11 Most Unique Places to Stay in Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree is famous for its arid high desert climate and stunning rocky landscapes. Located less than 1 hour from it’s famous neighbor Palm Springs and just 3 hours from LA, the high desert region of Joshua Tree is easily accessible and is a must visit spot if you find yourself looking for a unique getaway.
So what is it about Joshua Tree? To start, it’s located next to a really cool US National Park, with rolling hills through giant boulders, sprawling fields of the famous ‘Joshua Tree’ trees, and little cholla cactus. If you have the opportunity, we definitely recommend driving through and exploring the many different trails and hiking opportunities in the park. And if you are feeling extra adventurous, you can even do some bouldering or rock climbing in the park.
Designated as a Dark Sky region, Joshua Tree is also one of the best places to star gaze and enjoy a quiet retreat from the busy lifestyle. We have been a lot of places around the world, but this was probably some of the most intense night skies we’ve seen. (for more ideas on what to do in Joshua tree, Palm springs check out our blog post about our Southwest USA Road trip HERE)
Our favorite part of Joshua Tree, and something that truly makes it like no other place in the world for a vacation, are all the unique and artsy Joshua Tree homes for rent. We were so excited to spend a month exploring the area to find the BEST and most UNQIUE places to stay for your next trip to Joshua Tree.
Before we get started, we wanted to highlight a few things each of the accommodations included:
Full Modern Kitchens with gas lighting stoves, quality appliances, and lots of space for cooking
Outdoor cooking grill
Tastefully decorated and beautifully kept up
Attentive and fast responding management making for quick and easy checkin/checkout
High Speed Wi-Fi
Heating / AC
So now (in no particular order) here are the Top 11 most unique places to stay in Joshua Tree!
1.Casa Blanca
An experience all unto itself, arriving at the Casa Blanca is the quintessential Joshua Tree experience. Only 12 minutes drive to downtown Joshua Tree as well as 20 minutes drive to the National Park entrance, you are somehow in the middle of things, yet feeling completely secluded on this private estate. Upon arrival, you wind down the driveway through a cove of boulders and end up at this strikingly beautiful white home.
The iconic two-story atrium is unique and probably our favorite part of the property. With a giant hanging lantern chandelier, and floor to cieling windows, there is nothing quite like it. The natural morning light is a dream!
Each of the 6 bedrooms has its own vibe and every spot in the house was designed with the overall aesthetic in mind. A sense of calm fills the space and flows over into the outside space as well. Sunrise views were to die for and the large private outdoor deck equipped with gas fireplace, jacuzzi, and large soaking pool, is the perfect place to enjoy any time of day. There is also a very spacious rooftop deck perfect for yoga or meditation.
The space would be perfect for large groups, family get-togethers, or even just an unforgettable romantic getaway! The interior is filled with boho chic vibes and the natural light throughout the entire house was stunning.
Bedrooms: 6
Baths: 4
Price: Starting $1000/Night
2.GaslighT
Sitting on a secluded 3 acres, this beautiful desert haven features 360° views atop a hillside overlooking Joshua Tree & Yucca Valley. It’s not too far outside of town, and only 10 minutes drive to the grocery store, but still gives the feeling of a remote escape. The layout of the house is a fun concept with most of the rooms in the main house, but 1 smaller isolated bedroom/bathroom in a separate “casita” connected by an outdoor footpath. We thought this would make for a great way to have a friends or family getaway, with a little extra privacy.
The most iconic part of the whole property, and where it gets its name, is from the 5 foot long propane fire pit right at the front of the house. The whole living room opens up to this view with accordion doors so we could enjoy the outdoors right from the comfort of the living room couch. Other highlights were the jacuzzi under the Joshua tree, and hammock garden, both making for a perfect relaxing night under the stars. They also had a cowboy tub to fill with cool water in the summer for a nice way to beat the heat.
The decor is a very boho chic, with lots of whites, creams, neutral with a touch of vintage. Every corner felt ready for a photoshoot with so much thoughtful care taken into imagining the details of the space.
Watch our room tour HERE.
Bedrooms: 3 (4 beds)
Baths: 2
Price: Starting $1000/Night
3.Heaven’s Door
Nestled into the mountains just above Pioneertown (30 mins from Joshua Tree), Heaven’s Door has one of the best views you can ask for in the high desert. You have sweeping vistas across the entire valley and are perfectly positioned to enjoy every sunset right from the hot tub. The layout also includes a casita, though it is actually connected to the main building itself, just with separate access.
The home sits on 5 private acres and is surrounded by iconic boulders of Joshua Tree. The property has its own funky flavor which grew on us during our stay. It was decorated and styled by a jewelry designer from Tiffany & Co. but with a much more “rock n roll” edgy spin. What we loved most was the thoughtful architecture and leading lines throughout the structure, the twin outdoor cowboy tubs, outdoor fire place, outdoor shark cage shower, vinyl record player and little vintage games (like coloring books and cards) found all throughout the house.
Watch our room tour HERE.
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 3
Price: Starting $950/Night
4.Le Chacuel
Tucked away into the high desert, Le Chacuel is an artists dream come true! The angles and spaces are decorated with so much attention to detail and thought, it feels like staying in an article of Architectural Digest Magazine. The vibe is an upscale mediterranean meets Morocco meets desert chic with lots of bright whites and neutral tones. Of all our places we stayed in Joshua Tree, I think this was one really WOW’ed us the most!
The property sits on the cliff of a gaping valley, providing spectacular morning views from the patio and pool. Like some of the homes in the area, Le Chacuel is designed with most of the bedrooms in the main house, but a separate casita tucked behind, with arguably the best morning view into the vistas. There is no light pollution here which makes for excellent stargazing and big open windows for ample natural light during the day. Our favorite part was the whole outdoor set up including the pool with crystal blue water, circular hot tub cut from the white cement, and patio space with hanging lights and dining set up. We simply could not get enough of this house with all its cute nooks and hang out spots.
Watch our room tour HERE.
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 3
Price: Starting $2500/Night
5. Moondance
Located at the foothills between Yucca Valley and Twenty Nine Palms, this modern boho retreat sits on 2.5 acres of arid desert in a reimaged rambler style house. Moondance was the perfect secluded spot and would be amazing for a get away with friends! They have large outdoor areas like a sundeck with hot hot tub and loungers for relaxing, cowboy plunge pool to escape the desert heat, vinyl record player, tons of games around the property (including horseshoes, Jenga, and corn hole), and a large indoor-outdoor area. Each detail of the home was a fusing of modern and vintage, minimalist and organic, and design choices that felt like ‘hygge’ in the high desert. We loved all the touches of white and various textures in the decorations that hit a really boho vibe. There were also a lot of large and open space inside that really gave us a lot of room to spread out and relax.
Watch our room tour HERE.
Bedrooms: 3 (8 beds)
Baths: 2
Price: Starting $800/Night
6. Rockstar
This rock ‘n’ roll themed home sits on 17 private acres just outside of Pioneertown (30 minutes drive up into the mountains from Joshua Tree). Because you’re up a little higher in elevation, this will tend to be a little cooler than Joshua tree, so would be nice for escaping the summer heat.
Some things we loved about the Rockstar was the cabana style jacuzzi perfect for star gazing at night, cowboy plunge pool, funky art installations all around the grounds and outdoor fire-pit. Our favorite part though had to be the unique interior from the hanging chair next to the record player, to the instruments on all the walls, to the cool hanging lights. It made for easy mornings sipping tea listening to good tunes and cranking up the vinyl or reading a book in one of their nooks by the window. The vibe here was a bit more industrial chic with concrete floors, dark wood accents, and more masculine edgy touches.
Watch our room tour HERE.
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 3
Price: Starting $650/Night
7. Seven Arches
True to it’s name, this Spanish-style home has arches everywhere, both inside and out. The decorations are stunning and did not cease to amaze with lots of whites, creams, tiles, and textures. Windows around the home let in a lot of beautiful natural light which creates boho chic vibes during the day. There’s so many artful touches like swinging hammock chairs, potted cactus around the house, and beautiful vases and woven baskets thoughtfully placed. At night, the entire backyard is lit by hanging fairy lights with even a large geodome housing a jacuzzi to relax in. You can also choose to enjoy their cowboy plunge pool during the day, tucked into the wooden deck and patio. On the side of the house is a horse corral with outdoor seating and a ton of games like corn hole, croquet, horse shoe toss, and more. For us, this home felt like waking up in a home magazine.
Watch our room tour HERE.
Bedrooms: 4
Baths: 2
Price: Starting $1000/Night
8. Outlaw Ranch
This one of a kind home sits on what feels like a movie set for an old western movie. We had so much fun exploring the different buildings on site like the saloon, church, old train station and different aspects of the property. They even have a train car on site that has been converted into a bedroom! There’s also twin plunge cowboy pools, 2 outdoor fire pits, a large sunbathing deck, outdoor showers, and plenty of space for a whole family or desert retreat. The home is large and accommodating (the biggest of all the houses we explored in Joshua Tree) with fun chic cowboy décor and floor to ceiling and windows allowing for a lot of natural light. Two of the bedrooms are in the main house, with two others as casita style around the property. If you really want to feel like you are escaping to the American Wild West, you can’t beat this spot.
Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 5.5
Price: Starting $1800/Night
9. Skyhouse
Just outside the Joshua Tree National Park entrance, this classy modern chic home sits at one of the best locations in the valley. It is quite secluded and was actually the set location for the movie ‘Palm Springs’. The views here stretch on for miles with mountains and vistas from either side. The whole house felt very open with accordion style doors on both sides quickly transforming the whole house into an airy indoor-outdoor living space.
Something we found very unique about this house was all the mirrors around the property which we had a lot of fun in taking photos with, most especially on the side of the house. It was all about the little touches here like the unique mural on the walls in each of the bedrooms capturing the beauty of the high desert and eucalyptus leaves hanging from the shower to give you a fresh fragrance as soon as they get wet. The large pool/hot tub combo in the front of the house made for an amazing space to relax during the day with the 10 foot long gas fire pit, our favorite spot for a cozy night watching the stars.
If you are looking to get married, SkyHouse actually has a special event area located up on a hill with a gorgeous triangle arch and view of the mountains. The path leading up is dotted with lanterns and would be an amazing desert elopement location.
Watch our room tour HERE.
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2
Price: Starting $1600/Night
10. SkyRanch
Probably the most eclectic of them all, SkyRanch sits wayyy out in the desert. This was by far the most remote location we stayed during our trip and the funkiest of all the decor. Its spacious interior felt like an artist’s studio with so many different flavors and artist expressions from bright pops of color, to minimalistic touches that really set this place apart. There was an industrial chic feel to it that kept it playful and edgy in the choices of art on the walls and decor in each of the rooms. The pool and outdoor fireplace were fun to hang out at, with the fire pit coming straight out of the ground, and long expansive pool. What we loved most about this space was definitely the old school car parked out front, that is a permanent fixture of the house. It really added to the hip yet classic style of the whole place.
Watch our room tour HERE
Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 3
Price: Starting $700/Night
11. CastleHouse Estate
Unique to anything we’ve ever seen, and featured on HGTV, the Castle House Estate boasts a variety of accommodation on site. We stayed in the Guard Tower at the entrance of the property and had a lot of fun enjoying the roof space. They also have glamping tents on site as well, wooden overhangs for camping, and even a tiny home on site . They are constantly growing and changing their look by adding more unique glamping experiences - so be sure to check out the site to see what’s new!
The property is designed to allow you to really be out in nature - so there are various amenities you can use along the property such as hot tub, plunge pool, fire pits, showers & bathrooms. Because this location is set up as an outdoor “glamping style” place, this was the only spot that did not include an indoor kitchen. Though we didn’t mind because it made for fun nights spent cooking over the campfire and enjoying the cozy feeling of it all.
Watch our room tour HERE
Bedrooms: 1
Baths: (separate facilities)
Price: Starting $55 - $300 depending on type of accommodation
Have you been to Joshua Tree yet? Do you have any favorite spots we missed? Leave a comment below!