Vintage motels of the 1960s glamour: America's most beautiful retro stays

A new travel volume highlights 40 historic motels across the United States that capture the mid-century glamour of cross-country road trips. Vintage Motels: America’s Most Inspiring Motels Beautifully Restored With Respect For History, by Ellie Seymour, surveys properties that range from pastel, poolside showcases to rugged roadside roadhouses, showing how designers revived mid-20th-century style for modern stays.

Among the properties highlighted are the Ace Hotel & Swim Club in Palm Springs, a solar-powered desert retreat with a star-gazing deck and a vintage photo booth; the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, long celebrated as one of Route 66’s enduring stops; the Cuyama Buckhorn in New Cuyama, California, which reinvents a 1950s roadhouse with modern comforts; a cluster of 26 individual Farmhouse cottages in Cayucos dating to 1947 that preserve a country-style vibe; The Dive in Nashville, an adults-only property that channels the bold, psychedelic colors of late-20th-century motel culture; Trixie Motel in Palm Springs, an adults-only retreat created by drag performer Trixie Mattel; The Pearl in Point Loma, California, noted for its easygoing, retro ambiance; White Water in Cambria, a design-forward property; Hotel Lucine in Galveston, Texas, a 1963 opening that has since been refreshed; The Pacific Motel in Cayucos, known for its historic wooden cabins and tranquil setting; Ojai Rancho Inn in Ojai, California, with distinctive wooden architecture and a poolside bar; Skyview Motel in Los Alamos, California, a place once linked to rumors of Beatles stays in its heyday; and Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, famous for its pink, kitschy decor and expansive dining room.

The feature emphasizes that these motels are far from the horror-film clichés often associated with roadside lodging. Instead, the selections are celebrated for photo-ready facades, cheerful color palettes, neon signage, and poolside gatherings that evoke the era when American families hit the road in search of glamour and freedom. The examples span from the desert to the coast, illustrating how regional styles—from mid-century California resort aesthetics to Route 66 nostalgia—continue to inspire contemporary designers and travelers alike.

The publication’s curated list aligns with a broader revival of heritage tourism, where travelers seek immersive experiences that blend architecture, history, and storytelling. Several properties retain original design cues—from terrazzo floors and retro signage to wood-paneled lounges—while updating interiors to meet modern standards of comfort and safety. The result is a set of stay options that feel transported from a bygone era while still offering contemporary convenience, making them popular stops for weekend getaways, photography-driven trips, and design-minded vacations.

The publication also highlights how communities have embraced these retro rebuilds as an economic and cultural opportunity. In places like Palm Springs, Cayucos, and Nashville, owners have embraced the mid-century spirit to attract visitors who want a tangible sense of history without sacrificing modern amenities. The contrast between the old and the new is presented as a selling point rather than a novelty, with some motels offering themed rooms, retro-inspired dining spaces, or music and art programming that harken back to their original eras.

Daily Mail staff writer Erin Deborah Waks covered the broader trend in a feature published September 27, 2025, drawing on Seymour’s book to illustrate how these properties preserve a chapter of American travel lore. The article frames the motels as living museums of mid-century design, where architecture, furniture, signage, and landscape come together to tell the story of the American road trip—an era defined by optimism, audacious color, and the romance of the open highway.

The selected motels represent a cross-section of the country’s travel heritage, with California sites accounting for a notable share. Ace Hotel & Swim Club reflects Palm Springs’ mid-century modern revival, while the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari embodies the Route 66 nostalgia that remains a draw for road-trippers and history enthusiasts. Other properties—such as the Cuyama Buckhorn and Madonna Inn—show how single-property concepts can become enduring symbols of regional identity, drawing visitors who want to step into a crafted fantasy of a specific era.

For travelers considering a retro-styled getaway, the book and the accompanying feature offer practical notes on what to expect. Many properties emphasize design elements from the era—color schemes, geometric patterns, and mid-century furnishings—yet pair them with updated bedding, private baths, and modern heat and power systems. The result is a tactile, immersive experience: a chance to sleep in a room with a 1960s feel, dine in a themed space, and wake to sunlight over a pool that evokes decades past.

As a trend, the revival extends beyond individual motels to district identities and regional tourism campaigns. The motels’ revitalization often catalyzes neighborhood pride, with historic signage preserved or restored, curated landscaping, and storytelling that situates each property within the local fabric. In this sense, the motels are not just places to stay; they are vessels of memory that connect visitors to a time when car culture and leisure travel defined American horizons.