2. Mojave Sands Motel

Does the thought of candied yams and the Detroit Lions put you in a preholiday stupor? Hide away at the Mojave Sands Motel, an eco-chic desert refuge near California's Joshua Tree National Park, where your custom-designed suite comes with a vintage vinyl collection and the walls are insulated with recycled denim. Each of the five rooms features original artwork (some by owner-sculptor-photographer Blake Simpson) plus a private patio, perfect for taking your morning Stumptown espresso. From $200; 2-night minimum; mojavesands.com