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Sitting on one corner of this magnificent campsite is the emblem of the modern supply chain, the shipping container. This is a used 20 footer with plenty of vertical room for an NBA player.
Yet, this is but the least significant part of the campsite which is in the Wonder Valley region of 29 Palms. "Out there," as the locals may say. As a recent local myself, I refer to this place as My Own Private Anza-Borrego. The darkness there, aka lack of light pollution, can be intimidating while also being the best place to disconnect from dirty, noisy city life.
No matter your degree of prepper, The Emblem will be a campsite worth remembering and returning to.
Whether you choose to sleep inside the container, with the doors wide open, or tent camp right next to it, you'll have hundreds of acres around you to yourself. The silence is pleasantly maddening. You'll get decent download speeds on your phone but don't expect to be able to work remotely out here. Be there to recharge your human batteries, expand your soul, or test your prepper readiness or new camping gear.
Visit The Monument which is just 15 minutes away on the Utah Trail. Visit the small downtown of 29 Palms, just 8 miles away. And the (in)famous bar & grill, The Palms, just about 7 miles down Amboy heading east. They're only open these days on Fridays and the weekend.
We stayed here for a 2 night stay. Rooms were clean and had good amenities. Location is excellent almost everything you need is within walking distance. Staff were very friendly and polite. Overall great experience would stay here again!
The design features are awesome, it makes the hotel stand out in the sea of brown/beige hotel chains. However, just like with most stuff in San Francisco, the price doesn't always match what you expect to get for paying that much. It is not cheap, and attention to detail is not quite there. For example, our bathroom window frame had mould on it, and the hairdryer hasn't been cleaned for a while - as soon as we turned it on, it started smelling like something was burning (the fluff on the vent!). Also, their courtyard looks like a dumpster. Bearing in mind that half of the rooms face it, I don't know why they don't clean it up. We stayed at this hotel for a romantic occassion, and even though we checked in the early afternoon, we were given a room that had this awful view of the courtyard (see the picture), so I had to ask for another room that was facing the street. I wouldn't stay here again, not worth the trouble.
Absolutely loved my stay at this super cool hotel. The desk staff was always so friendly. There is a great lounge with a bar and snacks; a perfect spot to unwind after a day of sightseeing.
The room was a good size and clean. Great shower pressure and nice hot water. Cool amenities like record players brought to your room.
Great hotel, great service, great location. I have stayed at hotel emblem twice and I plan to be back next time I’m in San Francisco. I love the funky interior design; it makes you feel like you’re staying at a luxury social club. It also gives off a speakeasy vibe. I appreciate that the hotel has a quirky sense of humor which is evident through the signage and art displayed around the hotel. And the hotel smells great, I think they have their own signature scent. As far as the basics, the hotel is clean and quiet, and the staff are friendly.
Wonderful, welcoming, and relaxed. For us, this was exactly what we needed. Good bed and shower, boutique, and strategically located. Personalities working there made the difference, authentic and caring. As if perfectly casted for each of their roles. It is more rockstar than glamor. The in-house coffee shop is amazing and for us better than any breakfast a hotel could serve. People living there 20 years, from blocks away, are regulars. We would go nowhere else in SF. The Emblem feels so good.
And noteworthy, we felt the area of the hotel and neighborhood was safe. Also, later at night.
