5 Best Hotels in Death Valley National Park, California

Ten miles inside the park's west entrance, overlooking Panamint Valley's sand dunes and unusual geological formations, this rustic, mom-and-pop-style resort has a wraparound porch, as well as a restaurant and bar, a gas station, and a general store. One room has a king-size bed, and several rooms and cabins accommodate up to six people. Tent cabins and tent and RV (six with hookups) sites are also available.

Built in 1956, the Shoshone Inn has simple, modern rooms with TVs, microwaves, refrigerators, and Keurig coffee machines; there are also six rooms with kitchenettes, a two-room bunkhouse, and a bungalow with a full kitchen and living room. A warm spring-fed swimming pool, built into the foothills, is within walking distance (¼ mile). A light breakfast of coffee, bagels, fruit, and yogurt is served in the lobby area, so you can power up before heading to the southeast entrance of Death Valley National Park, just a mile away. 

If you prefer quiet nights and an unfettered view of the starry sky and nearby Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and Mosaic Canyon, this property is for you. Rooms are simple yet comfortable and provide wide-open desert vistas. On-site amenities include a refreshing pool, and the Toll Road Restaurant and Badwater Saloon, which serve American breakfast, lunch, and dinner favorites, from omelets and sandwiches to burgers and steaks. RV campsites with full hookups ($40) are available by reservation.

Built in 1927 and most recently renovated over a five-year period ending in 2022, this adobe-brick-and-stone lodge in a green oases offers Death Valley's most luxurious accommodations, including brand-new, one- or two-bedroom casitas. Although they sell out fast, the casitas are worth the splurge with private patios, lounges, and golf carts to zip around the grounds. A warm mineral stream gurgles across the property, feeding its 85°F waters into an inviting swimming pool. A spa and tennis courts round out the perks. Rooms are tastefully furnished and decorated in earth tones. The top-notch Inn at the Oasis at Death Valley Dining Room serves fresh contemporary fare as well as hearty meat entrées and creative vegetarian dishes. For simple bites, grab something at the more affordable pool bar.

Originally the crew headquarters for the Pacific Coast Borax Company, this ranch-turned-resort is more like a town, with two restaurants, an ice-cream parlor, general store, saloon, golf course, riding stables, and comfortable rooms that are great for families. The newest additions are 80 cottages with private laundry facilities, a lounge, patio, and rooms with either one king or two queen beds. More affordable rooms are in the original four buildings that overlook green lawns and the surrounding mountains. The property also has an RV campground with 25 nonhookup sites, as well as tent sites. The spring-fed pool here is popular, but the multisport complex also offers basketball, tennis, volleyball, a playground, and a small driving range.