Place about 45 minutes from major attractions n hiking trails in Joshua Tree.
Loved Joshua Tree n hiking around the area. House was dated but had everything we needed n very clean. Driveway to place was a little rough but can be done in a car. Loved the quiet nights and clear skies.
Spacious retreat in the desert hills., halfway between Palm Springs and Joshua trees.
The house is spacious, a bit dated. Beds are comfortable lots of room. At the end of a 1 mile very bumpy road. Halfway between Palm Springs and Joshua tree. Owners are responsive. And helpful. Directions on how to use the pellet stove and how to lock and unlock Front door would be appreciated.( top of the door was sticking due to rain, and you need to push that to open door ). Lovely view of mountains and surrounding desert for morning coffee.! Thank you for opening up chĂąteau Merlot to us.
An OK 1-2 nighter, but too many issues for longer than a weekend stay
Pros:
- Well stocked towels and blankets
- Beautiful views of mountains and desert
- Adequate work space
Cons:
- On 1st day we shared several issues (marked with *) other than trash nothing else was resolved. While the owner may have wanted to hear about these issues, we werenât willing to waste our time or energy given the poor initial follow up.
- Trash bins took a week to arrive; we were told pick up was once a week and if we had excess that we should take it to a nearby dumpster. Being there for a month the trash was only picked up ONE time.*
- Garbage disposal didnât work*
- Many lightbulbs missing or not working*
- House unlocked when we arrived*
- No check-in information sent ahead of arrival*
- No guest book or instructions provided
- Mini splits not working; swamp cooler blew in a lot of debris and dust
- Hiking trails mentioned in listing were not clear; we found a photo on their listing with another short-term rental company
- While animals in the high desert are a given, we did not feel safe for our pets as we saw coyotes actively on the property
- Only two stove burners lit properly; others needed to be manually lit; burners and oven is very poor quality
- Bed in master was not stable and clearly had issues with legs, it moved every time we got in/out of bed
- Rawson is an awful road and should be noted in the listing for anyone that isnât in a large vehicle
- Property was detailed as âquiet and privateâ but there is a barn right behind it being rented or used as a home; we heard people talking and dogs barking daily
- It was clear that someone prior to our stay had thrown a party given trash and debris around the home
- Internet was very inconsistent; dropped daily and speeds not fast enough for video calls or uploads â not ideal for working
- All shower heads need to be cleaned or replaced
- No instructions for pellet stove; bag of pellets had garbage and hair inside
- Furnishings and appliances not in good repair â chairs in dining room need repair or replacing; kitchen table and chairs in need of repair
- Poorly stocked kitchen â can opener was broken (we replaced); not enough pots and pans (we bought a set); knives not sharp (we bought replacements)
- Home felt poorly insulated/sealed
- Blinds broken in multiple places throughout
- Main door not secure and can easily be pushed open; lock did not work consistently
- Outdoor furniture was all very dirty
Les points faibles : Emplacement et exactitude de lâannonce
Really wanted to like it but...
This VRBO has a lot wrong with it. First off, the âroadâ getting to the house is extremely rough. I know this is not something the owners have control of, however, the listing should have a warning about the rough terrain. It is a 10-ish minute drive, going approx. 5-10mph while veering all over. Not recommended if you rent a sedan/compact car or have even a hint of motion sickness. The condition of the road made us reluctant to leave every day, which put a damper on our whole vacation. Here is a list of other issues:
-Upon arrival, we found a note stating that the cleaning person called in so the shower doors werenât clean which left us wondering what else wasnât cleaned
-The house was cold. No instructions on how to work the pellet stove. No wall heater in the master bedroom
-Master bathroom opens to the outside which leaves the bathroom cold & a lot of spiders coming in. This faces someone else's house which is fine if you are an exhibitionist
-There is someone living quite close behind the house, so it is not as private as we had thought it would be
-The front door has a smart lock but we couldnât get it to work with the code we were sent or the other two codes posted in the house
-The back patio door doesnât close all the way leaving a gap (& no way to lock it) which is how we got in
-The patio door leads to a kitchen door which also does not lock. This leaves the house unlocked at all times
-There is a fan in the wall in the master bedroom which leads to outside & does not have a cover. This meant a lot of debris was blown into the bedroom from outside
-The master bed frame is unstable and broken
-No extra blankets found
-Some towels smell musty
-Overly large table in living area which takes up a lot of space
-Two tvâs in living room, one is not hooked up
-Outdoor trash can was completely full upon arrival and was never emptied.
-Kitchen is very minimally stocked
-Dog poo was found in several locations including in the walkway to the front door
-They do have a phone line to call/text with issues, which we did at the end of our vacation. They responded promptly but did not follow through.
The short list of things that were good includes: the view is nice and the mattresses themselves were comfortable. Overall, we did not feel the listing accurately describes the condition of the house.
We love it here in the high desert - the serenity and gorgeous views in our valley will fill your soul with connection and peace. We love nature and animals, and there are plenty of both here. Enjoy hiking, dinner in Palm Springs and relax and enjoy our starry night skis. If you have any questions about the area, or how to prepare for a high desert adventure please feel free to message us. We look forward to hosting you!
Conveniently located just 20 minutes to Palm Springs, 20 minutes to Joshua Tree, and 100 minutes to Los Angeles, our home is the perfect space for your next getaway! There is an individual patio off of each bedroom and miles of hiking right from the property. Kids and pets welcome.