Villa Paloma

A Desert Home Designed for Kicking Back

This vacation home for rent in California sits on four acres of land in the high desert, tucked into the boulders, with views of Joshua Tree National Park. A 1952 homestead, it was reimagined by its owners, a musician and travel blogger, with the help of husband-and-wife design team Wolfgang and Connie Pichler who took inspiration from the owners' favorite travel destinations. 

The end result? A white adobe home that's a mix of Spanish coastal and Mexican handcrafted style, surrounded by ancient Joshua and juniper trees, agaves and ocotillos, with plenty of space for unwinding and indulging.

Structurally, Villa Paloma is made up of one house with two en-suite bedrooms and a separate casita, as well as an outdoor hot tub, cowboy tub, firepit, dining terrace, and cocktail bar with panoramic desert views. The three en-suite bedrooms are named for Mexican destinations. In the main house, you'll find Todos Santos and Oaxaca, while the casita, Jalisco, has its own living room, workspace, and queen bedroom.

Interiors are light filled, with white and earthy tones, onyx detailing, desert-inspired art pieces, and woven rugs. This is a home that was built for lounging, with plenty of space for friends to gather. Start in the living room with its 270-degree banquette sofa, the perfect place to strike up a conversation. Then head outside and fire up the barbecue for dinner on the shaded dining patio, or cocktails around the firepit.

Alternatively, grab a book from the small library of vintage tomes and hang out in the swing chair on the terrace. Stretch out on the elevated yoga deck, chill out in the cowboy tub, or climb into the hot tub and take in the stars. If you're loving the glorious solitude, relax in the freestanding tub in Todos Santos, soaking in views of the high desert rocks and blue skies overhead.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Ask about special treats, including guided meditation and healing hypnotherapy with a local spiritual teacher, guided tours of the stars from local company Sky Watcher, and private yoga classes. The house is also available for weddings, special events and photoshoots. Please inquire first as additional fees apply.

AROUND

This vacation home for rent in California is located in Yucca Valley, which is just 25 minutes by car from the west entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, a glorious destination filled with creosote bushes, ocotillo and cholla cacti, as well as its namesake trees.

The house is also only a few minutes from local restaurants and shops, and 15 minutes from Pioneertown, a kitschy Hollywood relic founded in the 1940s as an authentic frontier town movie set. Today, there are shops and galleries to visit, as well as the famous eatery and music venue Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace.

There are miles of outdoor desert adventure in the area as well as several unique attractions, such as the quirky folk-art installation that is Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum, and the famed Integratron, an energy machine said to be located on a powerful geomagnetic vortex. 

Palm Springs is less than an hour's drive away, and farther afield the San Jacinto mountains rise above the desert floor and are lined with miles of hiking trails at a cooler elevation. Indian Canyon and Palm Canyon are also within driving distance for rural getaways in the Coachella Valley area. Los Angeles is a two- to three-hour drive, depending on traffic.

LOCATION

Yucca Valley, Mojave Desert, California, US. Nearest airports: Palm Springs (45 mins), Los Angeles (2hrs 45mins).

BEST TIME TO VISIT: This is a year-round destination, but visit fall through spring for best temperatures.