Uncomfortable and stressful
While I was out in Joshua Tree, the yurt collapsed. The host did try to reach me by text and offered to help gather my things, which I appreciate—but I didn’t receive the text as there is no service in the park. I returned late at night, exhausted after a long day, and had to dig through the collapsed tent to recover my things. It was very distressing.
Luckily, another tent on the property was unoccupied and was set up for me. both tents looked like the listing photos, but the issue was with the bedding. Both tents had very low-quality blankets and a thin comforter that offered almost no insulation. The air mattress retained cold and felt like sleeping on a layer of freezing water. I asked the host before my trip if I should bring a sleeping bag, and she reassured me that it wasn’t necessary because the blankets were warm—which wasn’t true. I was freezing both nights and barely slept.
While I understand the yurt collapse may have been beyond the host’s control, it was serious and could have caused injury. The response to my bad experience didn’t feel adequate-I asked for partial refund but was offered only a future stay (which I won’t use) and the host will raise the issue to her business partner in 2 weeks, conveniently past the review deadline.
The kitchen tools were dirty, and the composting toilet was just a full bucket with no maintenance—hard to justify $50 cleaning fee.
I wasn’t expecting luxury, but this stay was neither safe nor comfortable. I wouldn’t return.