If you are looking for the ultimate relaxing retreat to get away from it all, Villa dei Fiori is an absolute must! I have stayed in many vacation rentals in Colorado, Lake Arrowhead, San Diego, Barcelona and Madrid (just to name a few). But this Villa by far exceeds them all - I had the opportunity to stay twice - in Fall as well as Summer and I will certainly return. The Home: There are three bedrooms - each uniquely decorated with nice views. The home is air conditioned and very comfortable even in the hotter months. If you like to cook while on vacation, you will not be disappointed with the quality of the utensils and cookware in this kitchen. The knives are really nice and very sharp, there are utensils of every kind and the cookware is very extensive - not to mention a very nice collection of spices. If you love attention to detail, you will love this beautiful home and it's history. It is a space of eclectic beauty boasting gorgeous interiors, art work and a book collection like no other that allow for hours of reading enjoyment. There are so many beautiful details in this home, it would be impossible to name them all. The Property: The property itself is astounding. If you are looking for a true Joshua Tree experience of breath taking rock formation views, you need not even leave the property as there is plenty of day hiking just outside the doors of this amazing home. The property has a gorgeous completely gated pool as well as a spa and both are very secure. The peacefulness while laying by this pool is therapeutic. I have never experienced such tranquility watching hawks sore high above the rock formations set against crystal clear blue skies. Roaming the property is such a delight as there are acres of land and adventures to explore as you search for the hidden rock cave. Along the way you will find meticulously manicured landscaping of beautiful trees, native shrubs and elaborate rose gardens. It is very secluded and free from noises of the city which is especially nice if you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the rat race. I can not say enough nice things about Villa dei Fiori including the owner Dale who is such a delight and has wonderful stories of the home and the lovely surroundings. The pride and love he has for his home is very evident in all the details. I have stayed in other properties in Joshua Tree. This by far exceeds them all. Once you stay once, this will be your hidden get away gem forever. Shout out to Dale the owner: Thank you for providing your lovely home for others to enjoy and your gracious hospitality. read more

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Think Glamping not European Villa. With so many glowing reviews on VRBO, I was a bit slack jaw upon arriving at how very un-Villa or 'stunning' this house actually is - It is a shack placed in heaven. My 3 stars here are based on my expectations created by the owner's VRBO and Website description. If you suspect it's going to be worn around the edges like everything else in the desert, you will not be disappointed. I believed what I read. So here I am with an honest review and photos. This house sits on an amazing lot right up against the Butt Crack boulders that Joshua Tree is famous for. You will be met by Dale, the guy in the photos and a very nice and caring man if not a 'little' OCD. He will take you on a 45 minute tour of the house. He will ask which of your party will be the 'light monitor' and he's serious. He will ask who will be doing the dishes because 'it's best to have the same person put them away if they are the one that took them out' - but don't worry if you forget because every cabinet has a photograph of the placement for the well worn pots, silverware, dishes, etc all put away like a surgery tray and you are to keep it that way. The unattractive cramped kitchen is also the main entrance foyer pass through. Dale texted us during our stay about things he forgot to tell us during our orientation, like it's windy cover the jacuzzi, close the doors, watch the snakes. Super helpful of course.. Meanwhile, grumpy neighbor requires that you do not make noise on the west side of the house. Which is where the pool and caves are. So at 4pm Dale fretted over my 6 year old who was laughing while exploring the caves. "he's not listening to what I said" Inside, furniture is pushed in a row against the walls like a house party (or funeral). Oddly, there are only 2 lounge chairs located in the front yard a few feet from the quiet street. But no loungers near the pool nor the drop dead gorgeous rear yard. No hammock. No cushy sofa. Nothing for horizontal chilling out, although we grabbed a pad and laid on the awesome boulders like sunning lizards. Pool impossibly freezing. Jacuzzi great. The only bathroom is tiny and gloomy 'be careful what you flush or you will be charged if we have to call the plumber'. The sheets are older and soaked in fabric softener, there are no extra sets of sheets or blankets. No throws. Pillows are dead. If you like nice bedding, bring them. The scratchy, polyester floral coverlets smell like your old Aunt Martha in Florida. Dale needs to hit Home Goods big time. There are french doors but only 1 window in the entire house that opens (master), so at night when the critters come out or during the frequent winds, you are to 'be sure to close all the doors'. No fresh nighttime air to lull you. The house is in a bowl geographically so no view of the sunset, but climbing makes it worth it. Stay here for the yard, which is so amazing and wonderful you'll be tempted to ignore the house. But I had to write this poopyhead review so others can manage their expectations. read more

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Myself and family (5 adults, 1 baby) stayed for 5 nights in April of 2015. We had a lovely stay. We really enjoyed the jacuzzi at night and gazing at the stars - Venus and Jupiter were brilliant that time of year and we also saw lots of satellites and shooting stars. We also did the climb to the top of the "brain rocks" - the view was spectacular! I couldn't believe how lucky we were to arrive during the week that the desert was in bloom. We were amazed by the stunning, spectacular cactus flowers. The house is cozy and comfortable, and I found it to be accurately depicted on the VRBO website. Dale is a bit particular about how his books and kitchen utensils are kept, but you have to keep in mind it is his home too. We found his requests to be reasonable and had respect for him that he cares so much about the quality of his home. read more

Our visit to Joshua tree was immeasurably unique. Our host Dale largely contributed to our special experience with his beautiful home and by providing advice that only a local could! Dale gave us several tips on unique hikes in the area and how best to maximize our limited time there. His home has everything to ensure our comfort and provided detailed instructions on how to utilize all of the amenities he provided. All in all a memorable weekend and we have Dale to thank for that! read more

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Amazing Location! Basically a Home in Joshua Tree National Park" This lovely home and property made for the greatest Joshua Tree Holiday we have ever had. To be able to walk right in the park and hike for hours, then return "home" for a swim in the salt water pool, enjoy the gardens and cook a nourishing meal was the best. The views from the backyard are amazing - we never missed a sunrise or a sunset. Our seven year old found lots to do on the property and was always fully engaged with the surround nature. We had visitors that were completely charmed by the home and property - and luckily the house is fully equipped with an abundance of extra linens and bedding, so we could accommodate our guests. The owner offers everything you need for your stay, including special out door rugs and bedding that you can take to sleep in the cave on the property. You can tell that the owner has spent many years cultivating such an oasis in the desert. The contrast of the garden and colourful flowers against the desert boulders was breathtaking all day long. The kitchen offers good quality equipment, including a solid BBQ, everything is well taken care of and in good working order. The book collection is incredible too! The home and gardens are very well maintained and there are many special outdoor sitting areas that you can enjoy the sun or shade as the day progresses. We very much enjoyed being able to walk into the park without having to get in a car! We will book again! Thank-you read more

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We chose this site for our annual Girls Weekend. Last year, we stayed in a mansion in Big Sur, so I was hard pressed to find something to top the last location. My friends have pretty high expectations now... :) The photos online do NOT do this place justice. I was stunned when we drove up. I think I said, "we get to stay HERE?!" It is NOT "well worn." This is a gorgeous vacation home that has been lovingly maintained for 25 years and it shows. Nearly everything inside is a personal relic from the owner with an interesting story to accompany it. I think it's extremely open-hearted and trusting of Dale to share such a beloved place with complete strangers. It's no wonder he has specific directions in order to take care of it. In addition to some very reasonable rules for the house, Dale also has taken the time to write up very specific hiking directions that take you off the beaten path and through the mountains in the national park. He also left a bunch of notes about local restaurants, grocery stores, and like a good concierge he let us in on all the little secrets about the area. He left us birdseed to feed the dozens of baby quail and texted me to remind me about the farmers market on Saturday. Dale is extremely thoughtful and detail oriented, leaving a vase with fresh roses in every room of the house on the day of our arrival. One thing that is important to our group on these girls weekends is having a kitchen that we can all cook together in. It has to be well stocked or it's very aggravating to prepare as many meals as we cook! And from using Airbnb a lot, I know that many properties don't have salt & pepper, much less a spice cabinet. It's the little things! And Dale has thought of them all. The kitchen is very well stocked with every essential and then a ton of non-essentials... he even has an asparagus steamer! The bedrooms are decorated nicely, have comfortable beds and doors in every room that open onto their own private verandas. The sparkling saltwater pool has a stunning dark blue bottom and the weather had been 90 degrees so it naturally warmed the pool up to a comfortable temperature (this was in May). The jacuzzi is very well maintained. The cave is just magical. We built a fire in there one night and stayed in there making smores and laughing for hours. You can make as much noise as you want in there, the sound won't travel. Dale even said so. Then I slept in there on the ground with a friend, and I think it was about 80 degrees in there all night. Everything was as described and as I expected... plus more. I had no idea from the photos just how stunning the entire property is... from the gardening/landscaping to the natural beauty of the land. So much thought has been put into making this place a dream home. You will not be disappointed! P.S. Not to single out Kim G. and her review....but it seems like the photos she took were purposefully ugly. It's like she cropped out all the nicest parts and took dark, shadowy photos. They do NOT represent the property. It's really a shame they are the first photos that pop up on the yelp page. :( If you want to see gorgeous AND accurate photos, go to Dale's site: http://www.daleallanpelton.com If someone puts that much effort and time into building a website with that many testimonials and photos, they aren't going to be renting you a "SHACK!" read more

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The location of this property is unforgettable. You are surrounded by massive boulders, beautiful landscaping, and big skies. We travelled from KY with two children (8 and 9), and their grandparents who are in their 50's. My fiancé and I are in our early 30's and there was something for everyone to do. We soaked in the hot tub, swam in the pool, explored the gardens and native creatures, climbed on the boulders, travelled to Joshua Tree Nat'l Park, Yucca Valley, and even Universal Studios. The home is well cared for and has everything one would require for an enjoyable vacation. The only recommendation I would make to the owner would be to supply some space (empty drawers) for unpacking. Again, this is a very minor detail and truly did not effect the amount of joy we got from this property/owner, nor the amount of fun we had on this vacation. I cannot stress enough the beauty of the surroundings and would bet that any other rental in the Joshua Tree area would place a distant 2nd when compared with this property. The owner is also very considerate. He went above and beyond and did not hesitate to answer any calls or requests, even heating the pool to a higher temperature than normal so the kiddos wouldn't be chilly. If you are considering staying here, book it now! You won't regret it! Dale, Thank you for sharing your bit of paradise with us. It is obvious that you care for this place immensely and it was a pleasure to meet you and stay in this home. Hopefully we can come back again! Bonnie read more

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I've stayed at many different AirBNBs and HomeAways/VRBOs all over the US for both work and pleasure. At the time of this review, Villa dei Fiori is the best value you can get in Joshua Tree for a large group in the summer. The property and all its great amenities was able to successfully host a 4th of July weekend getaway for my group of 8 and one (small) dog. Notables Pluses: * 3 bedrooms with a long living area and large master bedroom for extra (floor) sleepers * 20,000 gallon salt water pool ("cowboy pools" are popular in Joshua Tree rentals but just don't cut it on a hot day) * Air Conditioning (evaporative but better than none!) * Multiple terraces for different activities (BBQ'ing, stargazing, etc.) * Private backyard trails straight into Joshua Tree (lots of boulder hopping opportunities) * Wildlife watching including quails, kangaroo mice, bunnies, and lots of lizards * Parking for 3 cars * Complimentary WIFI (almost all other properties in Joshua Tree don't offer this or charge you to connect to a mobile hotspot that's worse than your phone's data plan) * Large pillowy floor pads and blankets to sit on inside or outside * Bathroom towels AND a different set of pool towels (enough for 8 people) * Lots of cooking utensils, pots, pans, and serving platters/bowls * The kitchen and patio was big enough to prep/cook food for a party of 8 at every meal * Pictures and extensive instructions of where things go and how things works * Super close to the entrance of Joshua Tree * Beautiful landscaping and views of the valley and EXTREMELY quiet (coming from LA, that's huge!) * Thorough walkthrough of the property * Tap for filtered water * Dog friendly And honestly, there weren't any cons in my eyes. There's lots of info on Dale's site and HomeAway/VRBO that I knew exactly what expectations to manage. Yes, there are a few suggestions, which I'll send to Dale privately, but they fall along the lines of what could make the property more accessible for large groups (example: "expediting the addition of one more bathroom"). Overall, for a group of 4 or smaller, this place would be close to perfect as it currently is. Notes for other travelers -- look elsewhere if you or anyone in your group have the following concerns: * Hate playing in a beautiful salt water pool on a hot day * Don't like sharing one bathroom * Don't want to wash dishes by hand * Are used to staying in hotels or traditional "Bed and Breakfasts" and expect the same level of service (note: Dale is just 10 minutes away and is more than ready to help at any time -- lots of VRBO hosts don't offer this mini-concierge service and are unavailable during the rental stay) * Have issues with responsibility and accountability (for example, Dale will ask you to turn off all lights before going to bed, so if you can do that in your own home, you can do it here) Overall, if you're looking for a desert getaway with AC, a pool, and privacy, this is THE place to be. read more

We visited Villa Dei Fiori 8 years ago and returned last weekend because of the delightful experience we remembered. This time was just as beautiful and relaxing as before, with the welcome addition of a hot tub! Dale's care and attention to detail include fresh cut flowers, generous supplies, original artwork on the walls and personal touches throughout this unique property. We will be back, and not wait 8 years this time! read more

Thank you for sharing your jewel of a home with us. I was beyond excited when we pulled up and saw your property...and met you. The location could not have been better for us. We set out our ropes and had a wonderful time climbing and bouldering. The kids were outside almost our entire stay. We enjoyed hiking, sleeping in the cave, campfires, stargazing, bird watching and just relaxing. My happiest moments here were just sitting and reading and being able to see nature from every room in the house. I also enjoyed looking through your books. We used Places of Tranquility as inspiration for our next vacation. We can't wait to come back when its warmer to see the gardens in bloom and use the pool. You have done an amazing job with your home. It felt so warm and cozy. Thank you for sharing it with us. I hope the baby bobcat returns and thanks for sharing your stories with us. read more

We loved every minute of our week sharing Villa de Fiora with long-time friends. Having explored the rocks of southern Utah since our college days, we knew that this was the place for us from the moment we saw the pictures on this website. In January, the beautiful pool was mostly enjoyed as a reflecting pool; a bit chilly for swimming, but a delight for quiet meditation. Awaking to see granite boulders just outside the bedroom windows made for a perfect start of our days. Coffee is life! With the Villa nestled in the rocks, the landscaping is outstanding. With nearly every room having French doors, the lovely gardens were especially inviting with well placed outdoor furniture. With beauty all around us, it was difficult to get motivated to leave for our for our daily hike in nearby Joshua Tree National Park. However, the Villa is centrally located between the towns of Twenty-nine Palms and Joshua Tree and even closer to Indian Cove entrance of the national park. Better yet, scrambling up the rocks past the "valley of the moon" and the granite ridge beyond take you to your own private parkland, perhaps circling the neighboring otherworldly Facebook Estate. After returning from our hikes, our daily ritual was to take a delightful hot tub while the sun set, again surrounded by granite boulders. After bathing, we would cook a feast in the well-appointed kitchen. Following dinner, we relaxed in the comfortable living room, playing music and singing favorite tunes or planning our next day's outing. Perhaps, an after dinner soak in the hot tub allowed us to star gaze. Well-placed outdoor lighting lit the boulders to perfection. Did I say that the Villa has a multitude of granitic boulders! Beyond words, the CHI, life energy, of the place is exceptional. Having arrived feeling worn down by grief of recent loses, each day renewed our spirits more fully. Our week passed all too quickly, but we left feeling rejuvenated. Thanks to Dale for creating and enlivening this special place! We will be back... read more

WARNING!!! Although Villa dei Fiori is beautiful and has good reviews on the website be extra careful when dealing with the owner of this property. He insists upon conducting business via telephone leaving MY personal (electronic) notes as proof of instructions for rental and cancellation policy for refund. Although I followed his VERBAL cancellation policy he refuses to refund my deposit of $615.25. Further, he states after payment has been made, a key, information sheet and maps will be mailed to you along with a confirmation of your reservation. I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OF THESE MENTIONED ITEMS. It is important to note that the agency in which the owner advertises with did all things possible to help me with my situation. read more

A lot has been said so I will just add this/ Dale has done a beautiful job of gardening/ magnificent actually! The boulders artfully arranged- the lighting at night/ the rose garden/ the birds-- the desert air- it's just so peaceful and wonderful. It is a simple house-- and there is only one bathroom for 3 bedrooms--but it is well stocked. I think the word "Villa" is confusing to Americans and might set up the wrong expectations/ it's a desert house- with beautiful outdoor spaces . The pool is drop dead gorgeous/ and the hot tub works well!! But the most special and unique thing is the cave. We had a beautiful evening taking Dales blankets and supplied firewood into the cave and had a poetry reading session for several hours by firelight and our iPhone flashlights. It was a night none of us will ever forget!! We also had a beautiful take out Vietnamese dinner by the upper poolside outdoor dining table . WOW!! read more

Villa dei Fiori ranks as our favorite VRBO experience. The owner has spent 30 years making this serene setting in the desert his own. The backyard abuts the base of a large hill of boulders affording you complete privacy. There are plenty of shaded and open areas to sit outside and admire the gardens. The pool is very large and at night the Jacuzzi is delightful amidst the lit up landscape and under the stars. Indoors the home oozes charm - you have an exquisite library to peruse and the artwork is eclectic. On our last day we were lucky enough to sight a juvenile bobcat that the owner helped release back into the wild after she was rehabilitated at the local Humane Society. The coyotes serenaded us at night and we had plenty of humming birds, rabbits and road runners visit us during the day. This was a transformative travel experience for our family. Thank you, Dale. read more

We had a wonderful three night stay at the Villa. The property is so private with amazing hikes into the boulders right on the property. We were thrilled to spot 13 Big Horn Sheep just 15 minutes into a hike from the pool area. It's great for a romantic getaway, far away from the big city, but an easy drive to all the local sights. We can't wait to return. read more