Notes from the front desk

Stories

Renovation diaries, record shelf confessions and road trips we keep recommending. Written by whoever has the late shift.

Behind the desk

Sixty coats of paint

How we stripped six decades of beige back to the original 1962 coral, and what we found under the carpet in Room 12.

Read the story

Behind the desk

How we stripped six decades of beige back to the original 1962 coral, and what we found under the carpet in Room 12.

Read the story

Behind the desk

How we stripped six decades of beige back to the original 1962 coral, and what we found under the carpet in Room 12.

Read the story

More from the desk

Records

Crate diggers welcome

Every room has a turntable and a crate of records. Here is how the swap shelf at the front desk works, and the ten records guests keep stealing.

3 min read

Records

Crate diggers welcome

Every room has a turntable and a crate of records. Here is how the swap shelf at the front desk works, and the ten records guests keep stealing.

3 min read

Road guide

The road out to Joshua Tree

Our favourite way to the park: a date shake, a thrift stop and one very long straight road. Leave at five, back for tacos.

3 min read

Road guide

The road out to Joshua Tree

Our favourite way to the park: a date shake, a thrift stop and one very long straight road. Leave at five, back for tacos.

3 min read

Behind the desk

Saving the neon

The Vacancy sign hadn’t lit since 1994. Meet Lupe, the glass bender who brought it back one tube at a time.

3 min read

Behind the desk

Saving the neon

The Vacancy sign hadn’t lit since 1994. Meet Lupe, the glass bender who brought it back one tube at a time.

3 min read

One letter a month: new records on the shelf, what’s on at the pool and the odd room deal. No spam, just sun.