Maxim Hotel Brokerage has been retained on an exclusive basis to offer for sale, the fee simple interest in a fully unencumbered 69-key lifestyle hotel near Joshua Tree National Park in Yucca Valley, California. In 2024, a transformative $7M+ renovation was completed with major upgrades to the room interiors, lobby, outdoor common areas, and the building façade; repositioning the hotel as a leading lifestyle lodging asset in the Joshua Tree market. Amenities include a grab-and-go dining area and lobby café, a gear shop, outdoor pool, hot tub, fire pit, seating area, and bocce ball court. A separate full-service restaurant building (currently vacant) is located on the east side of the site with a separate exterior entrance and allocated parking. This space could be self-operated or leased to a third-party user. Located 13 miles to the entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, the Hotel is one of only a few modern, lifestyle-oriented hotels that cater to leisure visitors.
In recent years, tourism to Joshua Tree National Park has grown significantly, reflecting broader trends in outdoor recreation and national park visitation. Annual visitation has grown significantly from approximately 2.0M in 2015, to now consistently at or above 3.0M reflecting compounded annual growth of approximately 4.4%.This surge in visitation establishes Joshua Tree as one of the most visited national parks in the U.S., driven by its unique desert landscapes, climbing and hiking opportunities, and world-class stargazing. Increased visitor counts have bolstered the local economy leading to the growth of new restaurants, cafes, bars, and boutiques.
The hotel benefits from its proximity to Joshua Tree National Park as well as the international destination of Palm Springs, located only 30 miles to the south. The population base in Southern California which exceeds 20 million people provides ample year-round demand.
Overview
Highlights of the opportunity include:
- Significant Revenue Upside. The Hotel has not achieved full potential RevPAR. Additional booking channels and increased distribution via brand affiliation should drive stronger demand and topline growth. The lower key count provides significant pricing power during periods of high demand. Marriott has provided a Property Improvement Plan for their Series brand which is relatively limited in scope.
- Construction and Renovation Risk Mitigated. Current ownership completed a transformational renovation in 2024. Only the restaurant and meeting space remain to be renovated.
- Unencumbered by Brand or Management, the Hotel presents the opportunity for immediate presence for an outdoor-oriented, or lifestyle brand in a primary national park market. Note, the current brand and management team are available and willing to continue operating and licensing the property under new ownership.
Limited Competitive Hotels positioned in the lifestyle segment. Most inventory in the market is of lower quality, older, and not appealing.
Joshua Tree is a primary national park market, with over 3 million visitors annually.
- Priced at a Deep Discount to Replacement Cost. Rising construction costs and extended timelines for new development in California create significant barriers to entry for new supply.
- Amenities are very attractive for families and national park bound tourists, including a diverse unit mix with rooms capable of sleeping 10+, an inviting lobby which includes an onsite grab-and-go café, a gear shop, a communal fire pit, a large pool and sun deck, a hot tub, and bocce ball court.
Value Enhancement Opportunities
- Affiliate with a national franchise.
- Establish aggressive third-party management to optimize the ramp up period and drive strong margins at stabilization.
- Renovate and self-operate/lease out the restaurant building to appeal to guests of the Hotel as well as the local community.
- Capture group demand and drive stronger topline revenue by renovating and marketing the existing meeting space.