The Return of the Roadside Motel

Filed under: Famous Homes, Design, etc, News & Trends, Cool Homes

As the mid-century modern revival hits its stride, the best motels across the country are making a stylish comeback -- thanks to some forward-thinking designers.

Before airline travel was so accessible, families hit the road when it was time for a vacation. Catering to huge numbers of car travelers in the 50s and 60s, restaurants and quirky roadside attractions sprouted up along a newly connected interstate highway system. Everyone needed a place to sleep, and the "motel" was born -- inexpensive, short-term accommodations designed expressly for the traveling motorist.


The one- or two-story block-style buildings, with guestroom doors looking over the motel's parking lot, were remarkably useful during the American road trip's heyday. But as the average American joined the jet-set, road trips took a back seat to resort vacations, and many of these mid-century structures were literally left on the side of the road.

Today, with relatively stable gas prices, the hassle of airline travel and our general tendency to revisit old pastimes, the Great American Road Trip is back. And in tandem with this motoring trend, dilapidated, woebegone motels are getting some fresh face lifts, making way for some of the best motels we've seen.

"We've seen more young people taking road trips in the past year than ever before," says Doug Kirby, founder of Roadside America. "They share their roadside discoveries and pictures on the web and with their iPhones," he explains, so the popularity of the road trip just keeps on growing.

Since American road warriors are the new leisure class, there is a breed of boutique motels that have popped up to meet the needs of the sophisticated car traveler. Think: luxurious trimmings, modern hospitality and a commitment to the preservation of the motel's mid-century charm. Let's take a tour of the best motels, shall we?


The Jupiter, Portland, OR

A speakeasy called "Sam's Hideaway" once sat on the edge of Portland's downtown area, catering to a handful of local politicians, "with an emphasis on 'discreet'." Next door to Sam's was a seedy motel, so you can imagine both establishments shared a decidedly salacious heyday. When Kelsey Bunker and Tod Breslau, a lawyer and restaurateur, respectively, discovered the motel in the earlier part of this decade, it had long been in a sad state.

The two business partners worked with local designers, Skylab, and used the motel's original structure to create what is now a party-centric destination for Portland visitors, and a laid-back hangout for locals.

The 80-room Jupiter pairs clean, minimalist design with splashes of color, and the original parking lot has been transformed into the bamboo-edged "Dream Tent" space, with removable ceiling panels, greenery, loveseats and free WiFi. As for Sam's Hideaway, it's now the Doug Fir Lounge, which pays decorative homage to the Pacific Northwest's forests and serves as a sleek space for live music and Saturday night revelry.


The Postcard Inn, St. Pete Beach, FL

When B.R. Guest Restaurants took over an old Travelodge from 1957, they didn't touch any of the building's architecture, but they did raise a ceiling or two to create a bright, airy, surf-themed guest experience at The Postcard Inn On The Beach.

"It's definitely a more laid-back atmosphere than you'll find at other motels in the area -- the kind of places where the bedspreads in the rooms are the same floral fabric as the curtains," says designer Tara Oxley.

Oxley was inspired by the local surfing community in St. Pete Beach and worked with local surf photographers to curate the inn's art collection. She also sourced furnishings and décor from local designers as much as she could. All of the genuine mid-century lamps in the rooms and common areas, like the lobby and library, came from Janet's and the Wagon Wheel, two thrift stores in town.

The Ace Hotel, Palm Springs

This rundown, 60s-era motel in Palm Springs shared a block of land with a Denny's restaurant and a local dive bar called The Amigo Room before the Ace Hotel group transformed the grounds and turned it into their newest location.

Now it's more like a resort than a motel, but the The Ace Hotel & Swim Club (a giant pool has been installed in its old parking lot) has tons of original mid-century pieces punctuating its clean and modern redesign. An original terrazzo floor was unearthed when they stripped the diner's linoleum floors, so they shined it up and kept it where it was. And the original vinyl booths -- they're now reupholstered with leather. The refurbished Amigo Room is now the hotel's bar, and since it's been a mainstay watering hole in the area for years, you're likely to see a real local ranch hand saddle up beside you while you're sipping a Kiwi Caphirina at the bar.


The Thunder Bird in Marfa, TX

As Marfa, Texas becomes one of the country's most important arts and cultural epicenters, it makes sense that one of its older motels would get a careful and stylish redesign.

This horseshoe-shaped structure is all about light, air and privacy. Original touches like handmade textiles and an international collection of art add warmth and coziness to an otherwise stark and minimal concrete and wood structure. Functional vintage pieces like record players in the rooms, a "vinyl library" and old typewriters pay heed to its mid-century roots, while the cowhide rugs and locally-sourced pecan wood furniture add authentic Texan anchors to its ambiance.

Here's another mid-century modern motel that has us drooling -- Acapulco's Hotel Boca Chica.

And now that you've got motels on the brain, check out these great stories from other AOL sites:
Confessions of a Motel Maid
It's Time to Reconsider Motel 6

 

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