Abandoned, in the middle of the Mojave Desert, sits the glamorous yet rotting corpse of Arnes Royal Hawaiian Motel.
Built in 1957, this glamorous tiki themed motel has more than 40 guest rooms, a swimming pool, and fabulous reception area.
Whomever decided to build this glamorous resort in the tiny town of Baker, in the middle of nowhere, kudos to you, although it does sit about halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, so I guess on paper it made sense.
Though the motel is completely gutted and decrepit, it’s still a fascinating stop, and a great place to stretch your legs on the long drive to Las Vegas.
If urban exploring is your thing, although every window is smashed, and every door kicked in, the inside of the lobby is amazing, and some of the rooms still have some of the original furniture (in various states of smithereens). Naturally, we do not encourage you to trespass on private property, nor do we wish to send you into an abandoned motel that may currently be populated by the odd hobo. (And please don’t go to the second floor - -the nearest hospital is a LONG way away!)
There is a lot to see from the street, including two amazing and enormous signs, and beautiful architecture and decorative details.
Enjoy the Gateway to Death Valley - the glamour never ends.
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Southern California #121 - last visited November 2021
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