Desert Inn

Everything was clean, the beds were made, and I didn’t see any bugs. The bed was okay and the staff were nice. The AC wasn’t on when I arrived at 10 p.m., so the room was hot, though it cooled down fairly quickly. It was loud as the unit started and stopped, and it woke me five times overnight. For the price, it feels about right, better than camping if it’s windy, but that’s about it.

We left around 3:30 in the morning, freaked out and speeding out of town. It was New Year’s Eve, and after going to bed around 1:30, we heard a quiet knock about 15 minutes later. We held our breath. My boyfriend looked out and saw a black, human-like figure wearing a backpack at our door. It seemed to have no face and didn’t speak. There were only about four cars in the lot, including ours, and we felt targeted and unsafe. We called whoever was running the place that night, maybe the owner or a manager, but the office laughed when we explained. The door was easy to open even with the lock on, so we shoved the fridge and table in front of it, then called our families with our location in case anything happened. On the first night, the room had been somewhat comfortable, just basic shelter, and we got a decent night’s rest. The place was dirty, though, and the doors didn’t feel secure. We were convinced room service had entered while we were gone after that first night. Four years ago, my boyfriend and I had been on a road trip to Las Vegas with my 18-pound dog and booked two nights here. Mojave is creepy all around. It’s cool to look at, but I wouldn’t stay overnight anywhere in town. It almost feels like the people there aren’t real. I once saw a similar review, but it’s since been removed. Don’t stay here, even if you’re dirt poor and it seems affordable.

The room was filthy. The baseboards looked like they hadn’t been cleaned since the paint job, there was food splattered on the wall by the fridge, and my son’s knees and feet turned black quickly from the carpet. We had an infant with us, and the weak water pressure and barely warm water made it impossible to wash his bottles properly, so I had to do that at a friend’s place. The room was scorching when we came back each day because housekeeping turned off the AC, and there was no door sign to ask them to stay out or say we didn’t need service. I’ve never seen a motel do something so cheap. The bed had no fitted sheet, just a flat sheet tucked between the mattress and box springs, and every morning it had come loose at the corners. Save yourself the headache and drive down the road. For $10 more a night, you can get a reasonable room. This place is a dumpster fire.

Mojave has plenty of history to explore, and the small town has what you need, plus some very friendly people. The couple who run the Desert Inn were helpful and welcoming, and they quickly took care of a couple of requests during my two-night stay. The room was clean, I slept well, and the renovated bathroom with its amenities was a nice surprise. I went in with low expectations because roadside mid-century motels can be raggedy, but this one was good value for both the price and the authentic small hotel experience.