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The Joshua Tree National Park is a totally unique desert environment typified by its tree-sized yuccas — or Joshua Trees! Sitting between the Colorado Desert and the Mojave, this region is dotted with oases, and rocky outcrops, so there are about a million different types of adventure-y sports this makes the perfect backdrop for. But the hot springs mean it’s also considered a relaxing escape. Palm Springs is the original desert resort escape, and the majority of our Guru’s picks for the best luxury hotels near Joshua Tree National Park can be found in and around Palm Springs, but if you want to be closer to the park and the desert we have some recommendations further afield. We’ve asked our Hotel Gurus to cap their list of the best hotels near Joshua Tree National Park to 20, but if you can’t find your perfect hotel or resort here, don’t hesitate to get in touch — there are some fantastic Joshua Tree hotels that didn’t make the first cut.
For Unforgettable Views
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- The Pioneertown Motel is just as cute as the name suggests! Built for Hollywood stars working on Wild West films, the motel is a collection of 19 simply styled wooden cabins with private terraces filled with cacti. Beyond its charm, the best thing about staying here is the views, and the frontier vibe.
- If you like hotels with individuality the Monkey Tree Hotel might be ideal. Meticulously built and designed, the result riffs on mid-century style beautifully, with 16 individually detailed rooms and suites in a range of sizes. There’s a central pool and a Scandinavian spa. And you’re surrounded by incredible mountain views
For an Escape
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- Two Bunch Palms is the oldest mineral hot springs spa in the US, but it’s anything but dated. Two Bunch Palms today has 65 elegant rooms and suites, decorated in a rustic, Scandinavian-feeling style with natural wood accents, shapely furniture and indoor plants. In addition to the hot springs the resort offers a range of wellness treatments and activities, 77 acres of beautiful, peaceful grounds, and an adults only policy.
- Sparrow’s Lodge is a secluded, boutique-feeling lodge on the Joshua Tree-side outskirts of Palm Springs. Here you’ll find an absence of screens, but in their place wood fires and wooden furnishings in stylish rooms. Outside there’s a pool, bar and fire pits, and beautiful gardens and views.
- Korakia Pensione sounds like it belongs more in the Med. than in Palm Springs, but this Mediterranean feeling name, and resort is a perfect match for the desert backdrop. There are just 28 rooms and suites, all individually decorated in a style reminiscent of the Mediterranean and Morocco — think whitewashed walls, muslin drapes and exposed beams. You’ll find all the features you need here, from the pool to spa, but there’s no restaurant, and no children allowed.
For Families
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- The views from the infinity pool and terraces of the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage stretch for miles, taking in Palm Springs and running right through it, a vista of flat desert colours until you get to the mountains. This is a large resort, with more than 240 rooms and suites, in configurations to suit all family sizes, and there’s a special family pool, as well as one just for adults. There’s a kids club, and a spa, and the fantastic restaurant is one for everyone to appreciate.
- The large pool of the Ingleside Inn has fantastic views into the San Jacinto Mountains which make you feel as if you’re a long way from Palm Springs — which you’re not. While inside this elegant inn are 30 rooms, decorated with traditional style, and the perennially popular Melvyn’s restaurant. Family-wise they have cribs and rollaway beds plus some inter-connecting rooms.
For Romance
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- Right by the West Entrance to the National Park, Sacred Sands is a bijou one-of-a-kind property with only two suites — both with outdoor showers, bath and day bed, so you can appreciate the awe and jaw-dropping views of Joshua Tree. There’s no restaurant, but each suite has a kitchenette, and they’ll stock the fridge for you before you arrive.
- The Chateau at Lake La Quinta is right on the banks of serene Lake La Quinta, which is close to Palm Springs, but surrounded by desert scenery. There are just 24 suites, all with lake views from private patios and individually imagined decor. In addition to the idyllic views add a very nice spa and a fine dining restaurant and you have yourself a very romantic desert retreat.
- The Sands Hotel & Spa is an elegant boutique hotel about 45 minutes from the Joshua Tree National Park, in Indian Wells. The 46 rooms and suites have a Moroccan twist, that works with the desert surrounds. The pool is perfect for sipping cocktails beside, the Pink Cabana restaurant and bar is both foodie and hip, and the spa is first rate. This is a grown up escape.
For Walkers
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- A beautifully converted historic, stone house, the Campbell House B&B is in a scenic Mojave Desert spot, just a few miles from the National Park, so ten minutes from incredible hiking and nature trails. It has just 12 rooms and cottage suites, but lots of communal living space, so it feels like a spacious property. Inside it feels cosy, with antiques and objets d’art, while outside there’s lots of open space, with a huge pool and shady outdoor seating. The breakfast is hearty, making it a popular choice for walkers and groups.
- Triada Palm Springs is designed like a Mediterranean village, with three white, colonial-style buildings surrounding a large pool. Inside you’ll find 56 white, airy rooms and suites, and outside views of palm trees and the mountains. The restaurant on the terrace has a Mexican flavour. And it’s all just two kilometres from the beginning of the Palm and Tahquitz hiking trails.
For Great Value
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- 1960s motel on the outside, contemporary on the inside, the Ace Hotel & Swim Club is fun and affordable, with two pools and an expansive spa to give weight to its name. This hotel is also large enough to offer something for everyone, and it's close to the pleasures of Palm Springs, but also on the Joshua Tree National Park side, and not far from Salton Sea and Salvation Mountain.
- The Palm Springs Hotel is an elegant, 15 room hotel just minutes from downtown Palm Springs. The design and decor is simple and stylish, and rooms feature huge marble bathrooms and private cabanas. Shop in Palm Springs one day, and the next visit the Joshua Tree National Park.
- The Alcazar Palm Springs is a quiet, Uptown Palm Springs hotel with 34 simple, minimal rooms, a lovely pool and mountain views. See art on the walls around you, and dine well at local restaurants, but do it all very affordably.
For Staying Cool in the Desert
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- If you love the glamour of Palm Springs’ Hollywood heyday, the Parker Palm Springs is the ideal property for you; a modern version of the sumptuous classics, with great design features, three pools and two restaurants. The fact that even the spa evokes 60s cool really impresses the Gurus.
- What people want most when surrounded by mountainous desert on all sides might be ice cream or a cold beer...Either way ARRIVE Palm Springs has anticipated you with their ice-cream parlour and poolside bar serving craft beer. There’s no restaurant, but you’re within a short walk of many. And the 32 rooms and suites are known for their seriously high-end tech.
- The Villa Royale is a collection of spacious, beautifully designed villas about a mile and a half from Downtown Palm Springs. Some of the villas are totally private, while some are divided into rooms, but all are carefully decorated and feature an impressive collection of oil paintings. There are also three pools onsite, and a Mediterranean restaurant/bar.
- Built in the 1950s, the Holiday House has been totally made-over in a modern mid-century, Scandi style that seems to work beautifully against the desert backdrop There are just 28 rooms and suites, a pool — with cocktail bar — and a Californian restaurant. Adults only.
Still not sure where to book?