Maria E.
Yelp
I love it here SO MUCH. Boutique hotels have my heart and Pioneertown Motel is very unique in terms of its style and location. If you like desert vibes, Western history, and good food/drink, this is the place to be.
LOCATION: Pioneertown is amazing. It's an old film set built for the Hollywood era of Westerns. Most of the storefronts are just for show but there are a few that are open (a couple gift shops). Normally, they have more going on (an old bowling alley as well as a Western show -- both currently closed) but Covid has curtailed their offerings. Anyway, the hotel as well as the film set are magical. Also, you're within a reasonable driving distance of other awesome activities -- Joshua Tree National Park (currently open), the amazing Integratron sound bath (currently happening under the stars only), the International Crochet Museum, the Noah Purifoy Sculpture Garden, the Sky's The Limit Observatory and Nature Center (currently closed for astronomy events although the grounds are open), among others. Additionally, there are hammocks outside the rooms and lots of benches to sit and stargaze.
ROOMS: The rooms are decorated in a Western style and really cute. They are relatively simple and you won't find a television. I think that's done on purpose -- they want you to unplug and go look at the stars (I forgot to mention that even close to a full moon, the stars are magical around here). The WiFi worked well. They have a refrigerator in the room and provided two complimentary water bottles. No microwave though. Everything was really clean. The bed is comfortable and the shower is fantastic -- I had one of the best showers here. Maybe it's washing off all that dust or maybe it's the excellent heat and water pressure. Or perhaps all that. The AC unit worked really well. The room also came with vintage books -- Shakespeare, D.H. Lawrence, Plato. Oh and they offered you the opportunity to borrow them and mail them back once you're done. How neat! Also, the room came with several folding chairs that you could borrow (wish I knew that before I purchased a chair for the outdoor Integratron sound bath). Speaking of sound, it was very quiet here. I didn't hear any of the other guests through the walls.
FRONT DESK: Surprisingly accessible with very friendly staff. They have someone there from 8am until 5am. No need to worry about checking in late. Complimentary coffee in the mornings.
FOOD/DRINK: Pappy and Harriet's is just steps away. It's a well-known music venue with pretty solid food, great drink options, and an awesome atmosphere. They close at 930pm (currently) and always have a wait but they are really accommodating so if you get your name on that list, they should be able to seat you. Additionally, the Red Dog Saloon is a short walk away (also currently open until 10pm). Great place to grab a beer and some appetizers/snacks. Please note that both of these places are open Thursday through Monday only.
GETTING THERE/PARKING: Turn right before Pappy and Harriet's and keep going (past their large parking lot). You will see the entrance to the hotel on the left. Ample and easy parking there. If you're driving from LA, be aware of TRAFFIC and plan accordingly, particularly if you want to eat dinner at P&H (late check in isn't an issue at the hotel, thankfully). We drove from LA on a Friday and left at 330PM. We got there at about 8PM. It's a 2-hour drive but it took 4 1/2. Only an issue during peak traffic times (took 2 hours to get back on Sunday, early afternoon).
PRICE: The only problem, really. It's expensive. I believe I paid about $250 per night and it's probably not going to drop much lower than that. It was for my boyfriend's birthday so I splurged. In spite of that, they get plenty of bookings so if you want to stay here, make sure you book it in advance.