The 10 best hotels in Joshua Tree for 2025

As far as campsite retreats go this one is pretty idyllic—and you’re hardly roughing it either.  Some properties in Joshua Tree are down dusty, windy, unlit tracks—this is not one of them. Even so, staying here doesn’t feel like you’re in a hotel, you feel like an adventurer, albeit a very comfortable one. 

This patch of manicured desert comes with 47 shiny silver trailers spread across 25 acres, and a handful of accessible tiny homes which come with living rooms, kitchenettes, bathrooms and showers, televisions and an in-ceiling sound system which you can connect your own devices to via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The design inside is simple and stylish. In our tiny home there is a wood floor, slatted white walls and a quilt with a sunset pattern on the wall. The hippy-adjacent desert imagery is subtle and not overdone. Overall, it’s a classy take.

Every accommodation also comes with plenty of outdoor space to call your own. Each trailer and cabin has its own bench and table with a sunshield above, as well as a personal firepit. Your Airstream (or mini lodging) of choice is surrounded by serene desert land, accompanied by access to a shared lounge, restaurant, terrace, and pool for a luxury nomadic escape under the stars away from it all. Along with taking a dip, you can enjoy the outdoors with the free bike rental service and a cute little firepit area. If you want to experience an off grid atmosphere, but are a little worried about truly taking a leap into the unknown, AutoCamp is ideal.

Time Out tip: Want a no-fuss, laid-back trip away? AutoCamp offers an array of evening entertainment on the weekends. If you like it here, then look into Autocamp’s other sites across the country, from Yosemite to Cape Cod, the Catskills and Zion.

Address: 62209 Verbena Road, Joshua Tree, CA 92252
Price: Prices start at $239 per night
Closest transport: Palm Springs airport is a 50 minute drive, LAX is around three hours

Delivering a variation on the traditional hotel stay, the Bungalows are a beautiful set of 14 full scale mid-century homes by the site of the imposing-sounding Mentalphysics Spiritual Teaching and Retreat Center. 

Established in 1941, the center offered a desert base for eastern philosophies, and to this day is a site of pilgrimage for people seeking answers from the great beyond—meditation, soundbaths and ecstatic dance workshops are a daily occurrence. The gorgeous Bungalows were designed by storied American architect Harold Zook, and are now available to holiday makers. But don’t let the self-catering aspects of them make you think you’ll be totally left to get on with things by yourself. The company who run the Bungalows provide a 9am—9pm daily support team offering advice that’s on a par with any good boutique hotel. 

The Bungalows themselves come with gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows which allow the stunning desert scenery to seamlessly merge with the inner sanctum of the home. All come with kitchenettes or kitchens, and there are also communal fire pits and grills, as well as a private patio for each bungalow. You’ll have access to a beautiful pool and hot tub in the Retreat area, and the hosts keep the fridges stocked with a welcome package of cute snacks and craft drinks. 

Time Out tip: Check out the Retreat Center’s incredible structures, which were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his son Lloyd Wright using sacred geometry. Visit also the on-site vegetarian cafeteria, the Food for Thought Cafe, an incredible piece of organic architecture, which was completed by Lloyd Wright in 1955.

Address: 59700 29 Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, CA 92252
Price: From $329 per night
Closest transport: Palm Springs International Airport is just under an hour’s drive from The Bungalows

Just two kilometres from the national park’s West Entrance, this design-forward retreat and its sister property Sacred Sands (one of the more luxurious Joshua Tree offerings) sit on ten acres of quiet desert land, delivering a luxury-meets-nature experience that’s as close as you can get to sleeping inside the park—without the sand in your shoes). 

The property’s owners, Keith and Kaylee Niemann Hamm, took over Sacred Sands in 2019 and added Lobo Luna in 2024, uniting both into a chic, self-service desert escape. It’s polished but laid-back, blending bohemian style and warm hospitality with panoramic mountain views.

Lobo Luna’s main house has two bedrooms, each pairing Moroccan textures with midcentury touches. Both open onto private patios featuring outdoor stargazing beds, deep-soak tubs, dining areas, and open-air showers framed by steel and brass. One has a full kitchen; the other adds a kitchenette and sweeping views. Over at Sacred Sands, two additional rooms—The Jade and The Onyx—share the same aesthetic, each with a private terrace, record player and well-stocked bathroom.

The living area at Lobo Luna is pure desert comfort: teal velvet sofa, leather rocker, jute rug and a picture window framing jaw-dropping sunsets. A footpath connects both properties, leading to Sacred Sands’ shaded breezeway, Great Room, Sunset Patio and 100-person Ceremony Circle. Though self-service, Keith and Kaylee are hands-on hosts, ready with local tips, chef bookings and event support. By 2026, an on-site pool and meditation path will join the mix.

Time Out tip: Getting hitched? Sacred Sands has got you. This stunning space also doubles as a wedding and event space for up to 130 people with a massive outdoor reception area and indoor ballroom with polished concrete floors. 

Address: 63005 Quail Springs Rd, Joshua Tree, CA 92252
Price: starting at $476 per night
Closest transport: Palm Springs International Airport is just under an hour’s drive from Lobo Luna

Tucked away behind Pappy & Harriets—aka one of the greatest music venues in California—the Pioneertown Motel is the ideal choice if you’re heading to a show at this vintage-styled saloon bar but don’t fancy driving back to LA in the same night. The 19 rooms here (choose from king, queen or two double accommodations) are sparse and rustic, but charming and undeniably hip—and you’re essentially sleeping in an old Western ghost town. 

Pioneertown was built as a backdrop for movies back in the 1940s, which is a kitsch factor that can’t be beaten. Gene Autry filmed his weekly western television show on the set, and it’s rumoured that he played poker until sunrise in room 9 of the motel. Dip into room 1 aka The Canteen, for books, card games and Canyon Coffee. 

Pioneertown is now one of the most visited tourist destinations in Joshua Tree outside of the park. The old shop fronts are now home to a number of vintage stores and there’s even a tiny museum dedicated to its silver screen past. Mane Street is also where you’ll find the Red Cabin, which was once the land sale office for Pioneertown. A stand-alone adjunct to Pioneertown Motel, this two bedroom home offers a little more privacy and true taste of desert life. 

Time Out tip: Had your fill at Pappy & Harriets? There’s another bar and venue just a stumble down Pioneertown’s Mane Street—the excellent Red Dog Saloon, which dates back to 1946—also does great breakfast tacos as well as an evening menu. 

Address: 5240 Curtis Rd, Pioneertown, CA 92268
Price: Rooms start at $238 a night
Closest transport: LAX or Palm Springs airport

This isn’t, strictly speaking, a hotel, but we’ve included it on this list because the level of luxe happening here is far more in keeping with a high-end hotel than it is with the words “holiday home”. If you want to basically pretend you’re a monied tech bro vacationing in one of their many global properties, then this is the best place to do it in the desert. 

Created from strong verticals, soft-hued wood and boldly outlined windows, the exterior of the building is almost as enchanting as the interior, and there’s incredible, 360 panoramic views of the desert to enjoy, as well as a perfect pool, jacuzzi and firepit through the massive sliding glass doors. Extremely classy stuff, in other words. 

Step inside and you’ll discover a soul-soothing world of Cali minimalism and Scandi-styled chic, with a heavy emphasis on natural colorings and materials, and there’s an LED art installation in the living room, just because. There are two bedrooms, making it great for a small group of friends or a family trip with a room for kids or teens. And when you need a bit more ‘live beautiful’ inspiration, try browsing the house’s excellent selection of art books. 

Time Out tip: You’re just a minute’s drive (or a 10 minute walk) from Mas o Menos on 29 Palms Highway. A coffee shop by day and natural wine and cocktail bar by night (order a Golden Hour with mezcal, marjoram and raspberry) with great food pop-ups, Mas o Menos also hosts seriously good live music almost every night of the week, with local artists as well as bigger, touring names. 

Address: 6735 Mount Shasta Avenue, Joshua Tree, CA 92252
Price: From $476 per night
Closest transport: LAX or Palm Springs airport

This hilltop roadside refuge, founded in 1952, offers a charming but no-frills place to stay just minutes from the National Park, and it’s one of the most affordable options when staying out in Joshua Tree with rooms starting at $99 a night. 

Each room comes with its own patio, AC and heat, and cable, and some even have a kitchenette, as well as art by local artists. There’s also a small pool and hot tub during the colder months, both of which overlook the Mojave wilderness. Enjoy complimentary coffee in the common room each morning, or head to the library to peruse maps of the park, hop on the wifi or just snag some shade. 

It’s pretty basic, but that’s reflected in the relatively cheap cost of a night’s stay, and the view stretching out into the desert from the back of the motel is priceless. There’s also the standalone Jack Kerouac Cabin next to the main motel building if you’re after a touch more privacy, which sleeps up to three people. Fun fact: U2 stayed here while working on 1987 album The Joshua Tree, so expect a few Bono fanboys to be staying at the motel alongside you. 

Anton Corbijin’s iconic black and white photos of the band at the motel are, of course, on display in the hotel’s lobby. It’s also in possession of one of the most iconic motel signs in the area. 

Time Out tip: Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail, one of the major hiking routes through Joshua Tree National Park, is just 1.5km from the motel.

Address: 71161 Twentynine Palms Hwy, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Price: From $99 per night
Closest transport: LAX or Palm Springs airport

A 1940s roadside motel once known as the Mesquite Motel has been given a new lease of life as Ramsey 29, with whitewashed breezeblock walls, and chic desert touches to the rooms such as southwestern rugs, padded vintage headboards and elegant, tiled bathrooms, inspired by the area’s gold-mining and homesteading history. 

There are eight cosy rooms and one two-bed suite. It’s not massive, but it’s an excellent base for exploring the area in style—it’s just half a mile from the northern entrance to the National Park, and there’s an all-important pool for cooling off after a hike in the sun. 

Suite number 6 contains a kitchenette, if you’re keen to cook up a little something to eat. If you’re rather someone who did all of that for you, you’re right by Kitchen in the Desert, one of Joshua Tree’s cosiest al fresco restaurants with a Caribbean-inspired menu and regular live music under the stars. Order the jerk chicken and deep fried Oreos. Brunch runs daily from 11am-3pm, while dinner starts at 6pm. 

Time Out tip: Drive one minute (or walk 10) down the Highway and you’ll find Campbell Hill Bakery, a cult desert bakehouse for sweet treats, superlative sandwiches and pizza. As good as anything you’d find in the hipper-reaches of Los Angeles. Before you go however, remember to check out the hours; it’s currently nighttime-only, open from 6-9pm from Thursday through to Saturday. 

Address: 73842 29 Palms Highway, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Price: From $138 a night
Closest transport: LAX or Palm Springs airport

Venture to nearby Desert Hot Springs to the blissful, adults-only (no, not like that) spa hotel that is Two Bunch Palms. A resolutely classy retreat that takes advantage of the 600-year-old mineral-rich lithium hot springs in the area, there are 67 rooms and 13 suites spread across 77 acres that spans olive groves, grottos and natural desert areas in a landscaped compound.

The plushest of the suites come with a private mineral pool, Japanese ofuro tub or teak tub. There are also 19 therapy rooms, a yoga dome, and tennis courts. If you’re here to heal then you might as well add on massages, reflexology, body scrubs, wraps and facials. They don’t come cheap (the three hour long ‘Deep Detox’ involves lymphatic drainage massage, an abdominal detox wrap and superfood facial, and costs a hefty $610) but the therapists here really know their stuff. 

Some of the weekly classes and workshops are complimentary however, and cover everything from reiki to cacao ceremonies, perfume making and sound baths. The in-house cafe and restaurant Twine offers adaptogenic drinks, pressed juices and fruit plates during the day, and a veg-forward menu of salads, fresh fish and grilled chicken in the evening. If you can bear to drag yourself away from such unfettered bliss, you’ll leave feeling like a brand new person. 

Time Out tip: If you can’t quite stump the room rate, day passes are available for the pool, as well as day retreat offerings which include a spa treatment.

Address: 67425 Two Bunch Palms Trail, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240, United States
Price: Rooms from $257 a night
Closest transport: LAX or Palm Springs airport

This sprawling and historic hippy estate has been run by the same family since 1929. Forget all about millennial dread and head to these peaceful old-school adobe bungalows and quaint wood-framed cabins, which are scattered across 70 acres. It’s so spacious you’ll be given a sweet little map to find your accommodation. 

As far away from a faceless mega chain as it’s possible to be, this wilderness-adjacent hotel oozes charm and individuality. There’s a pool, of course, and a friendly restaurant which utilises fresh, seasonal produce from the onsite farm, and hosts live music from local artists five nights a week. There’s yoga on the lawn every Saturday and Sunday morning, and—surprisingly for the desert—a lake known as the Oasis of Mara with a floating houseboat. If you want a few of this oasis then book into Old Frame, or Gold Park, an original wood frame cabin situated on the Oasis. 

Our favourite unit though is Irene’s Adobe, a home built in 1933 by landscape architect Gerald Charlton who named it after his wife, an artist whose work remains on the property’s walls today. If you’re heading out for a day’s hiking in the National Park (or maybe even just a scenic drive), then the kitchen provides pre-prepared picnic lunches for a super reasonable price. There’s also a continental breakfast, and drinking water from their own on-site well. 

If you need to stay on the grid, then this might not be the place for you—WiFi is only available in central locations, aka around the pool—and most rooms don’t have coffeemakers or fridges. A true hippy haven then, where cutting yourself off from the rest of the world isn’t just encouraged, it’s essential.

Time Out tip: While you’re at the 29 Palms Inn, check out the 29 Palms Art Gallery and Old Schoolhouse Museum, which are right by the hotel. 

Address: 73950 Inn Ave, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Price: Rooms from $105 per night
Closest transport: LAX or Palm Springs airport

The Joshua Tree Inn has secured itself a place in musical legend as the site of cosmic country star Gram Parsons’ untimely end at the age of 26, way back in 1973. It’s not a morbid place though—many fans come here to commune with his spirit and sign the cheerful guest book in Gram’s room, which is full of tributes from around the world. There’s also a room named in honor of Gram’s musical collaborator Emmylou Harris, as well as suites named for folk singer Donovan and Hollywood royalty John Barrymore (which was apparently John Wayne’s favourite room to stay in). 

Built in 1949 in the Spanish Colonial-style, this roadside motel is charmingly old school—something which is reflected in the more than reasonable prices. With lots of Joshua Tree lodgings in the middle of relative wilderness, the Joshua Tree Inn is a rarity; it’s in a walkable-ish spot, right on the main drag of 29 Palms Highway, on a strip lined with places to eat, drink and get stuck into vintage shopping. 

It’s a six mile drive from National Park, but there’s plenty here to distract you, including a pool (unheated, which in the height of a searingly hot summer is a blessing), which at 50ft is the largest in the area, and a peaceful courtyard. Need more space? There’s also a stand-alone property nearby called Rocky Vista, which comes with three bedrooms and an acre of land. 

Time Out tip: If you want to book the room Gram Parsons passed away in, it’s number 8, and still has the same mirror and art on the wall it did back in 1973.

Address: 61259 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree, CA 92252
Price: Rooms start at $151 a night
Closest transport: LAX or Palm Springs airport