Road Trips

On Your Next Road Trip, Stay at a Classic Motor Lodge

If you’re planning to hit the road this summer, try spending the night at one of these retro spots.

July 17, 2020

The biggest travel trend this summer will be the road trip, hands down: nearly a third of Americans say they plan to travel by car this season to let loose after months of lockdown. But hitting the road doesn't have to feel routine. From coast to coast, America’s classic motor court motels—a staple of 1950s American life, when the Interstate system was still freshly paved—have been renovated and retrofitted for the Instagram age, and this summer they’re ready for their closeup. Whether you string an itinerary together with a handful of these properties to mark your stops, or set your sights on a single one and gun it all the way there, these punchy roadside inns, with their throwback flair, are sure to make your time on the highway as much about the destination as the journey. And of course, while the coronavirus remains a concern, always check local guidelines, as well as the properties’ websites, before visiting.

All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Courtesy The Brentwood
Brentwood Hotel, Saratoga Springs, NY
When Brooklyn-based design firm Studio Tack set their sights on the Brentwood Hotel in 2016, the firm’s four partners—Leigh Salem, Brain Smith, Jou-Yie Chou, and Ruben Caldwell—knew they could turn the worse-for-wear structure near Saratoga Springs’s racetrack into a hotel that told this horse-mad city’s story through every detail. Today, the Brentwood is elegant and understated; all 12 rooms offer an homage to equestrian culture, with thick ceiling beams, gilt-framed antique oil paintings, and leather catch-alls on nightstands. It also offers a little extra value this summer, when the Saratoga Race Track reopens on July 16, minus the crowds—from the Brentwood, all guests will have a clear view of the action. Snag a to-go cocktail from the Lobby Bar to sip on the patio, in your room, or around the fire pit.

Book now: brentwood-hotel.com
Courtesy Skyview Motel
Skyview, Los Alamos, CA
Located off of California’s storied 101 freeway, Skyview has been a quintessential piece of California wine country since 1959. Today, the property is a boutique old-West oasis with a heated outdoor pool, and 33 rooms featuring locally sourced Fable soap, outdoor showers, marble bathrooms, and splashes of color from hand-woven Moroccan chairs and Pendleton blankets. There are expansive views of the St. Ynez valley and its acres of family-owned vineyards, and Skyview’s restaurant, The Norman (named after Mr. Bates himself), which serves fresh California cuisine like beet hummus, avocado toast, and local meats on a breezy outdoor patio.
Book now: expedia.com

Courtesy Thunderbird Inn
The Thunderbird Inn, Savannah, GA
Steep yourself in Southern charm and classic American retro flair at the Thunderbird Inn, which was originally built in 1964 and updated in 2016. The hotel’s iconic neon sign helped earn it a 2010 spot in the National Register of Historic Places, and today, this rockabilly roadside stop is a model in balancing preservation with pop culture, thanks to kitschy details including a resident retro sock monkey, a vintage popcorn popper, and plenty of Jetsons-esque decor. Guests in any of the 42 rooms are spoiled by Moonpies, fresh lemonade, and donuts in the lobby. And good news if you’re toting Fido: the property is also pet friendly.
Book now: expedia.com
Courtesy Amigo Motor Lounge
Amigo Motor Lounge, Salida, CO
Simultaneously elegant and laid-back, the Amigo Motor Lodge might have 60 years of service behind it—but these days, it’s looking plenty fresh. Located a mile down the road from downtown Salida, Colorado, this boutique hotel reopened in 2016 after a top-to-tail renovation. Today, it’s a charming, minimalist property outfitted with splashes of Southwestern decor, and in addition to its 16 comfy rooms, which feature Tuft and Needle mattresses and Malin+Goetz toiletries, guests can also opt to book one of its on-site airstreams. The hotel’s hot tub and sunroom are ideal for relaxation, though if your tired bones need some more serious R&R, there are several hot springs within a short drive of the hotel.
Book now: stayamigo.com

Courtesy The Longleaf
The Longleaf Hotel, Raleigh, N.C.
Named after North Carolina’s soaring Longleaf pine, this modern reincarnation of a 1960s Travelodge is a reason to get on the road. The Longleaf’s 56 cushy rooms feature pillow-top mattresses, shibori-dyed textiles, and Malin+Goetz bath products; curl up in a velvet banquette at the Longleaf Lounge, the property’s own bar and restaurant, while sipping a signature vermouth cocktail. Bar snacks and a tightly curated wine list (spring for a glass of the delicious Boedecker Cellars pinot noir) are also available. And if you’re itching to stretch your legs, the hotel is located just a few blocks from many of downtown Raleigh’s top sites, including the North Carolina State Capitol and the grand, green park, Nash Square.
Book now: expedia.com
Courtesy The Drifter Hotel
The Drifter Hotel, New Orleans, LA
With its anachronistic neon “motel” sign from 1956 still on display out front, The Drifter is a tribute to the individualism and optimism that marked America’s post-World War II economic boom, even as it’s steeped in modern New Orleans charm. The hotel’s exterior is a nod to the Googie architecture movement, and there’s playful local artwork across the colorful public spaces, including rose sculptures crafted from discarded Ralph Lauren shirts from Carlton S. Sturgill, and a bright interior mural from Alexandra Kilburn. Outside, palm trees evoke the tropics and offer cool shade around the central outdoor pool, and crisp, minimalist decor, like bespoke wooden furniture and Oaxacan floor tiles in the 20 guest rooms, courtesy of the Brooklyn-based Nicole Cota studio. At the courtyard pool, guests can currently book semi-private swim sessions so they can splash around in privacy.
Book now: thedrifterhotel.com

Courtesy Stonewall Motor Lodge
Stonewall Motor Lodge, Stonewall, TX
Texas has a much-loved but oft-overlooked wine country, where award-winning vineyards produce surprising and unique bottles of merlot, chenin blanc, and muscat canelli. And if you're exploring the Texas Wine Trail, right along Highway 290, there’s no better place to stay than the Stonewall Motor Lodge, which has been sheltering oenophiles in the Lone Star State since the 1960s. Today, the property has been reborn as a boutique hotel with a rich vintage feel, and whether you choose to sleep in one of the 12 mid-century-styled rooms or the four onsite cabins, or to park your RV in one of their five sites, you’re guaranteed to appreciate its three peaceful green acres, which will help you reset after your time on the road.
Book now: expedia.com
Courtesy Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa
Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa, Calistoga, CA
Capturing the spirit of a bygone era with all the modern amenities craved by travelers today, the Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa is a bright, bubbly California oasis. The property sits in a 1947 roadside motel that’s been treated to an extensive renovation, and its cheeky 1960s retro design, which was overseen by New York-based design firm AvroKo, pays homage to the Great American Road Trip with details like wraparound camper van benches, graphic tiles, and a color palette that includes mustard yellow and shades of blue and green. The hotel offers 50 suites, as well as 12 Vista rooms, done up in breezy neutrals, and has two geothermal pools fed by mineral springs that guests can use to unwind.
Book now: expedia.com

TopicsCovid19 Hotels

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