Amargosa Opera House

Incredible little gem if you're passing by and are into history. It's amazing to think the whole place has been painted by one person. It's run by a non-profit and is 100+ years old so don't expect a 5 star hotel. Although saying this the beds are extremely comfy and the shower was great. No complaints over the rooms at all. The tour was extremely interesting too and well worth doing! Keep this little gem going and help if you're passing through.

This place is simply incredible: a living, breathing work of art. A single person's vision and crazy passion project, still stewarded by lovely, warm people who clearly care about it deeply. Yes, the rooms are basic, they're is no pool, and no TV. But you're coming here for the experience, and the great proximity to the east entrance of Death Valley National Park. There is literally nothing else to do in town: this is a relax and unwind without the modern world much intruding. Parking is easy, there is a shared fridge and microwave, our room was delightful, and the staff all fantastic. We'll absolutely be back!

What a fun place to stay with a great history. The room was quiet and it was convenient enough to go to Death Valley NP from. I just wish the end that used to have a deli and market reopens so it’s easier to grab a bite to eat. The staff was really nice and I was happy to be able to support their hotel by staying there.

We booked here as it was a good price and location was ideal for our next day adventures. Little did we known its amazing history created by actress, dancer and artist Marta Becket. The hotel hosts have the most amazing welcome. One of the best ever for checking into accomodation. We have stayed in many hotels. The hosts provide a daily morning and evening tour of the opera house and give an insight into the history of the town and building. I highly recommend booking onto it. The hotel is over 100 old, and has seen some recent damage due to unseasonal floods. The trust set up by late Marta Becket only rely on hotel bookings and tours revenue to update and maintain. The rooms are clean, basic but by god what a comfy bed. Best sleep our full trip! We traveled all the way from Edinburgh, Scotland but hope to return again.

We had a wonderful experience at the Amargosa Opera House Hotel during our journey to Death Valley. This unique and historic place offers more than just a night’s rest, it’s a step back in time. The charm of the historic building is truly captivating, and the sense of history is palpable throughout. I highly recommend taking the tour of the Opera House to fully appreciate the fascinating story of Marta Becket and her incredible legacy. It's a rare gem in the desert where art, history, and hospitality come together beautifully

This is a hotel that you either love or despise. There is no middle ground. The hotel is in the historic Amargosa Opera House complex, an amazing cultural building coming as close as you can come to the true "middle of nowhere". The artwork and murals are exquisite and yet everywhere, the walls are faded and cracking. The rooms are either nostalgic treasures or "faded lilies" past their prime, depending on your perspective. The Ritz-Carlton this is not. At the end of the day, you must decide for yourself if you want to immerse yourself in historical nostalgia or if the absolute isolation of the place is simply too much for you. Each to their own, in my view. Pro Tip It doesn't rain often here, although it is not accurate to say that it "never rains in Southern California." When it does rain, it tends to flood the hotel, making the opera house invisible, as happened to us once. In an extreme place like Death Valley, you must make a few allowances for the unpredictability of Mother Nature.

You should definitely stay at the Amargosa Opera House! This place has a unique historical vibe—it feels authentic, not like a cheap motel. There’s a daily tour of the opera theater where you can learn about Marta Becket. The rooms have AC, and the staff is super friendly. Please visit and help support the preservation of this amazing site!

I had a great night's sleep here. So calm and quiet. Super comfy bed. I didn't really care too much about the history or the dilapidation of the place. My home was built in 1750 and I don't have to put up with a lot of the issues being apologised for here. I didn't have a problem with the hot water - it seemed to work just fine. The shower did drip constantly which feels perverse in such a hot dry climate. The receptionist was nice and friendly and being able to park your car outside your room is great for lugging cases. The rags for cleaning the desert off your shoes and things was a really good idea but i guess was born out of some really selfish scum bags abusing the guest towels in the past. Sadly the toothpaste splatter over the taps and tiles from the previous guest ensured I didn't leave a suggested tip for housekeeping. For me this was great value - after all, you can't put a value on a great night's sleep.

The WiFi was slow. Had to turn the shower on for 15 minutes in order to get hot water. There's a musty smell to the carpet. The paint is peeling off the walls. The building is about 100 years old, so that's to be expected. But I could care less about that. This hotel has more character and charm than any that I've been to. The decor, paintings on the wall, and homage to Marta Becket make it so unique. Visiting Death Valley was memorable, but staying at the hotel made it extra special. If I wanted a stay with all the amenities, I'd stay at a chain hotel and spend twice the price - but it wouldn't be as lovely or as memorable as this place. Btw, we visited the beginning of March 2024 and the cafe was closed.

My wife and I took a great day trip from Las Vegas to Amargos Valley, about 30 miles from Death Valley National Park; to see this beautiful floor to ceiling Mural Painted opera house. We took the tour which was $15 a person and I, being an artist, was amazed by the color of the paintings that encompass the whole hotel and especially the opera house. Highly recommended for historical buffs, artists, photographers, and off the beaten path adventurers. The hotel was affected by flooding this past year and are still working to restore a few of the rooms and areas that received over 9" of water. The hotel does show its age with a lot of peeling paint on the exterior and interior of some of the rooms as well as parts of the opera house itself. Check it out , totally worth it, and support this Gem in the desert with a visit.

Go take the tour with Connie. Super fun. Super informative. Learn a little about the amazing life of Marta Beckett. You'll be happy you did!!!

I went for the tour and it blew my mind! Such a talented eccentric who turned this place into a work of art inside! You would never know driving by as it looks deserted. The photos here are just the lobby which is nothing compared to inside the opera house. Well worth the stop!

Fascinating History I have a passion for history and my review here is more focused on the history of the Amargosa Opera House and not the services provided at either the Opera or the Hotel. In October of 2016 I had the opportunity to take a weeklong trip through and around parts of Death Valley National Park with my mother. On the very last day of the weeklong trip, on the way to Las Vegas, we stopped at Death Valley Junction on CA-127 to get a coffee at Armargosa Café (Closed since then). We got curious about the place and ended up getting a short tour of the Opera House. What we saw and heard blew my mind in a good way! The town of Death Valley Junction (Amargosa in Spanish) was established in 1907. At some point its population peaked at a few hundred people, but it started to decline in mid-1900s after the Lila C. borax mine in Ryan, CA stopped operating in 1928. However, only a few years before that, architect Alexander Hamilton McCulloch was hired by the Pacific Coast Borax Company to design a Spanish Colonial Revival whistle stop at the center of which was the hotel, theater and office complex building, which now we know as the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel. As mentioned above, the town started to decline until 1967 when Martha Becket arrived! Martha, an American actress, dancer, choreographer and painter, and her husband were traveling through when they stopped to fix a flat tire. Martha started exploring what was left of the town while her husband was fixing the tire. She ended up falling in love with the place and rented Corkhill Hall (Now the Opera House) and started fixing it! Initially she painted the walls white and when the work was completed had her first performance there in February 10, 1968 in front of an audience of 12! Later that year there was a flood and more fixes had to be done. This time Martha decided to take a different approach to painting. She decided to paint her own audience on the walls and the ceiling! Each painting has a story behind it, but we do not have the space here to go through them. Martha's last performance at the Opera House was in February 12, 2012. She passed away on January 30, 2017, only a few months after my first visit. You can read more about the place and Martha here: Amargosa Opera House http://www.amargosaoperahouse.org Marta Becket, Dancer Who Built a Theater in the Desert, Dies at 92 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/03/arts/dance/marta-becket-dead.html

Wonderful tour, Connie did a great job. I had been here long ago when Marta was still with us. Connie gave an interesting history of some things I never knew,, not to be missed.

We just moved from Dayton, NV to Pahrump, NV. Wen't on a drive to view the surroundings and just drove by the Amargosa Hotel and Opera House. The place looked empty and deserted. Saw signs saying Open, turned around, opened the door and was greated by Sammie (worker). Sammie gave us a tour and was very informative and passionate about the Hotel and Opera House. WE HIGHLY SUGGEST TAKE THE TOUR!!! When we have friends visiting, we surely will take them here to visit.

What a place!! From the outside it looks like something from an old Western, and inside it has fewer amenities than the resorts in Death Valley itself, but we loved our stay at the Amargosa Opera House, and will never forget the story behind it. It was originally a barracks for workers at the borax mine nextdoor, but things connected to the war effort for WWII resulted in the mine closing, the barracks being abandoned and Death Valley Junction becoming a ghost town. Until in the 60's, when a dancer from New York named Marta Becket came through and had a vision -- she would turn the forgotten structure into a theatre, where she'd put on shows for whoever might pass through this desert wilderness on their way to who-knows-where. Marta was a fascinating figure, and the Amargosa gives a tour every morning to any guests interested in this odd place in the upper Mojave that she turned into a world of her own making. So glad we went here!

I have seen Marta Beckett's "sit down" show twice. She is a gem! What wonderful tales she tells and what a great talent she is. The Opera House is stunning. When you think that this one lady painted all the murals inside to be her audience, if no one came to see her dance, is astonishing. After the show, the Music Room a few doors down, is usually opened and the player piano with added instruments is played. It has excellent sound. I plan to return during this winter's season to see the new show, If These Walls Could Talk. I'm sure it will be fantastic, too! Don't miss a chance to get to Death Valley Junction and see the Amargosa Opera House and enjoy Marta's dream that she made a reality!

I hope Marta is ok and still kicking up her heals. I am sure she is! It looks like she is no longer performing the show. I am glad I got to see her. The website now lists the show as: "IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK" Inspired by Marta Becket Created & performed by Sandy Scheller

If These Walls Could Talk is a delightful show that has Marta in it but on video. It is a live show performed and created by Sandy Scheller using the murals that Marta Becket created. The show has mime, flamenco, gypsy, ballet, dancing and music is in 5 languages. It truly is an inspiration to Marta and you will feel and see Marta. The show is Saturdays at 7:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm. You will not be dissapointed. It is a great show for the family. Go to youtube type in Sandy Scheller amargosa to get previews of this show.

Reminiscing the hayday of Death Valley, Marta is so improperly proper. Marta tells the story of the Opera house and how she and her husband ended up at the Junction. She is quite the entertainer and a great dancer in her more youthful days. Funny, candid, great story teller, and charming Marta is. Refurbished to its early days, one of the most fascinating part of her life is the faith that she had that if they put on the performance, people would come. When they initially didn't, Marta spent several years painting motifs and wall art of imaginary audiences. What a vision. A truly must see and enjoy the show. Meet the world famous Marta Beckett in person, before the old gal kicks out - so to speak. Well worth the desert drive to Death Valley Junction.