2 Best Hotels in Twentynine Palms, Palm Springs and the Desert Resorts

Accommodations at the closest lodging to Joshua Tree National Park's north entrance are in adobe-and-wood-frame cottages, some dating from the 1920s and '30s (indeed, James Cagney was often found playing the piano in the inn's bar back in the day), set on 70 acres of grounds that include the ancient Oasis of Mara, a popular bird-watching spot, and the organic farm that provides produce to the on-site restaurant. The innkeepers' gracious, personalized service more than makes up for the rusticity of the cottages. Weekends see free nature walks and yoga sessions.

When this stone mansion was built back in 1925 (by a WW I vet who married into a wealthy family before being sent to the desert as a remedy for mustard-gas exposure), no expense was spared, as evidenced by the 50-foot-long great room's planked-maple floor, the intricate carpentry, and the huge stone fireplaces that warm the house on cold nights. Accommodations include two-bedroom suites in the main house, rooms in the converted barn, and cottages—one of them by the pool and hot tub—sprinkled across 25 secluded acres amid Washingtonia palms. Amenities vary by room but can include private patios, firepits, fireplaces, and kitchenettes.