Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [253]
Best Western Gardens Inn and Suites
71487 Twentynine Palms Hwy., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277. ☎ 800/528-1234 or 760/ 367-9141. Fax 760/367-2584. 84 units. A/C TV TEL. $79–$95 double, $119 suite. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.
Located on the main highway at the western end of town, the stucco-clad Best Western Gardens might be a predictable chain representative, but it's also more reliable than many of the funky roadside places you'll pass. The sparkling clean Best Western has some two-room suites with an extra sleeping area and kitchenette that make them perfect for families. One room has a hot tub. The motel has a fitness room, heated outdoor pool, laundry facilities, and whirlpool.
Joshua Tree Inn
61259 Twentynine Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree, CA 92252. ☎ 760/366-1188. Fax 760/366-3805. www.joshuatreeinn.com. 10 units. A/C TV. $75–$145 double. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DISC, MC, V.
Not all local lore has to do with pioneering miners and ranchers—and one former motel, now a gracious B&B, boasts of a more recent rock 'n' roll history. Built in the 1950s, the Joshua Tree Inn has been the choice of the Rolling Stones, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and the cast of Saturday Night Live. The lobby is decorated with posters of folk singersongwriter Gram Parsons, who died of a drug overdose here in 1973, and room 8 is dedicated to his memory, decorated with rock posters and psychedelic art. Legends aside, the low-slung adobe-style inn's rooms are basic but charming, surrounding a large pool near the west entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, though set back far enough from the main highway to escape most of the traffic noise.
Spin and Margie's Desert Hide-a-Way
Sunkist Rd. and Twentynine Palms Hwy. (P.O. Box 1092), Joshua Tree, CA 92252. ☎ 760/ 366-9124. www.deserthideaway.com. 4 units. A/C TV. $115–$145 double; $150 suite. AE, DISC, MC, V.
Words like "funky" and "eclectic" come to mind when describing Spin and Margie's, but they don't really do the place justice. Proprietors Mindy Kaufman and Drew Reese have seamlessly blended kitsch and high-desert style into one of the most stylish properties in the area. Featuring inflatable taxidermy, Our Lady of Guadalupe iconography, Navajo blankets, and Reese's photography, the rooms are artful and functional. They have sleeper sofas, foldout futons, TV/VCRs, CD players with excellent in-room libraries, and full kitchens. Outside, there's a great courtyard, a barbecue area, and plenty of shady nooks and off-kilter sculptures and found art. Just 3 miles from the park boundary and the center of the town of Joshua Tree, the Hide-a-Way is well removed from the bustle, but not ridiculously so.
29 Palms Inn
73950 Inn Ave., Twentynine Palms, CA 92277. ☎ 760/367-3505. Fax 760/367-4425. www.29palmsinn.com. 20 units, 3 guest houses. A/C TV. Sept–June $80–$160 double, $150–$300 guest house; July–Aug $50–$135 double, $110–$265 guest house. Midweek discounts sometimes apply. Rates include morning coffee and sweet breads. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.
In town but a world apart, this rustic, family-run inn dates from the 1920s. It consists of adobe cottages and cabins scattered among 70 acres of the Oasis of Mara, the other side of which holds the main visitor center for the park. It has gradually been discovered by Hollywood celebrities in need of a low-key resort dedicated to the art of relaxation. The breathtaking grounds feature an artesian pond shaded by the namesake 29 original palms, and sublime views of the desert mountains. The cozy cottages have distinct personalities;