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This is a list of motels. A motel is lodging designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles. Entering dictionaries after World War II, the word motel, coined in 1925 as a portmanteau of motor and hotel or motorists' hotel, referred initially to a type of hotel consisting of a single building of connected rooms whose doors faced a parking lot and, in some circumstances, a common area; or a series of small cabins with common parking. Several large motel chains exist, while conversely others are small businesses with one location that are privately owned. The first motel in the world is the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo, California.[1][2]

Several historic motels are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation.

Motels

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Motels that are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places are denoted in the table below in the NRHP listed column.

Name Image NRHP listed Description
66 Motel An independently owned six-room motel established 1946–47 in Needles, California, that formerly served travellers on U.S. Route 66. Bypassed c. 1970 by Interstate 40, the motel has been used as single room occupancy apartments since the 1990s.
Alamo Plaza Hotel Courts Founded by Edgar Lee Torrance in Waco, Texas, in 1929. Pictured are the original Alamo Plaza Hotel Courts in Waco.
Arizona Rancho
Yes
 A former hotel in Holbrook, Arizona. It was originally built between 1881 and 1883 as a residence, then expanded as a boarding house, a hotel, and finally as a motel.[3] The original structure is thought to be the oldest extant structure in Holbrook.[4]
Atlanta Cabana Motel A former 200-room motor hotel located in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia. It opened in 1958 and was demolished in 2002.
Aztec Motel
Yes
 A former motel located on former U.S. Route 66 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was demolished in 2011.
Belvidere Café, Motel, and Gas Station
Yes
 A historic building in Litchfield, Illinois, along Route 66.
Best Western Operates about 4,000 hotels with over 1,000 employees. In the U.S., the properties can either be traditional roadside motels, motor inns, or full-service hotels. Outside the U.S., the properties are mainly hotels.
The Big Texan Steak Ranch A steakhouse restaurant and motel located in Amarillo, Texas, which opened on the previous U.S. Route 66 in 1960 and moved to its present location on Interstate 40 in 1970. The motel is named Big Texan Motel and has 54 units.
Blue Bonnet Court
Yes
 A historic motor court-style motel in north-central Austin, Texas, that was built in 1928–1929.
Blue Gables Motel
Yes
 Located in Buffalo, Wyoming, and formerly known as Blue Gables Court,[5] it was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2011 as part of a Multiple Property Submission devoted to historic motor courts and motels in Wyoming.
Blue Swallow Motel
Yes
 Located in Tucumcari, New Mexico, it is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in New Mexico as a part of historic U.S. Route 66.
Boots Court Motel A historic U.S. Route 66 motel in Carthage, Missouri, that opened in 1939 as the Boots Court.
Border Inn On the Utah/Nevada border in Baker, Nevada, on U.S. 6/U.S. 50.
Budget Host An American lodging chain that was founded in 1975 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Cactus Motor Lodge
Yes
 Now named Cactus RV Park, it is a historic motel located in Tucumcari, New Mexico, on U.S. Route 66. The motel units are no longer used.
Caribbean Motel
Yes
 A historic motel located in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey,[6] in an area now known as the Wildwoods Shore Resort Historic District.
Chateau Bleu Motel
Yes
 A historic motel located in North Wildwood, New Jersey, in the Wildwoods Shore Resort Historic District.
Coral Court Motel
Yes
 A former 1941 U.S. Route 66 motel constructed in Marlborough, Missouri, and designated on the National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Louis County, Missouri in 1989[7] as a valuable example of the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne architectural styles.[8]
The Creek South Beach A 90-room motel located in Miami Beach, Florida, it is an example of Miami Modern architecture. The property has been prominently featured as an architecturally significant structure in the definitive book on MiMo architecture MiMo: Miami Modern Revealed.[9]
Cross Country Inn A former American motel chain founded in 1988 that had more than 30 locations in the Midwestern United States at its peak.
Crystal River Tourist Camp
Yes
 Formerly the Crystal River Cave Court and today named Cave Courts Motel, it is a motor inn built in 1932 in Cave City, Arkansas. It is the oldest operating motor court in the state.[10] It is built of fieldstones from the Ozarks. The motel was abandoned for several years before being purchased and restored. It is now reopened as the Cave Courts Motel.[11] It is also listed as an Historic district in the United States.
De Anza Motor Lodge
Yes
 Historic motel located on former U.S. Route 66 in the Upper Nob Hill neighborhood of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was purchased by the city of Albuquerque in 2003. It is also listed on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties.
Down-East Village Restaurant & Motel The second motel built in Maine, in 1950, and eventually became the oldest. Demolished in 2016.
Econo Lodge An economy motel chain based in the United States and Canada, franchised by Choice Hotels International.
El Rancho Hotel & Motel
Yes
 A historic motel in Gallup, New Mexico.
El Rey Inn Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, it spans 5 acres (2.0 ha) and is located near what used to be U.S. Route 66. The property has traditional adobe-style buildings surrounded by gardens.
Esso Motor Hotel This was a Swedish subsidiary of the American oil company Esso, for running hotels in Europe. The word "motel" was avoided in order to emphasize the extra features the "motor hotel" provides compared to a normal motel. The company operated motorbys, motor hotels, and motels.
The Flanders Hotel
Yes
 Located in Ocean City, New Jersey, it was built in 1923 by the Ocean Front Hotel Corporation.
Glass Pool Inn Originally opened as the Mirage Motel on the Las Vegas Strip in 1952. An above-ground swimming pool was added in 1955, and included large porthole windows that allowed outsiders to look inside. The motel became well known for its pool, which was used in numerous films, television shows, music videos, and photo shoots.[12][13][14] The motel was closed in 2003 and demolished a year later.[15]
The Gobbler Pictured is The Gobbler supper club in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin; the motel was located across the street.
Heilman Villas
Yes
 Located in Coronado, California, and consists of 10 standalone bungalows and one 2-story duplex. Its name has changed several times, and it is now the location of the Coronado Police Department.
Hermitage Motor Inn
Yes
 Formerly the Taylor Cunningham Hotel, it is a historic lodge in Petersburg, West Virginia. It was built about 1840 as a two-story brick building in a vernacular Greek Revival style. It has been in continuous operation as an inn since 1881.
Hiway House A former motor hotel chain founded in 1956 at Phoenix, Arizona, by the late Del Webb.[16][17][18] After Webb sold the chain, it was renamed the Sentry Hiway House and remained in operation until sometime after 1970, by which time most of the hotels were sold off and had changed their names, with some of them becoming franchises of competing lodging chains. A remnant of the old Hiway House chain is still in operation at Albuquerque, New Mexico (pictured).
Holiday Inn Pictured is a Holiday Inn resort in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, Alpes-Maritimes, France
Howard Johnson's A chain of hotels, motels and restaurants located primarily throughout the United States and Canada. Founded by Howard Johnson, it was the largest restaurant chain in the US throughout the 1960s and 1970s, with more than 1,000 combined company owned and franchised outlets.
Imperial 400 A former American motel chain that was founded in 1959 in Los Angeles, California, its properties were typically two-story buildings with "gull wing" shaped roofs over the lobby.
Jupiter Hotel Located in Portland, Oregon, and once a two-story 1960s motor lodge motel, after major renovations it reopened as the Jupiter Hotel in October 2004. During its renovation, the old motel's parking lot was transformed into a courtyard, the entire building was painted white,[19] and all rooms were completely renovated.
Knights Inn A hotel/motel chain owned by Wyndham Worldwide and based in Parsippany, New Jersey. As of November 2007, there were 225 properties open in the United States and Canada.
La Concha Motel Opened in 1961 and closed in December 2003, it was located on Las Vegas Blvd South in Winchester, Nevada, and was considered one of the best-preserved examples of 1950s Googie architecture.[20] The motel was demolished and was restored at the Neon Museum in Las Vegas, in which some of the original components of the motel were used.
Lazy A Motel
Yes
 A historic former motel located along Old U.S. Route 66 in Springfield, Illinois. The motel was built in 1948–49 and had 13 rooms arranged in a U shape, with garages located between the rooms. Since the motel's closure, the building has been used for apartments.[21]
Little A'Le'Inn A small bar, restaurant and motel located in Rachel, Nevada, on the Extraterrestrial Highway.
Log Cabin Motel
Yes
 Also known as Camp O' the Pines, it is located in Pinedale, Wyoming, and was built in 1929 as a cabin camp to serve growing numbers of automobile-borne tourists bound for Yellowstone National Park.
Lorraine Motel Built around the former Lorraine Motel, the National Civil Rights Museum is a privately owned complex of museums and historic buildings in Memphis, Tennessee, which traces the history of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the 17th century to the present.
Loveless Cafe Located in southwest Nashville on Tennessee State Route 100, it is known for its Southern cooking.
Madonna Inn A motel in San Luis Obispo, California, that opened in 1958.
Masters Inn A chain of motels in the United States that operates 15 locations in 6 states.
Motel 6 A major chain of budget motels with more than 1,000 locations[22] in the United States and Canada. Motel 6 also operates Studio 6, a chain of extended stay hotels. Pictured is the first Motel 6 in Santa Barbara, California, which remains in business.
Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo Created in 1925 by Arthur Heineman and originally known as the Milestone Mo-Tel, it is the first motel in the world.[2] It is located in San Luis Obispo, California.
Munger-Moss Motel Munger-Moss Sandwich Shop served travelers on U.S. Route 66 in Missouri circa-1936. Located on the Big Piney River at Devils Elbow, Missouri, until 1945 (at what is now the Elbow Inn), it relocated to Lebanon, Missouri, after World War II] when construction of a four-lane bypass of Route 66 to Fort Leonard Wood military base drew traffic away from the original Munger Moss BBQ site. The Munger Moss Motel was added in 1946 as an addition to the Lebanon roadside restaurant and filling station, both of which are now gone. Munger-Moss Motel remains in business.
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation An organization of the Government of Pakistan that is governed by the Board of Directors headed by the Minister for Tourism. PTDC runs motels at a number of locations throughout Pakistan to provide quality low-cost accommodation for visitors.
Park Motel
Yes
 Located in Denison, Iowa, this is an example of a well-preserved pre-war highway motel during the early age of motoring.
Piedras Blancas Motel A vintage roadside motel-and-diner complex located along the Central Coast of California approximately 7 miles (11 km) north of San Simeon. It is located at a remote, wild and rural section of the two-lane historic State Route 1, and is now owned by the state park system of California.
Rainbow Court
Yes
 A historic hotel/motel complex at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, that includes two motel-type buildings, five beach cottages/boarding houses, and a small house. There are six contributing buildings. It is one of the few remaining examples of the small-scale, low-rise motels that pre-dates Hurricane Hazel (1954).[23]
Red Caboose Motel A 48-room train motel located near Ronks, Pennsylvania.
Red Carpet Inn A chain of hotels and motels, with locations in the United States and Bahamas.
Red Crown Tourist Court Located in Platte County, Missouri, at the junction of US 71 and Route 59 (now I-435), this small motel was built in 1931 and consisted of two small cabins connected by two garages. The front of the property had the Red Crown Tavern, which was a tavern, restaurant and ballroom. It is the site of the July 20, 1933 gun battle between lawmen and outlaws Bonnie and Clyde and three members of their gang.
Red Roof Inn An economy hotel chain in the United States, their properties are distinguished by the large dark-red shingle roof that gives them their name. There are over 340 Red Roof Inns, primarily in the Midwest, Southern, and Eastern United States.
Rodeway Inn An economy motel chain based in the United States and Canada, franchised by Choice Hotels International.
Roy's Motel and Café A motel, café, gas station and auto repair shop, defunct for many years but now being largely restored, on the National Trails Highway of U.S. Route 66 in the Mojave Desert town of Amboy in San Bernardino County, California. The historic site is an example of roadside mid-century modern Googie architecture. The coffee shop and gas station have both been refurbished and were reopened on April 28, 2008.
Scottish Inns A chain that began in the late 1960s in Tennessee, it was a company that did not operate its own motels, but leased out the name to others. This changed in 1973, as the company assumed ownership of almost all properties.[24] A 1974 Scottish Inns of America locations directory listed 70 Scottish Inns.
Star Lite Motel A historic motel in Dilworth, Minnesota, and one of the oldest buildings there. It is the oldest motel in Clay County. Earlier it was known as Charley's Motel.
Super 8 Motels Super 8 Worldwide, formerly Super 8 Motels, is the world's largest budget hotel chain, with motels in the United States, Canada and newer properties in China. The company is a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide, formerly a part of Cendant.[25]
Thunderbird Motel A Native American-themed motel that was built in 1962 along Interstate 494 and 24th Ave. in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. It is an example of post-war Americana. It is part of the Ramada franchise. The original Thunderbird Hotel no longer exists.
Travelodge Travelodge (formerly styled TraveLodge) refers to several hotel chains around the world. Current operations include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. However, many of these are operated by independent companies who have no connection with the brand in other countries.
Tucson Inn Tucson Inn is a modernist post WWII American motel designed by female architect Anne Rysdale. The property opened in February 1953 in Tucson, Arizona along US Highway Route 80 and 89. The motel was expanded in 1956 and included an iconic Neon Sign that has been widely published. It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in October 2017 as a part of the Miracle Mile Historic District. In 2018 the motel was purchesed by Pima Community College.
Twin Bridges Motor Hotel Later known as the Twin Bridges Marriott, it was the first lodging facility operated by what would become Marriott International. Since the Marriott Hotel chain did not exist, the hotel was operated as a Quality Courts motel (the precursor to Choice Hotels) for the first few years. This former motel was located in Arlington, Virginia, opened on about January 18, 1957, and was demolished in 1990.
Vagabond Inn An upper-end economy and mid-priced chain of hotels and motels located on the West Coast of the United States with 38 locations in California, Nevada and Oregon.
Vibe Hotel Built in 1952 and located on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, it was originally known as the Movie Town Motel. It was built in the classic era and style of Googie architecture. The "donut" shaped motel features retro design elements of that period, along with a motif of bright colors, tile and furniture all reminiscent of the fifties and sixties.
Wagon Wheel Motel and Restaurant Was a famous office, motel and restaurant complex located in Oxnard, California, at the intersection of U.S. Route 101 and Pacific Coast Highway. It was demolished in 2011 due to the pending development of 1,500 residential units.[26]
Wagon Wheel Motel, Café and Station
Yes
 A 19-room independently-owned historic U.S. Route 66 restored motel in Cuba, Missouri, which has been serving travelers for more than 75 years.
Warm Mineral Springs Motel
Yes
 A historic 1958 motel near Warm Mineral Springs, Florida, that is known for its mushroom champagne glass-style roof and glass walls, allowing guests to see the stars. It was selected by the American Institute of Architects for the 1958 Special Awards.
West Winds Motel
Yes
 Located on old U.S. Route 66 in Erick, Oklahoma, it opened in the mid-1940s to serve travelers on Route 66; at the time, tourism drove Erick's economy, and the motel was one of several in the city. The lodging buildings have a Mission Revival design with stucco walls and red metal roofs designed to resemble tile. The motel units have individual garage spaces in front of their entrances, a style which was common in the 1930s and 1940s but fell out of favor in later years.[27][28]
Wigwam Motel
Yes
(remaining three motels) 		Pictured is the front of the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona.
Williams Deluxe Cabins
Yes
 A historic motel complex located in West Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1937 and includes four contributing buildings, a service station and motel office, house, and two multiple rental units. The buildings have Tudor Revival design influences, such as half-timbering and rough faced stucco finish.
A Red Roof Inn in Ann Arbor, Michigan
A Travelodge in Calgary, Alberta
The former Wagon Wheel Motel and Restaurant in Oxnard, California. The motel is at the left. It was demolished in 2011.

See also

References

  1. ^ Zorn, Eric (15 August 2006). "World's first motel a site worth saving". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  2. ^ a b Jackson, Kristin (25 April 1993). "The World's First Motel Rests Upon Its Memories". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
  3. ^ Hoffman, Charles A. (July 16, 1997). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Arizona Rancho". National Park Service. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Holbrook Economic Development Department News Vol. 7, Issue 1" (PDF). City of Holbrook. August 11, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  5. ^ "Blue Gables Court, US 16 and US 87". CardCow.com. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  6. ^ "Caribbean Motel Overview". Historic Hotels of America. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  7. ^ Michael Karl Witzel; Gyvel Young-Witzel (2007-10-15). Legendary Route 66: A Journey Through Time Along America's Mother Road. p. 225. ISBN 978-0-7603-2978-8. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  8. ^ "National Register submission for Coral Court Motel" (PDF). Missouri Department of Natural Resources. 1998. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  9. ^ Nash, Eric P (2004). MiMo: Miami Modern Revealed. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-4204-4.
  10. ^ "Cave Courts Motel – The Oldest Motor Court in Arkansas". American Profile. December 23, 2000. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  11. ^ DeLano, Patti (2005). Off the Beaten Path, Arkansas (9th ed.). Guilford, Connecticut: Morris Book Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7627-4856-3. ISSN 1537-0550.
  12. ^ Jones, Chris (October 7, 2003). "No room at the inn for past glory; Ex-owner ready to see wrecking ball". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 30, 2004.
  13. ^ Hawley, Tom (May 4, 2016). "The colorful history of the Glass Pool Inn". KSNV. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  14. ^ Friess, Steve (October 2, 2003). "Las Vegas landmark set to take plunge into history". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  15. ^ Friedman, Ann (April 15, 2016). "Quirky home breaks tradition with indoor pool and 'Star Trek' doors". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 27, 2017. The Glass Pool Inn closed in 2003 before it was razed a year later.
  16. ^ The Route 66 Encyclopedia – Jim Hinckley, James Hinckley
  17. ^ Route 66 in New Mexico – Joe Sonderman
  18. ^ Billboard
  19. ^ Frangou, Christina (June 13, 2007). "Jupiter Hotel and Douglas Fir Lounge, Portland, Ore". The Globe and Mail. CTVglobemedia. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  20. ^ Schoenmann, Joe (October 2, 2005). "In Las Vegas, It's Googie vs. Wrecking Ball". New York Times.
  21. ^ Kirchner, Charles (July 1994). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Lazy A Motel" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  22. ^ Kaser, Ken (2012). Advertising and Sales Promotion. Cengage Learning. p. 337. ISBN 978-1-285-41461-4.
  23. ^ "South Carolina Department of Archives and History". National Register Properties in South Carolina: Rainbow Court Hotel, Horry County (405 Flagg St., Myrtle Beach), including five photos. South Carolina Department of Archives and History. 2010-06-21.
  24. ^ Jakle, John A.; Sculle, Keith A.; Rogers, Jefferson S. (April 2002). The Motel in America. pp. 197–98. ISBN 9780801869181.
  25. ^ "About Super 8". Super 8 official website. Accessed May 2010
  26. ^ Clerici, Kevin (2011-03-23). "Demolition begins on Wagon Wheel Motel and Restaurant". Ventura County Star. Retrieved 2011-07-19.
  27. ^ Cassity, Michael (December 10, 2003). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: West Winds Motel". National Park Service. Retrieved April 19, 2014. Accompanied by photos.
  28. ^ "West Winds Motel". Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary: Route 66. National Park Service. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
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