Restored Motels in the Midwest

Birch Lodge & Motel

Trout Lake, MI

Original mid-century furniture, panoramic lake windows, a private beach, and free kayaks and rowboats on a property with roots going back to 1911. The 1964 frame is the newest part of what is here.

Boots Court Motel

Carthage, MO

Streamline Moderne architecture from 1939 with covered carports where guests park directly beside the door, saved from demolition in 2022 and fully restored. Clark Gable stayed in Room 6.

Fresh Coast Motel

Fish Creek, WI

Restored down to the studs by two Milwaukee couples directly across from the harbor, with every room individually designed. A fire pit on the front patio and a sense of place that took real effort to build.

Historic Randles Court

Eldon, MO

Built from stone in the 1930s, restored after a fire and a tornado, with the 1947 neon sign back in service. An original cigar box found in the wall during restoration held Helen Randles' driver's license.

Motel Bear Lake

Bear Lake, MI

A group of creative women reinvented this roadside stay in color, keeping the original 1960s tile bathrooms and adding a hand-painted mural wall that keeps growing. Borrow pickleball paddles for the courts next door, cool off in the seasonal pool, and drive five minutes to the Lake Michigan shore.

The Ozarker Lodge

Branson, MO

Carved from a former roadside property with creekside soaking tubs and a mercantile on site. A heated pool and the kind of thoughtful design that changes what Branson means to whoever finds it.