The New York Times Style Magazine
Just 15 minutes from Joshua Tree National Park, an arrow-shaped sign beckons drivers off historic Route 62 and down brush-lined roads to the Mojave Desert’s newest accommodations, Hotel Wren. Initially built in the 1940s as a motor lodge, the 12-room hotel in Twentynine Palms, Calif., that opened in March offers kitchenettes and private patios that open onto the desert, along with access to a saltwater pool, hot tub and native plant garden. A two-and-a-half hour drive from Los Angeles and three-and-a-half hours from Las Vegas, the adults-only property was remodeled with an emphasis on tranquillity. The rooms, which feature pitched ceilings, vintage décor and furniture made in Joshua Tree, are absent of TVs. Though the original midcentury carport remains, the bones of the buildings were softened with hand-troweled plaster, corners were rounded and the floors were replaced with flagstones and tiles embedded with fossilized plant material and animal tracks. The on-site bodega, Windsong, is stocked with wine and provisions, including organic Italian pasta and tinned fish. There is also a community pantry with free herbs and seasonings, and the complimentary breakfast includes eggs and locally made bagels. The less-visited north entrance to Joshua Tree National Park is close by, but guests can just as easily take in the area’s rugged beauty from their rooms. Rates from about $330 a night, hotelwren29.com.