luxury ski getaway doesn't come cheaply: A week-long stay for up to 16 guests starts from $64,500. bighornrevelstoke.com
CREATIVE KIDS IN NYC
New York – Rainy day in the Big Apple? The recently unveiled Children's Museum of the Arts in New York is a place for the whole family to get their hands and paintbrushes dirty. Budding Picassos aged 10 months to five years can take art classes and clay-making sessions, while tweens and teens get more sophisticated tutelage in photography and filmmaking. Drop by Make Art (In) Public, the museum's inaugural exhibit that features the works of such artists as Keith Haring and Friedensreich Hundertwasser. And when they're ready for a time out, take the little ones to the quiet room, a special space built for snoozing. cmany.org
Special to The Globe and Mail