The Habibi House

Joshua Tree by Way of Moroccan Souks and Berber Villages

Habibi is an Arabic word that literally means “my love", and everywhere your gaze falls at Habibi House, a restored 1950s ranch in Joshua Tree, there is something to cherish. ​Consider the artwork in the bedroom, custom made for the home by Ojai-based illustration studio RealFunWow, which the owners say was “inspired by our magical landscapes out here”. 

A salvaged Moravian star light pendant has also found a bright second life in the living room, while poufs galore were found at a souk where the seller was nursing baby kittens back to health. The ultimate found object here is the gold sink, carried by the owners in a trash bag on planes, trains and automobiles, through Morocco.

What to do here? If it were up to us, we’d have hours-long dinners in the sunroom, and spill outside to sit around the fire pit and admire the stars. Can you forge an emotional bond with a home? In the name of Habibi, we think so, especially if we’re with the people we love most.

This farmhouse-style vacation rental in Joshua Tree has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, accommodating up to six guests. Completely private and tucked away, guests have exclusive access to the entire house and property, with a gated entrance and private yard. There is ample parking inside the property.

AROUND

Ensconced in a quiet neighborhood, down the street from the center of the quaint Joshua Tree Village, this ranch can keep you relaxed within it, or be your pre- and post-adventure haven. 

The area lies just 15 minutes from Joshua Tree National Park and thousands of acres of the Sand to Snow National Monument crisscrossed by hiking trails for miles of outdoor adventure. It’s only a three-minute drive to Joshua Tree's best restaurants, coffee, shops, and farmers markets, and the historic old western Pioneertown, a kitschy Hollywood relic founded in the 1940s as an authentic frontier town movie set, is a twenty minute drive, with a few shops, cafes and galleries to visit.

Less than an hour’s drive to Palm Springs, there are also a few interesting local museums and art venues such as the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum, and the famed Integratron. Further 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-hour drive. 

LOCATION

Joshua Tree, California. Nearest airport: Palm Springs International Airport (51 mins by car without traffic.) The owner recommends approaching Joshua Tree from Interstate 10 or California Highway 62 (the Twentynine Palms Highway).

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Year-round