Villas for the 1% Traveler

From Climber’s Refuge to Luxury Hotspot

Over the past decade, Joshua Tree National Park has transformed from a desert refuge for climbers and artists into one of the most-visited destinations in the United States. Located just north of the Coachella Valley, the park has seen its number of annual visitors more than double in a decade, from less than 1.4 million in 2013 to 3.3 million in 2023.

With peak season (October through May) approaching, short-term luxury rental operators are gearing up to host 1 percenters turning toward the desert for a digital detox. One brand, Fieldtrip, is showing the way forward for the region with its newly unveiled Panorama Villas: a collection of purpose-built homes that — like the desert itself — branch out rather than up.

Fieldtrip’s Panorama Villas: Boutique Hospitality in the Desert

Spread over the flatland of Joshua Tree’s famous Martian landscape, the five villas debuted in August. Don’t be fooled by their drab desert hues on the outside. Inside, the properties welcome up to 12 guests with sleek, upscale furniture, mid-century-inspired fixtures, vaulted ceilings and sunken floors. All of it would fit seamlessly into a Manhattan high-rise. In Joshua Tree, it’s all a step away from the dry heat and a calming pool beneath a vast desert sky.

Fieldtrip co-founder Ramin Savar said the villas were built with groups and retreats in mind, with resort-style amenities and Fieldtrip’s high-touch hospitality layered on top.

“Because we’ve hosted hundreds of retreats, we know what these groups value,” Savar said. “Panorama Villas gave us a blank canvas to apply those lessons and build what we see as the ideal group Airbnb: the privacy of a home with the polish of a boutique resort, elevated by Fieldtrip’s personalized hospitality.”

Why the 1% is Flocking to Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree might have elevated its profile with help from the same millennial Instagrammers who found their vibe at the Coachella music festival. But its unique landscape appeals to a much broader range of demographics, from retirees checking off bucket-list destinations, to Southern California families escaping the sprawl, to young adults on a quest for self-discovery.

Against this backdrop, the 1 Percent needs space to set itself apart. And the supply of Joshua Tree luxury vacation rentals is only starting to catch up with the demand.

“Cheap land and low interest rates attracted well-funded investors and design talent from Los Angeles who weren’t afraid to experiment,” said Savar. “The result was a wave of bold architectural homes that made Joshua Tree one of the most photogenic destinations in the country and expanded its appeal from California to a national audience. The demand for luxury was there, but Joshua Tree had nothing comparable to more established markets like Aspen or even nearby Palm Springs.”

An Expanding Market for Desert Luxury

Enter the Panorama Villas. The Crest and Vista Villas went up in February 2024, and the eight-bedroom Peak Villa launched in May 2024. They’re not only managed by Fieldtrip, some Fieldtrip co-founders also personally invested in the project.

In a relatively unsaturated market for Joshua Tree luxury rentals, the investment makes sense. Before the tourism boom, Joshua Tree was dominated by RV hookups, rustic (read: cheap) roadside motels and, mostly, small (2-3 bedroom) homes available on a short-term basis. Larger properties for groups and retreats were almost nonexistent. Savar said that Fieldtrip has invested “hotel-scale budgets” into designing and rehabbing properties with Joshua Tree’s luxury tourists in mind — effectively building out, not up, to blend into the desert scenescape.

Expect more such projects, not less, in the years to come. Even though visitation took a small step back in 2024 (Joshua Tree National Park reported fewer than 3 million visitors last year for the first time since 2020), this might be a function of supply as much as demand. The park’s relative proximity to Los Angeles (about 2 hours by car) and the Palm Springs Airport (an hour or less, depending on which entrance you prefer) makes it functionally accessible for local and out-of-state visitors alike. Its nearly 800,000 acres of unspoiled nature aren’t going anywhere.

As Joshua Tree luxury rentals market gains momentum, expect the desert to feel a little less deserted.