Orbit In's Hideaway

A modernist 1957 structure, the orbit in had been the object of benign neglect for decades when it was purchased by its former owners, who restored the Space Race–era exteriors and filled it with period-perfect furniture by masters such as Harry Bertoia and Eero Saarinen. Current proprietors Kevin and Jinni Miller recently updated the property with flat-screen TV’s and Bose radios. All nine studio-style rooms open onto private patios; four are equipped with white enameled kitchenettes. In a garden off the motel’s entrance, a large whirlpool with an adjacent fire pit provides warmth on cool desert nights, and guests enjoy retro cocktails while Frank Sinatra croons in the background.