Retro Motels in the Southwest

Blue Swallow Motel

Tucumcari, NM

Pink stucco, original neon, and the 1939 bones intact on one of America's most storied roads. The neon goes on at dusk and everything that made the drive worth it is still here.

Motel Safari

Tucumcari, NM

A 1959 Googie design with a butterfly roof, original 1950s custom-built furniture, and radios streaming Route 66 Radio at the bedside. The Rockabilly Suite's first guest was Wanda Jackson.

Quail Park Lodge

Kanab, UT

A 1963 frame renovated into mid-century rooms with a crayon-colored palette and weekly happy hours hosted by the owner. A gateway to five national parks run by someone who genuinely likes guests.

Roadrunner Lodge Motel

Tucumcari, NM

Restored to working mid-century character with period decor and an in-house radio station playing 1950s and 60s hits. One of the last operating Magic Fingers vibrating beds in America is here.

Americana Motor Hotel

Flagstaff, AZ

A 1962 Route 66 frame renovated around dark sky stargazing, with telescopes on property, a pool, and fire pits. The Easy Rider production crew camped here in 1969, and the road outside hasn't changed much since.

Earl's Rt 66 Motor Court

Winslow, AZ

Handmade quilts, original neon, and forty-four years of family stewardship on the oldest continuously operating property on this stretch of Route 66. One of the most genuine stops on the whole highway.

Purple Sage Motel

Panguitch, UT

Red rock canyon country visible from every window in a husband-and-wife operation that takes its name from Zane Grey's most celebrated novel. The name does the landscape justice.

Sands Motel of Boulder City

Boulder City, NV

A 1951 family-run motor court in the quiet desert town the Hoover Dam built, redone in a warm mid-century modern style where you still park right at your door. Pull in off the noise of Las Vegas and find tree-lined streets, white lights in the branches, and an easy night's sleep.

Zion Park Motel

Springdale, UT

Covered outdoor sitting areas with canyon wall views and a shuttle stop directly across the street since 1972. A clean vintage property where the canyon is close enough that it sets the agenda.