Villa Kuro

Mid-Century Hideaway in Joshua Tree

This mid-century, ranch-style home was built in 1962 but has recently been restored by a Los Angeles-based husband-and-wife team, who wanted to create a minimalist desert sanctuary using a blend of raw, natural materials and contemporary luxuries.

It's a great location for it, just minutes by car from the west entrance of the ever-alluring Joshua Tree National Park, with close proximity to great hiking trails as well as the town itself.

The house is situated on 3.6 acres of unfenced land, right in front of a giant stack of boulders. Just underneath the boulders is a salt-water hot tub that fits four, as well as an outdoor shower. There's also a firepit with sweeping views of the surrounding desert, a rock and cactus garden courtyard, and a tea room with expansive sliders on both sides that open into the courtyard and the views beyond. All of which make the garden the ideal place to hang out and stargaze.

Inside, the house has a combination of high-end pieces, custom-made designs, vintage and antiques collected from around the world. The space is open-plan with large windows, a neutral palette of soft whites, creams and browns, and a sweeping concrete floor. We love the exposed wooden beams, the woven textures of the basketry and rugs, and the oversized huge kitchen island. But really it's all about those views...

This modern vacation rental in Joshua Tree is the ideal escape for a family or group of friends wanting to run away from it all -- and see for themselves why everyone loves Joshua Tree.

Villa Kura has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and sleeps up to four guests, making it a great choice for a couple or group of friends. The property is easily accessed on paved roads, but there are no street lights at night, making the approach very dark.

DESERT FUN

This modern vacation rental in Joshua Tree is located 11 minutes by car from the west entrance of the National Park, and 6 minutes from downtown Joshua Tree. There’s a trailhead just five minutes’ walk from the house that’s owned by the Mojave Land Trust and free of charge.

There are miles of outdoor desert adventure in the area as well as several unique attractions and interesting local museums and art venues such as the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum, and the famed Integratron.

Palm Springs is less than an hour’s drive and fuather 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 airports: Palm Springs (50 mins), Ontario (1 hour 35 mins), Orange County (2 hours), Long Beach (2 hours 20 mins), Los Angeles (2 hours 30 mins), San Diego (2 hours 40 mins).

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Year round, but Spring and Fall for best weather.