Joshua Desert Retreats

Our family stayed in Adobe over Easter vacation. The place was peaceful and pleasant. However, the rental isn’t worth the endless hassle of trying to get back the security deposit. I have never experienced such a frustrating email exchange with so many excuses as with this company. My email inquiries were met with the following excuses; an absent bookkeeper, a lost check in the mail, and then progressed to an email including a scanned signed check that I never received. After reading the other reviews of the company on this site, I can see that some of these excuses are not original to our situation. I feel as though I’ve been bilked and that certainly isn’t the afterglow you want to experience after a stay in the desert.

We used Witt’s End and the Oasis as the base camp for our Joshua Tree National Park wedding recently, and we couldn’t have been happier with the experience. Both properties are gorgeous, well-​located, and clearly thoroughly thought out in terms of amenities and extras. It’s clear that a lot of time and effort went in to making sure guests would be comfortable and have plenty of options for passing the time.
Furthermore, working with everyone involved on the JDR side was smooth and pleasant. The staff was extremely responsive and accommodating to questions and requests, and it made the whole process very easy. I hope to be back for future stays!

Joshua Tree has always been considered a second home to us, so we really wanted to like this property. However, we had quite a few disastrous incidents which made that very hard for us. We arrived on a Friday night and all was working fine in the house. We had a great time with friends, and then the next morning the house started to fall apart. The kitchen sink in the main house completely clogged up, making it unusable and then it spread through the whole plumbing system and backed up all the sinks and toilets, also making those unusable. Judging by the incredible amount of Draino in the utility closet, this seemed to be a common thing. We tried using it, and it allowed the sink to drain slightly, but as soon as we used the water again it persisted with black ooze and a foul odor coming from it. We then had to do any sort of cleaning /​bathroom use in the lower house, which made it extremely difficult for a house full of people. Then the refrigerator in the main house stopped working, and the desert heat spoiled half our groceries. We tried to transplant the food to the refrigerator in the lower house, but that was quite a task lugging food back and forth between the houses to cook and then clean. Even with all this, we still tried to make the best of the situation. Saturday night we put a few logs in the fireplace and had a great time enjoying each other’s company in the beautiful desert landscape. We read on the information sheet that we had to fill out a sheet in order to document how much wood we used, however there was no sheet to fill out. On check-​out there was also supposed to be a check-​out sheet, but that was nonexistent as well. After the stay, I politely emailed the property manager Nick to express the hardships we faced that weekend, and he thoroughly apologized and offered us 40% on our next stay, also stating that he was going to expedite our security deposit refund, which by our signed contract stated it would be returned no later than 21 days. This however was not the case, and 2 ½ months went by with countless emails to him when finally I stated I would be taking the company to court if he didn’t refund my deposit immediately. After this he finally deposited the refund in my bank account, and we come to find that he deducted $ 80 from the deposit because he charged us for an excess amount of wood which we never even used, and supposedly sent a check to us in the mail which we never received, and he had to cancel the check? Um, so we are responsible for you sending a check to the wrong address? I told him from the get-​go that he could PayPal me the deposit, as that was the initial form of payment we used for the property and this would have solved this whole backup from the get-​go. Nick also went on to tell us that he tried wiring money to my account, but the wire bounced back and that’s why it took so long for me to receive the security deposit. I receive wires weekly from work, so this was clearly another error on the company’s fault. I tried contacting Nick about receiving the additional $ 80 back, but he has now stopped answering my emails and blatantly ignoring me. I have stayed in over a dozen houses in Joshua Tree, and never once ever had this much of a nightmare with a house. I initially was not going to write a review of what happened because I understand the hardships behind rental properties, but after being ripped off this last $ 80 and Nick being non-​communicative, I wanted to share this experience with guests considering this rental company to save them a future nightmare scenario.

Once again, a reminder that Wonder Valley might be the most stressful place on Earth. Skype calls, traffic, the rat race… wait, that’s LA. Nick you are amazing! Every house is fantastic and so beautiful… and The Palms is so close. Thank you so much!

I just have to say what a pleasure it’s been working with Nick House over at Joshua Desert Retreats. He attended to every need I had and I am happy to say they have a customer for life.
THANK YOU,
Nadav Wilf

First of all, I must say that our space in 29 Palms was very cool and well decorated and we had an amazing time. If you can tolerate their corporate bullshit of red tape, excessively long contracts, and constant «my apologies» without actually solving any of the problems, then it might be a great option for getting out into the desert.
For me, however, there are so many reputable websites for finding and booking lodging, that I will look elsewhere before using their services again. Their rental agreement, for example, required us to declare, under penalty of perjury, the number of their campfire logs we burned.
Here’s what needs to be improved:
1. The Hot Tub Was Broken and there was absolutely no plan to repair it.
This was frustrating, because it was a feature that we specifically paid extra for (that’s right: you pay extra to use the hot tub). Worse yet, these guys had no plan in place for getting it repaired. Instead of solving the problem on our behalf, they gave us a series of local phone numbers and told us to get in touch with «their guy» to take care of it ourselves. When we finally got a hold of him, «their guy» wasn’t even in town.
2. They Took Almost a Month to Refund the Deposit and Passed the Pay Pal Fees Onto US.
I reached out to Joshua Desert Retreats a couple weeks after the trip because I hadn’t received the security deposit. They said there was a problem with their system and it would be sent out imminently. Problems happen, I get it. But good customer service means pre-​emptive communication, and I wish they would have bothered to give me a call and explain the situation in advance.
From there, it took several more weeks of back and forth and badgering and «sorry, we thought this was going to be solved by now» before finally releasing the check. A few weeks before our trip, I paid the $ 250 deposit through Paypal. but the refund came back at $ 228. The reason for this deduction is that they happily pass along PayPal’s service fees onto their customers. So I basically had to pay Paypal $ 20 for the right not to trash their cabin.
Did going through these guys ruin the vacation? No. You can still have a great time dining with friends at a sub-​par restaurant. I just wish that they made the entire experience from first contact to the receipt of the security deposit much more like vacation and much less like a day at the DMV.

More than a couple rotations around the sun ago, we spent a magical weekend at the Adobe property. Stars and the remnants of billions year old galaxies shone through the night sky and no better a seat had, than from the comfort of the spa.
The location was central to the JP entrance and all the «night-​life» downtown. I wish I could recall the delicious breakfast joint located in a hotel, just adjacent to a tropical lagoon. Ask around… I’m sure the locals will direct you in the right direction.
Of our most cherished of memories, were the swine-​inspired bbq and the «driving-​range» just off the patio. I think she found way too much enjoyment in my fetching of golf balls all over the property (even in cactus ;).
Looking forward to our next adventure in Joshua Tree.
Cheers.

Absolutely wonderful! We stayed at Wikiup for my husbands birthday and the booking process was very easy and personable. Nick was very nice which makes a difference with this sort of thing. I hate going places where rules are shoved down your throat and any misstep will cost you money. With them it was very simple — if you’re not a dummy and you are respectful then you are fine. (They didn’t actually say that). There weren’t signs everywhere telling you what you can and can’t do which makes staying at places very stressful. — This happened to me in Big Bear which is why it’s a thing for me.
ANYWAY — Also the place was very clean and simple and the kitchen was well equipped so you could make dinners there. And there were beds to accommodate everyone so that was good.
Finally, the view — ah, the view was amazing. And it’s dog friendly!!! A big plus and a big reason we’ll be able to come back!
Thanks for a wonderful weekend!

We had an absolutely amazing time at Zen-​Go this past weekend. It was truly a relaxing, inspiring, and eye opening location. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect place to hold a spiritual/​academic retreat.
The photos don’t do this place justice, there is so much attention to detail all around the house. Inside and out.
My group and I enjoyed cooking many meals together, with plenty of space to eat and spread out which was made possible by the well kept kitchen with plenty of dishes and silverware.
Additionally, we were lucky enough to have our rental time coincide with the Geminid Meteor Shower and were in the perfect environment for viewing over 40 shooting stars!
Can’t wait to come back to this place.

What a delightful time we had at your Joshua Tree Resort… we stayed at the Wits End for my birthday celebration with 8 of my friends… my friends are accustomed to 5 star resorts (Vegas style), so it was a stretch to convince them to come to the desert… but we are ALL so thrilled we did!
From the drive to the property, to the moment we first stepped into the house, we immediately felt a calmness come over us… The décor of each of your properties is quirky and fun and very well appointed! Each of us had our own unique experience, but one by one, we all fell in love with the peace and serenity of the desert! All of us have a connection to nature that none anticipated… THANK YOU for providing us with such a phenomenal canvas to reconnect to all of God’s beauty!!!

I stayed at one of the Joshua Desert Retreats properties many years ago (so many, in fact, that Unilocal wasn’t even A Thing yet…). I remembered it being a really fantastic guest house with lots of privacy and amenities, and got to thinking it would be nice to visit again. After perusing the JDR website my husband and I settled on Jackalope for a week long stay in April. The booking process was easy and John was incredibly accommodating, even extending the return guest discount to us (despite not having any Unilocal record of my long-​ago visit).
About a week before our scheduled stay, I got a call from John saying that Jackalope was being occupied by someone who wanted to extend their stay into the time we had booked it. He offered us an upgrade to Witt’s End– obviously a very extravagant property for just two people! It turned out to be a truly spectacular week in the desert, and we made pretty good use of the three houses and two hot tubs. In fact, we preferred the bedroom in one house and the bathroom in the other, so we really got our money’s worth.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the attention to detail is incredible. Walking across the property, we came across art installations (including a random 7-​foot carving of a bear), games (horseshoes, bocce, ping pong, golf) and FLOWERS. Oh my. So many flowers! I mean, Joshua Tree National Park was stunning, and we spent a couple of days there, but the flowers at Witt’s End kinda blew the ones in the park right out of the water. So to speak. We spent a lot of time scoping out flora and fauna, including TONS of albino looking lizards and really fast moving bunnies.
The houses at Witt’s End are incredibly well-​stocked, so if you’re headed there, it’s probably best that you do an inventory of what’s in the pantry *before* doing a shopping trip. There are lots basics (oils and spices), as well as random condiments. Additionally, you’re covered for blended drinks and toaster needs– there are plenty of modern appliances available. We’re a little weird, so we brought a juicer and cuisinart (hey, we were there for a week!), but those were about the only appliances we *didn’t* find when we got there.
Finally, I just want to say a few words about the sky. The desert sky is really something. If you haven’t gone into the desert and stared at the sky, I suggest you do, because there is just so much of it. And I really paid attention this time, because we were there for the lunar eclipse and it was quite seriously one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Outdoor fireplace + hot tub + lunar eclipse = the total package.

We had such a wonderful spring break in 29 Palm at the house of «Wikiup».
Joshua Desert rentals is so accommodating– making sure myself and a group of friends were very comfortable, providing us with a beautiful location for our getaway.
The house is very secluded and spacious. We had an awesome weekend cooking, relaxing in the jacuzzi, hiking, climbing, relaxing on the hammock, roasting marshmallows in our fire pit, and so much more.
Thanks to John and JTR we had a wonderful spring break– we will definitely be retreating with them again.

My friends and I stayed at the Zen-​Go property and had a fabulous time. It’s a super remote, awesome desert property and a great getaway from city life. Close to Joshua Tree State Park. The amenities were perfect for our group: fully stocked kitchen, great fire pit, pool and ping pong table. If you’re looking for a fun trip to the desert, would highly recommend.

It was my first trip to Joshua Tree and Greg and his associates at Joshua Desert Rentals made it a great experience. We didn’t have the best of luck finding a place that accommodated our group of six and we were beginning to feel like we might have to cancel. We luckily found Zen-​Go in the darkest hour. Thanks to JDR, we were able to have an awesome weekend with friends roasting marshmallows by the fire pit and battling it out over the ping pong table. Also, the kitchen has everything you need to cook up a feast and the pool was a perfect retreat to cool off and enjoy the sunset. This place has everything you need for a large group when visiting Joshua Tree.
I’m definitely going back! Thanks Greg!

Our experience with Joshua Desert retreats was perfect from beginning to end. We stayed at Zen Go, a beautiful cabin with an Asian meditative theme. The owner spared no expense in really creating a vibe and aesthetic here that lives up to the name, from the lighting to the rugs to the awesome large dinner table which we used to cook meals and have family style dinners on every night. The place is FULLY LOADED… Don’t make the mistake we did of over packing, because it’s taken care of for you! Kitchen wares, linens, towels, shampoos, cooking supplies… Done! Really allowed us to just settle in and relax. The place was loaded with amenities like a pool, games, ping pong table, horseshoe, and full entertainment center! This was a real 5-​star experience for such a bargain, and the folks at Joshua Desert Retreats who made it all happen were polite, professional, and super accommodating. I won’t use any other company for future trips to Joshua Tree. Thanks for an amazing unforgettable weekend!

My husband and I stayed at Jackalope cabin the last week of February, and it was a very relaxing atmosphere. John made the reservation process easy, and the cabin was meticulously clean and comfortable. It seems that everything you might need has been considered and provided. We drove the short distance to Joshua Tree National Park and enjoyed a day of hiking and sightseeing, then came back to enjoy cocktails, a hot tub, and fire in the back yard. The completely fenced back yard was great for our two dogs, and the silence of the desert invited reading and some good rest. No wifi, or at least not when I was there, and not a lot to do but relax, which was fine with us.

Witt’s End is one of the most beautiful and coolest properties that I have ever stayed at in the desert! So great in fact that if it were an option, I’d want to buy it!
Great for large groups, with 3 houses on the property. Great outdoor space and lots of comfortable seating. They really thought of every detail, including hot tub, ping-​pong and pool tables!
And working with Joshua Tree Desert Retreats was so easy and drama-​free. A great space that I will definitely rent again.

I freaking love Joshua Desert Retreats’ Twentynine Palms location. My graduate program has an annual retreat and we’ve stayed at Oasis/Witt’s End for the past two years and had a fantastic time. I booked through John, who was magnificent about working with me to figure out which of their accommodations would be best for my group: he was very communicative, offered a lot of helpful ideas/​information, and generally made organizing a 20+person retreat dream-​smooth.
The houses themselves were fantastic. Witt’s End sleeps 14 (it’s got a main house with a kitchen, a bunk-​style house with pool table, ping pong and other games, and a little rom with two twin beds that ended up being perfect for people who wanted a peaceful place for their pets to hang out), and Oasis sleeps six. Both properties have hot tubs, fully equipped kitchens, communal living areas, very comfortable furniture, and huge fun desert lots that are kind of perfect for running around, lounging, reading, partying, you name it. The kitchens are fully stocked with cooking and servingware and lots of pantry staples (salt, spices, etc. — everything you always intend to bring then forget); there are towels and books and bed linens. Literally all you have to bring here is food and yourself! It’s perfect for a retreat because you get the desert isolation of camping, the comfort of a hotel or cabin and the seriously-don’t-stress-they’ve-taken-care-of-EVERYTHING of … well, I don’t know. I don’t remember the last time in my life I haven’t had to worry about some detail or other.
Probably my favorite thing about Witt’s End and Oasis, though, is how much personality they have. There are tons of little nooks in the Witt’s End lot (where I spent most of my time) where you find lawn furniture or a set of golf clubs or a random statue or – I mean, find out yourself. Same in the houses: there are games and books and hats and desert art and awesome, unusual decorative lights on the porch. Staying in Witt’s End is kind of like staying in the home of someone you’ve never met but you immediately know you’d like very, very much. Spacious yet intimate, great place to bond with a group.
Hard to beat the distance from Josua Tree National Park too, of course. And perfect place for meteor-​watching. I saw twenty-​three in my first two nights there this year, and November isn’t exactly prime meteor-​watching season!

My boyfriend and I went out to Joshua Tree this past October to film a project at High Desert Test Sites and we just had the best time staying at «Joshua Desert Retreats.»
Here are some highlights from our stay (to name a few!):
1. So spacious, with the 3 bedrooms, couches and cots you could sleep at least ten people very comfortably
2. Cushy couches in the den to relax on after a long day in the sun
3. Hot tub — perfect way to enjoy the countless stars on a cool night
4. One mile or so from «The Palms», Wonder Valley’s very own saloon
5. Kitchen was pretty well equipped for a vacation rental
6. Air conditioning came in handy!
7. Very thoughtful décor, the house boasted danish modern furniture and enjoyable paintings
We had such a lovely time and truly felt at home, I would definitely recommend it to my friends and we would go back in a heartbeat!

When you’re looking to escapee a concrete jungle and get in touch with nature, a hotel or motel just didn’t seem like the appropriate option. After some extensive searching on the internet for homes that embraced character, we found the Godwin Ranch through Joshua Desert Retreats — what a magical find.
Originally we had intended our trip focus around a rock-​climbing course, but I never made it to class, we were having too much fun having outdoor dinner/​pool parties, hiking and bouldering on our own time.
The character of this place perfectly encompasses a cowboy getaway. From the bull’s skull mounted between two wagon wheels, to the outdoor arm chairs to melt into as you gaze the landscape, adjacent a perfect breakfast table, a full gadget kitchen, a cozy little pool to escape the heat and my favorite, the back patio — with horse shoe, golf clubs, swinging outdoor bed, swings, and fire place to indulge in smores while remembering what the stars look like.
We can’t wait to return to the Godwin Ranch for an encore.