Spin and Margie’s Desert Hideaway

Spin and Margie's Desert Hideaway is really something special. In fact, when our photographer visited the wonderfully quirky Joshua Tree property in 2015, she described as "unlike any hotel I have ever experienced." The low-key boutique has been lovingly designed and decorated with a distinct personal touch by the owners, artists Spin and Margie, who have operated the property -- and imbued it with their special attention to aesthetic and detail -- since 2000.

The grounds are manicured cactus gardens filled with desert plants, hand-welded metal sculptures, vintage signage, cool found art, and pieces of Americana. (Fun signs remind guests to stay cool and relax!) Trees and umbrellas shade tables and chairs, which provide spots to read, lounge, or gaze at the stunning scenery, but most of the three-acre property is a sun-kissed expanse dotted with hacienda-style cabins. A shaded grill patio with a picnic table serves as the main social area, as well as bocce ball and horseshoe courts. In all, the hotel is the perfect place for Joshua Tree explorers wanting complete serenity and a personalized, one-of-a-kind experience.

Located just a 12-minute drive from the western entrance to Joshua Tree National Park and the Joshua Tree Visitors Center, Spin and Margie's Desert Hideaway is surrounded by mountains, blue sky, and the natural beauty of the Mohave Desert. There's nothing within walking distance and the hotel is three miles outside the town of Joshua Tree, between Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms. The popular resort town of Palm Springs is about a 45-minute drive to the southwest, through Morongo Valley.

With names like the Desert Rambler and the Mojave Wanderer, each of Spin and Margie's five cabins is wonderfully unique. All have been individually decorated with an artist's eye, and most have full kitchens and private patios. Though no two are identical, all have a Southwestern palette of turquoise, yellow, and burnt orange can be found throughout them all, as can common elements such as terra-cotta floors and ornate Mexican Talavera tile accents. Some have small couches, while others have leather club chairs, and hand-crafted Mexican tables are the focal point of sitting areas in the bedrooms, with flat-screen TVs and DVD players. All but one has a full kitchen with an oven, microwave, refrigerator, coffeemaker, and a little dining table. Colorful bathrooms are decorated with hand-laid stone tiles and some have shower/tub combinations, while larger cabins have walk-in showers and separate soaking tubs. Each cabin has its own big outdoor patio, walled off for privacy, with tables and chairs under shady pergolas.

The hotel's three acres of desert grounds are filled with sitting areas set amid a manicured arrangement of local flora and decorative fountains. Retro clamshell lawn chairs and umbrella-shaded tables provide spots to relax, and there are plenty of loungers and benches under the sun. The courtyard picnic area has a fire pit and gas barbecue grill, with horseshoes and a sandy bocce ball court nearby. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout and parking is included.