A new book by travel journalist Ellie Seymour takes readers on a nostalgic journey across America's highways, documenting the remarkable revival of 40 mid-century motels that have been transformed from roadside relics into contemporary boutique hotels. Published by Luster Publishing, "Vintage Motels: America's Most Iconic Motels, Beautifully Restored" showcases how these former symbols of freedom, anonymity, and the golden age of American car travel have been carefully revamped while preserving their distinctive character from the past.
Among the 40 featured establishments are The Pearl in San Diego, California, the Skyview in California, Hotel Lucine in Texas, and The Dive in Nevada, along with the Ace Hotel & Swim Club in Palm Springs, California. Whether through painstakingly restored neon signs that once again glow brilliantly at sunset or minimalist reimaginings that reinterpret classic Americana, these restoration projects demonstrate how contemporary design can celebrate a pivotal era when every roadside lodge represented a small architectural experiment, shaped by the boundless optimism of postwar America.
The fascinating story of America's motels begins exactly a century ago in 1925, when architect Arthur Heineman opened the groundbreaking Milestone Mo-Tel in San Luis Obispo, California. As Seymour explains to readers, the term "motel" itself was born out of pure necessity – "Milestone Motor Hotel" simply wouldn't fit on the rooftop sign. This innovative establishment offered private garages and hot showers, catering specifically to the rise of automobile tourism and establishing the blueprint for a phenomenon that would truly flourish after World War II ended.
Seymour's inspiration for the book came from an evocative passage in Bill Bryson's "Notes from a Big Country" (1998), where the acclaimed author declares, "I love everything about motels. I can't help myself. I still get excited every time I slip a key into a motel room door and fling it open." For Seymour, this heartfelt sentiment opened the door to a deeper fascination with America's rich roadside culture. Growing up in England, her initial understanding of motels came primarily from cinematic archetypes found in films like "Psycho," "Thelma & Louise," "Pulp Fiction," and the television series "Schitt's Creek," which portrayed these establishments as both seedy and strangely alluring. However, her own first road trip across California, Nevada, and Arizona completely shifted that perception.
By the 1960s, more than 60,000 motels lined American highways from coast to coast, each one distinguished by its own unique signage, distinctive architecture, and individual character that reflected local tastes and regional influences. Yet as the Interstate Highway System expanded rapidly and commercial air travel became increasingly accessible to middle-class Americans, many of these independent motels fell into serious decline. Countless establishments were abandoned, demolished, or simply left to crumble into the noir backdrops for crime and melancholy that Hollywood had long portrayed them as.
Seymour's comprehensive book captures this remarkable motel revival, showcasing how a new generation of visionary owners, innovative architects, and creative designers is breathing new life into mid-century motels across the country. Some establishments have chosen to remain as time capsules, carefully keeping their iconic kidney-shaped pools, original wood-paneled interiors, and authentic retro furniture completely intact. Others have embraced more dramatic transformations while still honoring their historical roots.
Spanning 256 detailed pages, "Vintage Motels" masterfully brings together compelling storytelling, valuable archival materials, and stunning contemporary photography to document this significant cultural shift from decay to rediscovery. Each featured motel receives comprehensive coverage across four to six pages, accompanied by detailed accounts of its original construction history and the innovative creative strategies behind its modern rebirth. The book includes notable establishments such as the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, and the Cuyama Buckhorn in New Cuyama, California, demonstrating the geographic breadth and stylistic diversity of this nationwide preservation movement.
