Villa Anita DV

A one-night stay at this desert jewel in Death Valley. What a mistake! If we’d stayed for a week or a month it still wouldn't have been long enough to appreciate the crazy excess and the exquisite details of the rooms, the art, and the welcome. Carlo and Jack have clearly poured their souls and their unique talents into Villa Anita. It’s restful but so alive. Just like Death Valley, it’s like nowhere else on earth. Food was excellent and generous. We had a fabulously rich time there. And sooo much FUN! Utterly memorable. Thank you for the experience Carlo and Jack, we were lucky to find you.

What a true gem! I have been staying with Carlo And Jack at Villa Anita every time I pass through Tecopa for the past 10 years. be prepared for an adventure! The art is incredible, the atmosphere is magical, and the food is delightful. Highly recommended!

Me and my girlfriend Dani tried this place for the first time and let me tell you it was absolutely Amazing between the creations on the property to the incredible breakfast and the two owners are both loving, caring individuals with Amazing stories about everything on property. We loved it so much that we planned a return trip very soon and are very eager to explore more. Thanks for being so kind and caring, it's hard these days to find such incredible individuals. Love love it, we will be back soon to what now is are favorite vacation spot.

I didn't rate the rooms because we visited for a tour, so I cannot speak to that experience. However, my sister booked a tour and lunch today for myself and for our friend and it was one of THE LOVELIEST days that we have spent in a LONG while! I went in without much knowledge and I think that served me well. Although I am typically shy, I was immediately [fully] enraptured by the creative energy, art, imaginative endeavors, inspiring conversation, and adorable pups of the estate! I have written and rewritten my review several times, only to end up simplifying this experience to this: do you cruise at your own speed? Connect well? Connect rarely? Want to feel joy and physically walk around in a dream realized?!?! (One that continues to grow and evolve?) OF COURSE YOU DO. Go dose yourself with a little art, a little perspective, a little shared experience, and some seriously delicious food. The only thing I regret?Waiting so long to visit!!! Be better than me. Go now.

Absolutely whimsical, wonderous, spec·tac·u·lar!, magical, unique, and dreamy all wrapped up in an actual fairy tale. Everyone was so warm, inviting, friendly, kind, exciting, genuine, and so many more comforting adjectives that if I keep writing you would just be reading the dictionary. There are so many words and not just one word to describe the breath taking art and views that are Villa Anita. It was like walking into my dreams that I have had since I was a child. It filled my heart with so much warmth, creativity, and wonder. Doggos were a great touch as they were all super friendly and loved being cuddled. I just wish I would of known about this place sooner because it would of been my every weekend getaway. I wiah i could of contributed to the growing art, murials, and memorials. No matter where you looked there was always something beautiful to take in. They provided us with a beautiful spread of vegetarian gluten free delicious plates that was perfect for a summer day. Carlos, Jack, and Weston have their own slice of a paradise oasis secret garden that they are more then willing and nice enough to share. I could put up a thousand pictures and it still would never be enough. Everything is for sale as well just in case you fall completely in love and can't live without. But who am I kidding I wanted everything in there!

There are places you visit and then there are places that visit you. Villa Anita is the latter — a living, breathing hallucination stitched together from desert bones, Muppet limbs, tassels, and chandelier light. Think Naked Lunch by way of Meet the Feebles with a dash of Birdcage and a Keith Jarrett piano solo playing in the background — no melody, just raw, improvised soul. To walk into Villa Anita is to open a book at Chapter 13 and be asked to guess the plot — a story told backward, sideways, and upside down. The house doesn’t whisper its secrets. It performs them. Sodomy and salvation swirl together in Technicolor – it's vulgar and vital like life beyond the garbage pail. Muppets meet Manhattan in a fever dream of fringe, laughter, and long conversations over warm desert winds and white loafers. You don’t merely see art here — you become it. Or perhaps it mimics you like an interloper testing your sincerity, seeing if you’re here to watch or listen. It’s a birdcage with no door, a satellite dish tuned to frequencies of passion and rage, of WWOOFers and wheelchair poets, of Daturas blooming beside a 1980s Mercedes convertible. The green kind — the sort driven by a ghost of glamour who only speaks in Georgia O’Keeffe brushstrokes. Villa Anita isn’t a retreat. It’s a mystical launching pad — a shuttle to the promised land, or maybe just a detour off the map where beauty and vulgarity dance barefoot, trailing beads and mistakes across the sand. Cornell professors become myth. Rage becomes a painting. Your dreams become loud and speak in colors. In this land of makeshift shrines and chandelier-lit speeches, I found a wellspring of ideas — or maybe I simply tuned into the frequency already humming there. Is it a postage stamp or the whole damn postcard? Alas, we picked up on Chapter 13 and left a trail of mishaps and misfortunes in our wake. But what is art if not the prettiest form of chaos? On to the next adventure, With gratitude and wild, vivid dreams

We stumbled on this gem in the desert by accident while looking to book a place to stay near Death Valley. The quiet, remote location was exactly what we were looking for, for a long weekend getaway. The hosts, Carlo & Jack were absolutely wonderful. We were treated like family and we had some great conversations with our hosts and other guests during breakfasts and dinners. They are great cooks. The food was amazing served “family style” with other guests. You won’t leave hungry after one of their meals! The rooms (and all of Villa Anita) are cozy and truly unique, a one of a kind experience all around. Lots of art and unique decor to explore. Our kids loved it and it’s a great location to set up base camp to explore Death Valley and return at the end of a day of exploring. Carlo & Jack were the best hosts and we’re looking forward to going back again soon.

We stayed here for our wedding this weekend in Death Valley National Park, and it was such an amazing experience! Words can't describe exactly what this place is - part bed & breakfast, part ever-evolving exhibit, part desert oasis (my family described the photos as looking like part of a Dali painting). Carlo and Jack made our stay magical from the first hour we arrived. They warmly welcomed us into their home and amongst their many dogs. Our rooms were all completely unique and very comfortable. We had all our meals made by the hosts - particular highlight was having soup served with every meal! They went above and beyond to create spaces and experiences that we could enjoy to celebrate our nuptials. They even got us a wedding cake from Las Vegas. Carlo spoke with me no less than 3 times before we arrived to talk through all the details about what we wanted out of our visit, and his attention to detail was excellent. The landscape surrounding the place was absolutely breathtaking. Both our friends and us were bowled over by the hospitality and experience we had.

Unique desert digs with the utmost hospitality. Carlo and Jack have created something special here. You can get lost exploring the grounds. Every conceivable spot has been transformed, and it twists and winds around itself, every bend revealing a colorful surprise. They've built multiple suites around the site, each one a gem. Ours was very comfortable and plenty warm in December. Lots of outdoor seating areas. The property abuts BLM land, so all you see is desert stretching endlessly into the distance. Let them feed you, for Pete's sake. The meals exceeded my expectations by a mile. Every meal (we did two breakfasts and one dinner) was a multi-course feast, with a ton of variety, flavor, and above all clean, healthy, nourishing food. If you take nothing else from my review, just trust that you want Carlo and Jack to cook for you. Villa Anita is warm, welcoming, eclectic, lively, and fun. Carlo is buzzing with energy and stories and Jack is sweet and serene. They have a pack of six darling dogs, so if that's not your jam, be advised. We loved them all: Guido, Vida, Dillon/Pickles, Lucy O. Ball, Dwight White and Betty White Magoo of the Long Island Magoos (my favorite, although Lucy took a shine to my traveling companion). There is no internet or cell service, and no television so it's best for people who know how to unplug and be present together. We spent the day exploring, so after our wonderful mini dinner parties we were happy to retire and recharge for more adventures the next day. Go use the private tub at Tecopa Hot Springs for extra deep relaxation. We loved our stay and plan to return.

Carlo and Jack are fun hosts. We had the full tour and they made us lunch. Lots of laughs and a day to remember. My only regret is that we could not stay longer.

This is a truly unique place and an experience you will never forget. Great hosts, wonderful hospitality, diverse and intriguing art, eclectic and fun fun fun. I'd love to go back. If you can go, go. Stay awhile. Be yourself in a glorious setting. You won't regret it.

Carlo and Jack (who were both fantastic) hosted a large group of us shooting an independent film. We were well fed and very comfortable in the rooms, feeling more of a communal experience than one typically finds in traditional lodging. The property is a beautiful, unique setting filled with sensory treats! Every time I looked around any of the spaces, I saw something new and compelling. It also sits on the edge of open desert with a gorgeous sunset view. If you're looking for something different and special, this is it.

I need to share with you all the purely magical experience I had at Villa Anita. If you're thinking about making the venture, I implore you to do so ASAP. Tucked away in a little corner of nowhere and bliss you will find Villa Anita, the eclectic art venture your heart secretly needs. Upon arriving it instantaneously feels like the home away from home you didn't know you needed. Carlo and Jack greet you warmly with wine glass in hand and adorable dogs in tow. The hospitality makes you feel as if you were life long friends catching up over libations and exceptional music. If you are an art lover, be prepared. Every square inch is covered with an intricate webbing of culture and sincerity. Never have I experienced such a place, it's truly amazing how time can stand still in this corner of the desert, forcing one to stop and soak in the little details of life that we often miss. Dinner was a feast lovingly prepared, shared at a communal table, yet again, making one feel as if they had been welcomed into a home that had been awaiting them. There is no shortage of things to do if you wanted to spend your time being busy. There are activities on site that are offered, giving you the opportunity to truly experience your surroundings and feel a lil closer to nature and the sanctity of it. Not to mention how incredibly close the hot springs are for a dose of relaxation. It was truly an experience I will not soon forget, and one that I am eager to experience again. Please. Take the venture. It will stick with you in the best ways possible. Thank you again Carlo! I am so happy to have met you!

Spent an anniversary weekend with Carlo and Jack at their Villa Anita near south end of Death Valley. Such a great time Carlo and Jack are awesome cooks and very hospitable. Their bed and breakfast was an event. I am a retired conservative type and still enjoyed their villa and the visiting that took place around dinner. The decor is conversational and offers many a second glance and a memorable discussion. I recommend the villa and Carlo and Jack is you plan a Death Valley weekend and want to make a memory. Dave and Celina Shelton Redlands CA

My college roommate and I hadn't seen each other in years so we decided to meet up in Death Valley National Park and stay at Villa Anita. We thought that hiking through the park would be the highlight of our trip but the time we spent at Villa Anita with cordial hosts Carlo and Jack was even more memorable. With it's upcycled Las Vegas casino decor, the multi-dwelling compound feels like a post-apocalyptic oasis in the Mojave Desert, however there's nothing gloomy about it. It's colorful, full of eccentric humor, and every structure, sculpture, and artifact has a story to tell...and your hosts do tell! For a reasonable price, do not pass up delicious breakfasts and dinners they cook with natural, local ingredients. Meals offer a chance to hang out in their stylish home, catch some Wi-fi, pet their (usually well-mannered) dogs, and relax to Minnie Riperton on the turntable. Be sure to ask Carlo about his celebrity encounters during his career as a fashion photographer. Tecopa is over an hour's drive from the most popular DV hiking trails near Furnace Creek (don't make the return drive on a moonless night), but there's a scenic hiking trail along the Amargosa River less than 15 minutes away. In our dwelling called Lakehouse the space heaters had sufficient power to keep comfortable on a night that dropped below 40°, and the shower was consistently hot. Room rates are comparable to lodging in the park, so not inexpensive, but I recommend Villa Anita for an unconventional and more personalized experience.

Villa Anita, for the Adventurous. My husband and I and two friends had a marvelous trip to a 'post-Vegas' world at Villa Anita. This place is for warm hearts, love of surprises, love of tschotskes and all things festive. If you are a neatnik or lover of convention, I don't recommend it. But for those who like a very different getaway with a warm and accommodating staff, I think its tops. We can't wait to get back to Villa Anita! The food was incredible, many many courses, imaginative and adventurous as well. Thanks to all who made a happy two day stay for us.