In California’s high desert, just minutes outside of Joshua Tree National Park, a new hotel emerges as a dreamy, otherworldly escape. The area’s first new-build hotel in over 15 years, Reset Hotel takes a minimalist, pared-back approach to its design that allows the raw desert landscape to be the primary focal point. Its 65 minimalist, thoughtfully-designed rooms are reminiscent of shipping containers, and each offers its own private patio for greater connection with the outdoors. Sitting on an expansive 180 acres of desert terrain and with mountain views, it’s an idyllic setting to retreat and restore.
Wallpaper* checks into Reset Hotel, Joshua Tree
What’s on your doorstep?
The hotel sits at the edge of Joshua Tree National Park, which means spectacular views and convenient access to the desert beyond. The park’s northern entrance is only minutes away, with desert trails that meander through striking rock formations, a hidden palm tree oasis, and the park’s namesake Joshua trees. It’s also possible to explore Reset Hotel’s sprawling 180-acre property, with trails in the high desert terrain, quite genuinely steps from your doorstep.
The tiny town of Twentynine Palms is also only minutes away, complete with vintage boutiques filled with cowboy boots and 1970s-era clothing, independent and locally-owned shops, and a vibrant art scene complete with galleries and public art scattered across the desert. There's even an eighties-themed escape room. Restaurants are well worth a visit, such as enjoying Caribbean-inspired dishes under twinkling lights at Kitchen in the Desert, or stopping by La Copine for seasonal dishes in nearby Yucca Valley. Or try Más o Menos, housed in a 1950s-era Spanish-style building, which serves coffees, cocktails, and natural wines from day to night. Find more recommendations in our local's guide to Joshua Tree.
Who’s behind the design?
The design was led by local firm Gry Space and Reset Hotel co-founder Benjamin Uyeda. Uyeda, a designer and architect, developed the core architecture of the hotel, as well as creating custom wooden furniture pieces in the rooms, such as collapsible desks, built-in shelving, and more. Gry Space, led by Emi Kitawaki and Jen Whitaker, were brought on to shape the hotel’s visual identity and lead the interior design with a focus on the 3,000-square-foot clubhouse and coworking area, the guest-facing reception, as well as the outdoor dining, lounge, and pool areas. ‘We came in to do the interiors, and softened the space from something industrial to a more soft brutalism,’ explains Whitaker.
Materials were chosen for their ability to both flow with the landscape as well as hold up in harsh conditions. Gry Space opted for ‘materials that felt permanent in a place of impermanence,’ as Kitawaki notes, including steel, concrete, and black-stained wood. This palette of natural textures and muted tones defines the interiors while creating a sense of flow with the desert landscape. There’s a true blur between indoor and outdoor, with tranquil rock gardens and large boulders that serve as accent pieces.
Many of the hotel’s elements were custom-designed, such as the check-in counter fabricated from oxidised steel and hand-patinated by Gry Space, or the lounge chairs in the hotel’s common areas designed and made by both Gry Space and Uyeda. Curated art by Gry Space features throughout the space, such as a wooden sculpture by Aleksandra Zee, a resin painting by Andreas Anastasis, as well as custom-made earth-toned ceramics by Tony Soares.
The room to book
All rooms at Reset Hotel are intended for a peaceful retreat in the desert, with each including a private patio for outdoor lounging. For the most dreamy desert experience, the hotel’s Mountain View King with Outdoor Tub may just be the pick. A wide bedside window means you’ll wake up to views of the mountains and might spot desert rabbits from your bedside. Outdoors, a generously sized stone soaking tub invites relaxation in the fresh air.
Across all guestrooms, private patios feature a Solo Stove firepit, and the hotel provides Celestron telescopes on request to turn the patio into a private stargazing platform. In-room pour-over coffee stations allow for a leisurely start to the day, and the hotel’s spa-inspired bathrooms include natural, garden-scented bath products from Los Angeles’ Flamingo Estate.
Staying for drinks and dinner?
There’s no official restaurant at Reset Hotel, but the on-site Split Rock Cafe & Bar offers breakfast every day, as well as cocktails and small bites on weekends. In the mornings, enjoy a fluffy egg sandwich or a protein-infused power waffle as you lounge poolside. On weekends, desert-inspired cocktails such as the Embers with smoked agave, hibiscus and honey, or the honey bourbon Ginger Rise with citrus, are delightful served alongside small bar snacks and sandwiches.
For dinners, guests are welcomed to explore the surrounding area, or dine in-room with the Solo Stoves on each room’s outdoor patio. Cooking kits, complete with grilling tools, plates, and more, are provided upon request for a meal under the expansive desert sky. A small, self-serve shop offers grab-and-go snacks and drinks throughout the day.
Where to switch off
While the entirety of the experience is intended for relaxation, perhaps the best place to begin is at the hotel’s 1,600-square-foot saltwater pool. With views of the mountains, the enticingly cool waters and shaded loungers make for a strong draw on the hot desert days. Gry Space intentionally chose minimal, low-profile furnishings to keep the attention on the landscape within the pool area. ‘We work a lot with negative space, and it was about removing the unnecessary,’ explains Kitawaki. ‘That’s what we focused on because we don’t want to overstep nature. The mountain and the sky and the stars, that’s the show.’ When temperatures drop at sunset, a nearby jacuzzi tub offers added relaxation.
Elsewhere on the property, an infrared sauna and cold plunge offer a further dose of wellness, and yoga sessions are also offered for guests on Saturdays. Further into the desert, the hotel’s Moonpad is an interactive 30-foot sculpture, designed to be lounged upon for taking in the area’s astonishingly clear night skies.
The verdict
At a time when wellness and slowing down can sometimes feel like an afterthought or trendy add-on, instead, it feels effortlessly natural at Reset Hotel. The location is just far enough from Palm Springs or Los Angeles to feel like you’ve escaped into nature, yet still not too far to be out of reach. Amenities are thoughtfully chosen instead of overloaded, with the emphasis placed on what often helps us reset the most: time well-spent in nature, whether under the stars, exploring the desert, or simply gazing at the mountains beyond.
Reset Hotel is located at 7000 Split Rock Ave, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277, United States