The Honu Villa

Unadulterated Desert Beauty

Tranquil and pure, with its long, low profile embracing the arid landscape right outside its doors, this desert residence reveals an affinity for the neutral and natural. Earth tones imbue the space with a taming softness, while floor-to-ceiling glass washes the rooms in filtered desert sunshine. Handmade furnishings and fixtures complement the serene, contemplative vibe—set against neutral plasters, clays, pottery and foraged botanicals.

A dining table for eight and three bedrooms with private patios make the home ideal for easygoing gatherings and inspired entertaining. And a pool, jacuzzi and outdoor cooking/dining area push into the rugged desert wilds, offering wide open views and a sparkling sweep of desert stars by night.

Around

Located about a mile down a dirt road from the center of the small town of Joshua Tree, and about a 25-minute drive to the National Park’s entry, the home stands on a gentle mesa, with 365-degree desert views obstructed only by boulder outcroppings, spikey Joshua Trees and prickly scrub brush. A scenic drive into town leads to Joshua Tree’s main drag, a road dotted with vegan, organic, and veggie cafes, tiny grocers, coffeeshops, and old school diners, roadhouses and saloons, the latter with live music and an eclectic, hippie-meets-biker-meets-Vanlife outdoorsy crowd.

California’s rugged Mojave Desert is home to Joshua Tree National Park, retro glam Palm Springs and the artistic playground of the Coachella Valley, but there’s also Hollywood remnant Pioneertown, once a wild west movie set, and a smattering of other gritty, sandy, earth muffin-inhabited smaller outposts/communities in the desert. Outdoor adventures are abundant in the area. Hiking, mountain biking and rock-climbing can all be had in and around Joshua Tree National Park and the Yucca Valley, and day trips to the cooler landscapes of the San Jacinto mountains, or Indian Canyon and / or Palm Canyon are easy drives away.

Golf courses, restaurants, bars and classic architecture fill the mid-century modern oasis of Palm Springs. And arts and crafts by local makers range from apothecaries offering hydrating creams and cosmetic potions, to natural dye and handsewn boutiques, to rock and crystal shops. Art options range from the Noah Purifoy Foundation, a found and repurposed art installation in the wild, to the questionably World Famous Crochet Museum (a tiny installation behind Joshua Tree's inmissable Art Queen store), to sleek modernist and contemporary showplaces in Palm Springs.

Location

Nearest airport: Indio/Palm Springs (30 miles)

Best time to visit

Year-round