The 11 Best Retro Motels in the USA

The idyllic Calistoga Motor Lodge, in the heart of the Napa Valley, feels more like a spa retreat than a small-town motel. It doesn’t hurt that it’s in the middle of wine country, either, so you can be sipping award-winning vintages during the day and luxuriating in a full-body wrap in the evening. The decor takes its inspiration from great road trips, and car-weary travelers can stretch their legs with traditional games such as cornhole and bocce ball.

This luxury motel offers far more than your standard drive-in digs. It has a boutique rural lodge vibe, and the enormous onsite restaurant and bar come complete with star-shaped light fittings and a menu of Californian food with a rustic lilt (think cheese boards and local produce). Fire pits are dotted around the grounds and the entire lodge has magical views over the wineries and Santa Ynez below. During the day, swap your four wheels for two and explore the area on a free bike.

Route 1 is probably one of the most famous highways in the world, stretching from the Florida Keys, where you’ll find Casa Morada, all the way to Canada. Make the most of the coastal location using the hotel’s complimentary paddleboards and kayaks. The motel has 16 airy suites, so you’ll feel like you’re hiding away on your own private island.

The Thunderbird Inn is about as kitsch as motels get. Built in 1964, the building, listed on the Historic Register, has hosted many notable guests over the years, including the Jackson Five when they were on the precipice of fame. Little extras such as hot popcorn and lemonade on arrival, and MoonPie cakes in lieu of pillow chocolates, set a welcoming scene and make this a memorable stay. An ecofriendly focus – including solar-powered electricity – lets you sleep soundly knowing you’re doing minimal damage to the environment.

The caboose is the manned railroad car at the end of a freight train, and the rooms at The Red Caboose are each housed in their own one. It’s hard to believe that a train could be transformed into something so comfortable and snug, but these cabooses pull it off with ease. There’s even a Honeymoon Caboose featuring a whirlpool bath. For those after a more traditional structure, there are a few farmhouse rooms on offer, too.

Kooky ’70s rooms, an enormous kidney-shaped pool and a funky restaurant set the mood at this Texan pit-stop. In-house restaurant Joann’s Fine Foods is inspired by Californian diners and the locals’ love of Mexican food, serving up dishes such as home-made tamales with green chorizo and adobe pulled pork enchiladas, all in an airy hacienda-style space – the perfect place to refuel after a day on the road.

Designed by Brooklyn-based design firm Studio Tack, this motel feels like a New York City iteration of a rural stop-off. Thanks to custom furnishings – including metal beds and hand-crafted benches – bath products from Co Bigelow and locally sourced mini-bar snacks, this is as much a destination as it is a convenient roadside bolthole. The in-house trattoria would rival many big-city restaurants with its hearty Italian menu of dishes such as ricotta cavatelli and confit rabbit. And with the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park nearby, you couldn’t ask for a more magnificent setting.

A true rock’n’roll legend, the Phoenix has seen its fair share of famous faces: David Bowie, Neil Young and Kurt Cobain have all holed up here over the years, partly thanks to the homely vibe, and partly because it’s close to all the city’s best music venues. Rooms today are modern-chic, with pops of color and retro touches such as vintage cherry-red rotary telephones. An enormous pool takes centre stage with rock music playing all day, making it the perfect hangout to cool off with a few cocktails and make some new friends.

Playing up to the trendy and music-focused attitude of Portland, the Jupiter is an edgy motel in the heart of this vibrant city. Two drinking and dining options – one of which doubles as a music venue – are great entry points into Portland’s thriving nightlife where you’ll find some of America’s coolest bands (make sure you check out a gig or two while in town). Rooms are modern and have tongue-in-cheek decor like John Lennon and Marilyn Monroe murals, or Spider-Man hiding in a corner.

There’s hardly a better way to beat driving fatigue than by parking up by the pool at Unscripted Durham, with a cocktail and a panko-crumbed chicken burger, as a DJ spins tunes. The motel dates back to 1960, when it began its life as the Jack Tar Hotel. The 74 rooms and suites are bright and airy, with geometric wallpaper, mid-century furnishings, a specially curated selection of art and Jonathan Adler bath amenities.

The name isn’t in vain here – the Holiday Music Motel really does have music running through its veins. It puts on frequent live music shows, collaborative songwriting retreats and a radio station that plays music created within the walls of the hotel. Built in 1952, it was renovated in 2008 using environmentally friendly building materials and techniques. There’s a complimentary breakfast to set you up for the day – and if you’re not hitting the road straight away, then head to the harbour where you’ll find some great eateries for lunch.