We Can’t Wait to Stay at These Desert Hotels in 2022

What if I told you I’ve discovered a hotel that is, quite honestly, a gardener’s paradise?

Let me rephrase: Palm Springs’ new Fleur Noire Hôtel is an oasis of botanical art that offers a respite for those who’ve spent the winter with their hands in soil—or, really, any fans of desert flora and fauna. Think Georgia O’Keeffe-inspired peonies and daisies on black, tiled-roof casitas surrounded by golden barrel cactuses and palo fiero trees, not to mention a pale pink fire pit and lawn games.

It’s all thanks to a stunning array of large-scale floral murals by Detroit artist Louise Jones (née Chen), also known as Ouizi, that completely transform the historic 1940s-era Burket’s Trade Winds Hotel downtown.

Elevation Creative Agency

Elevation Creative Agency

Elevation Creative Agency

But the flowers don’t stop there. Inside each room, Netherlands-based wallpaper artist Ellie Cashman created custom floral accent walls that serve as stunning backdrops to crisp, white bedding and midcentury modern furnishings in the various casitas.

Cashman wants to expose guests to “the presence of beauty,” which the artists says “awakens our creativity and courage, invigorates us, and makes the impossible seem possible,” according to a press release.

The result is a literal, and figurative, celebration of the desert landscape—and all with stunning views of the surrounding San Jacinto Mountains.

Elevation Creative Agency

Elevation Creative Agency

As if that weren’t enough, a speakeasy Champagne and rosé bar will open onsite next month with a wide-ranging selection of vino plus beer and spirits. It’s all within walking distance of several bustling hot spots in the northern part of downtown Palm Springs, including the city’s beloved sushi spot Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey, a new cocktail bar called Tailor Shop, and 1501 Uptown Gastropub‘s sweeping outdoor patio.

It’s just one of the desert hotels where we’re excited to stay in 2022, as a handful of places open across the Southwest. Here’s the inside scoop on some of the region’s hottest new hotels.

Ambiente

Sedona, Arizona

Jeff Zaruba

In-room wine dispensers with free-flowing sips from Arizona’s Verde Valley. Rooftop fire pits and daybeds for stargazing and sleeping under the stars. A roving snack vehicle that dishes out coffee and pastries, not to mention breakfast burritos and sandwiches to-go for early morning hikes. These are just a few of the amenities at one of the most anticipated boutique hotels in the West: Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel, is slated to open this spring in Sedona. “A landscape hotel is a hotel that’s actually built within the environment of the property that’s existing and there, that respects the nature,” Jennifer May, co-founder of local developer Two Sister Bosses, told me. Read more here!

AutoCamp Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree, California

Josh Franer

AutoCamp’s newest location is a 25-acre glamping getaway just outside downtown Joshua Tree’s shops, bars, and restaurants. A meandering dirt path takes you through an intimate Airstream experience anchored by a midcentury modern clubhouse that blends warm interiors with the vast, outdoor expanse. There are two types of accommodations: your typical, vintage Airstream with a not-so-typical walk-in shower, queen bed, and complimentary cast-iron for outdoor grilling at your private fire pit; and “X suites” housed in larger-size trailers with private bedrooms and kitchens with a stovetop. Read more here!

Azure Sky

Palm Springs, California

Sheva Kefai

An adults-only venue nestled in a historic 1950s building, this boutique hotel will boast a 4,500-square-foot pool and a meadow courtyard, not to mention 14 rooms, many of which feature kitchenettes and private hammocks. Expect outdoor fire pits with views of the surrounding mountains.

Fleur Noire Hôtel

Palm Springs, California

Elevation Creative Agency

So nice, it bears mentioning twice. More than 20 casitas, studios, and standard rooms span the botanical oasis in Palm Springs, where the original pool remains intact. Gather ’round the pale pink fire pit, or cozy up in your room next to custom botanical wallpaper (and some floral-inspired furnishings). Reservations can be made at fleurnoirehotel.com.

Sensei Porcupine Creek

Rancho Mirage, California

Tanveer Badal

Reservations are now open for stays starting Nov. 1 at the new Sensei Porcupine Creek, a spa, golf, and tennis resort spanning more than 230 acres and nestled at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains. You can expect sweeping villas inspired by Japanese architecture, a lagoon-style pool, yoga pavilion, guests-only Nobu restaurant, and more at this former residence turned luxury retreat in Rancho Mirage. Read more here!