Merchant House High Desert

  • Location: Countryside
    Joshua Tree National Park: 20 miles (30 mins by car)
    Pioneer Town: 13 miles (20 mins by car)
    Desert Hot Springs: 13 miles (20 mins by car)
    Palm Springs: 19 miles (30 mins by car)
  • Los Angeles Airport (LAX): 130 miles (2 hrs by car)
    Palm Springs Airport (PSP): 22 miles (35 mins by car)
    Car recommended
    Free parking

The house has no central heating. But there are a firplace and mobile heaters!
The house is a stylish artisan desert stay, but don't expect a luxury resort.

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An introduction to Merchant House High Desert

How would you describe the Merchant House High Desert in a nutshell?

Merchant House High Desert is a place to unwind and disconnect, roughly 2 hours from Los Angeles, it’s located on five acres of unspoiled wild mountain terrain. After escaping the city, it is a place to relax and enjoy stargazing at night.

What was your inspiration and the story behind Merchant House High Desert?

Merchant House High Desert is an extension of Merchant Modern, where you can find Mid Century furniture, Moroccan rugs, sculpture and art — it is a place for guests to be creative and inspired.

How would you describe the interior design and atmosphere of Merchant House High Desert?

Eclectic, warm, inviting and comfortable.

To you personally, what makes the house so special?

A place to share meals, share stories, laugh and talk, that is what inspired me to create this environment. I love spending time there with friends and family.

At the same time, I feel that I am a guest on this land and am aware that we need to be mindful and considerate of the space we share with the desert habitat.

Is the Merchant House High Desert suitable for families?

The property is only suitable for families with children 12 years and over.

Merchant House High Desert living area
Patio
Patio
Entrance
Terrace
Terrace
Terrace
Living area
Dining area
Dining area
Kitchen
Bedroom 1
Bedroom 2
Bedroom 3
Bedroom
Bathroom
Outside shower
Merchant House High Desert terrace
Terrace
Plunge pool
Outside Merchant House High Desert
Outside Merchant House High Desert

Merchant House High Desert rooms & rates

A mid-century Adobe house full of eclectic art and furniture surrounded by 5 acres of beautiful land.

There are lots of art books here if you just want to lounge. To escape the midday heat there is an outside deck with a salt water plunge pool and an outside bath. There is alos a patio with a large dining table great for dinner parties — the balmy summer nights are ideal for this, and all with stunning mountain views.

  • Merchant House High Desert for 4-6 people / 134 m²
    749 / night
    • 2 Double bedrooms
    • 1 Single bedroom
    • 2 Bathrooms
    • 1 Living room
    • 1 Kitchen
    • 1 Other rooms
    • Terrace
    • Fireplace
    • Air conditioning
Included in the rates
Rates are on a self-catering basis.
Children & Extra beds
This house is not suitable for children under 12 years of age.
Minimum stay
3 nights
Check in time
after 15:00
Check out time
before 11:00

Facilities & services

  • WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Terrace
  • Fireplace
  • Garden
  • Whirlpool/Plunge pool
  • Music system
  • Not suitable for young children

Towels, sheets and toiletries are all provided at the Merchant House High Desert and I can organize for someone to come and do massages on request. We also have a projector that can be connected to a laptop to watch movies on. The plunge pool is unheated.

Things to do in California & Morongo Valley

  • Art / Culture
  • Wildlife / Animals
  • Massages / Treatments
  • Hiking

If you’re staying for a long time and want to venture out, it’s 30 minutes drive from the museums, shops, restaurants and bars of Palm Springs and just 20 minutes from the famous natural mineral pools at Desert Hot Springs. In the other direction, you’re just 20 minutes from Joshua Tree and its spectacular National Park, as well as Pioneertown where you can listen to live music.

Merchant House High Desert reviews

2 of 5 stars
Verfied Welcome Beyond stay
On a positive note, our host was responsive and we enjoyed the wonderful art books.
Jiji S.
stayed at Merchant House High Desert in February 2022
5 of 5 stars
Verfied Welcome Beyond stay
We had an awesome stay at MMHD. The house is as enchanting as it appears in the photos and, while we didn't get to utilize every amenity, they are there and appealing. We loved the desert setting and actually used the house as a base to hike 4-5 miles in the morning through the "neighborhood." (Funny, I don't think they've seen much of that before and a few folks stopped to ask if we were lost...) The home is comfortable, with lots of good indoor, outdoor, and indoor/outdoor seating areas; the kitchen is well stocked and accessible; and it is great sleeping in the totally quiet desert! MMHD is a short drive to favorites like Frontier Cafe (for breakfast or lunch, expect long lines on the weekends!) and La Copine for amazing lunches. We also visited the Noah Purifoy Museum and would recommend that. All in all, we had a wonderful experience at MMHD, have already recommended it to others, and would visit it again when we're back out to the desert.
Bob B.
stayed at Merchant House High Desert in October 2021

The location of Merchant House High Desert

The Merchant House High Desert is located in a great position in the Mojave and High Desert around 10 minutes from Yucca, 30 minutes from Palm Springs and around 2 hours drive from Los Angeles (if you time the traffic right). Once you arrive at the house, you are very secluded, and while most people drive out with a list of things they want to do, most never leave the property!

There’s an organic fruit and vegetable market at the bottom of the road and 10 minutes away in Yucca is the Frontier Cafe and a bodega where you can pick up wine, cheese, salami and olives. Joshua Tree 30 mins away has a wider choice of cafes and restaurants, as well as a health store and supermarkets.

When is the best time to visit California?

Each season brings something different to the table. The desert is extreme — it gets really cold in winter and very hot in summer. January to April/May is the high season when the temperatures are most bearable, then things get warm in June/July and very hot in August. If you’re visiting in the summer be aware of high temperatures (there is a swamp cooler for the hotter days). I particularly love March and April when the spring flowers are in bloom but you can also visit in winter and build a fire to stay warm. Last Christmas it even snowed! There are radiators in each of the rooms.