Must-see hotels in The Deserts

In the northern reaches of the park, this first-come, first-served campground has only 30 spaces and is a handy base for Ubehebe Crater and Racetrack Rd…

This former haunt of Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe and other old-time celebs has been reborn as a chic mid-Century Modern retreat. Connect with the era over…

The park's busiest campground is within strolling distance of the visitor center as well as the restaurants, store and other facilities of Furnace Creek…

Popular with hikers, this campground is cradled by whimsically eroded volcanic rock walls and has 35 sites for RVs and tents available on a first-come,…

This posh resort highlights whimsical decor by Jonathan Adler in public areas and rooms that include a villa once owned by Gene Autry. Stroll the lovely…

This privately managed cluster of campgrounds has a lovely lakefront setting and offers more amenities than most sites, including outdoor play areas and…

This rustic campground has 44 tent and nonhookup RV sites in a cool, green-valley refuge set around a replica of the Butterfield Stage Station. Sites come…

Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack once frolicked poolside at this newly spruced 1964 tiki-style motor lodge. Wrap up the day with a tropical potion in the…

The name keeps its promise with 124 spaces tucked among lovely rock formations, making it the largest site in the park. Bonus: sheltered rock alcoves that…

You can't get any closer to the lake when staying at this central resort where every room has water-facing balconies or patios. Updated rooms have knotted…

The hot colors of a desert blooming with wildflowers animate this updated mid-Century Modern hotel (pronounced Sah-wa-ro). Three stories of rooms look…

A class act with character, this mountain lodge has 162 rustic-chic rooms close to the lake shore, most with private balconies. Note that a daily resort…

Set back from the highway, Texas Springs has tenter-friendly first-come, first-served sites with fire pits and tables and also has water and flush toilets…

The national park service operates nine campgrounds on a first-come, first-served basis (exception: Furnace Creek between mid-October to mid-April)…

This roadside motel has 17 contemporary rooms with dark furniture, laminate floors and comfy beds set around a shaded courtyard. Five come with…

At this 1897 antique-filled B&B, lace curtains, claw-foot tubs and other paraphernalia painstakingly evoke a bygone era. Rates include two-course…

Kenny and Bonni came back from retirement to pour their hearts and cash into creating this solar-powered eight-room motel in the heart of Borrego Springs…

Clean, tidy cabins and cottages, some with wood-burning fireplaces, air-conditioning and kitchens, are an easy walk from Idyllwild’s town center. The…

Darling and central campground with 31 first-come, first-served sites sporting fire rings for cooking meals and picnic tables for eating them. Boulders…

A hospitable innkeeper makes this simple country guesthouse on scenic Lake Gregory a worry-free place to lay your head in 10 tidy, just-like-home rooms…