Tucked away within Twentynine Palms and minutes away from Joshua Tree National Park, Arro Dunes is a true escape. Having opened just last summer for visitors, the landscape it sits upon is home to lofty tamarisk trees, sand dunes, and mountain views in every direction. Arro Dunes is run by LA-based husband-and-wife team Kelsey and Dustyn, who also co-founded Studio Marrant, an interior design and creative studio.
The previously-abandoned home dates back to the 1950s, and Kelsey and Dustyn spent two years renovating the property. Much of the work was done themselves—including a custom deck, restoring the home’s beams, creating handmade barn-style interior doors, and more. The result is a desert getaway with a wabi-sabi ethos that fuses organic textures, a minimal palette, and a thoughtful collection of found objects.
Arro Dunes is also home to a GOODLAND Wood Burning Hot Tub—which sits beautifully within the desert landscape. We were excited to chat with Kelsey of Arro Dunes about her beautiful property, as well as her experience with hosting a home with a wood burning hot tub.
How did Arro Dunes begin?
We bought the property back in 2019, and spent 2 years renovating it. It was one of those places where when you stepped in, you could see that it needs a lot of work, but it had all of these things we were looking for—this amazing fireplace, a beautiful wall-to-wall window, a thriving and lush landscape... we fell in love. The location is so remote that you get out there and honestly forget that there’s anything in the world to worry about. It immediately felt so special.
What does slow living mean to you?
Much of the human instinct has become so passive with all the rush and movement around us that it feels. No one’s actually paying attention and giving intentional thought to what we're doing anymore; it’s all about getting things done and moving onto the next thing. I fall victim to it myself. With Airbnbs, specifically, there are often many supplied amenities designed for convenience, such as turning a dial to start a fire, pressing a button to make your coffee, or pressing another button to turn on a hot tub.
We didn’t want that for our home. We want you to come out here, take your time, and embrace the slowness of the desert. Not everything needs to be a rush, life should be about slowing down, spending time with your people, and sharing intentional moments together. Build a fire together, cook together, walk together—we find we learn more about our friends and about ourselves when we can share in skill-building activities.
Describe your first GOODLAND soak.
We knew we wanted a dramatic sunset as our backdrop, so we started building a fire right at golden hour.The sunsets are so intense out here, it feels as if they last forever and stretch the horizon all around you. We were soaking just as the sky was changing to pinks and oranges and then slowly fading to dark—it was this entire visual experience surrounded by an intense warmth and smell of a wood-burning cedar tub.
Can you walk through the location of your tub?
Since the property is a sprawling 10 acres with just a couple neighbors, we really wanted to take advantage of the fact that you are so remote here. There’s no one around, and the hot tub is set up in a way to truly feel that. You’re in this swath of solitude with 360 desert views, and it feels really immersive. Bonus points that because it’s wood-burning and non-electric, you can truly put it anywhere.
What have been the biggest takeaways from owning a GOODLAND wood burning hot tub? Any feedback from guests?
We’ve gotten so much positive feedback about how unique it is to do an activity like this together—from building the fire to waiting for that moment to step in together. Also, having the instructions beautifully displayed on a mounted plaque is such a thoughtful touch, especially for an Airbnb. We’ve had zero questions on how it works, which is remarkable for an Airbnb. Also, it really does stay hot. People will soak in it, cover it up and go cook dinner, and then come back to a hot tub that’s stayed almost the same temperature.
Why did you choose GOODLAND?
I actually wasn’t super sold on a hot tub initially because I don’t love the way most of them look, so we had been considering a barrel sauna. However, Airbnb gives you these insights every quarter into what travelers are looking for in their searches—hot tubs are amongst the top three, so we knew we had to find something. Enter GOODLAND. We were completely taken back by the design, the wood burning element, the cedar components. It had a sauna vibe, super stunning and fell right in line with our slow-living ethos at Arro Dunes.
Our A Place to Pause series explores our favourite stays and accommodations, each one featuring exceptional design, a connection to nature, and a Wood Burning Hot Tub. Explore more about hosting with a GOODLAND wood fired tub, including how to set up your guests for a five-star soak, and the easy and effective way to clean between guests.
Charlotte Boates
Charlotte is a writer who heads up the Journal at GOODLAND. She’s written extensively for a range publications on slow living, design, architecture, and more. A frequent traveler, Charlotte is driven by sharing meaningful and impactful stories that encourage us to become more aware of the world around us.
