Featured: Madonna Inn

Since today is Valentine Day, I'll be doing this blog's very first feature piece, focusing on one of the most iconic motels in US -- Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California. I have blogged on two of its rooms here -- room 137 and room 139 -- and I'll feature more postcards from 1970's in my collection here.

A bit of history on Madonna Inn. It began life as a small 12-unit motel in 1958, and though it's not clear from my resources, I suspect it was an ordinary motel. The motel burned down in 1966, and when the owners, Alex and Phyllis Madonna, rebuilt, they decided to build something very different, resulting in a most unique, 110 themed room motel that we all know and love today.

As you approach Madonna Inn from the highway, it looks like a series of buildings built in Swiss style with carved railings, balconies and dormers. 

 

 

 

But when you walk into the motel lobby, it is like entering a different world, a world made of caves and rocks with pinkish carpeted floors and windows poking through the rocks.

Motel Lobby

You are thirsty from the journey, so you enter the coffee shop (now called Cooper Cafe and Coffee Bar according to the motel's site).

Coffee Shop

Like the hotel lobby, this has rock walls. Also, note the copper counter. There are rumors that this place serves (or used to serve, anyway) pink French toast. Though I can't confirm this rumor, it's worth looking at the online menu. Please observe some rather vintage dishes still on the menu, such as shrimp Louis, shrimp cocktail supreme, patty melt and Monte Cristo. You can't get a dish more Seventies-que than Monte Cristo.

After quenching your thirst, you decide you are hungry, so you head to the Gold Rush dining room (Alex Madonna's Gold Rush Steak House today).

Gold Rush dining room

Yet more rocks! And maybe it's the lighting, but do all these booths and the carpet look kind of...hot pink? And are you starting to feel like a hobbit yet?

After dining, you decide to have an after-dinner aperitif, so you head downstairs to the Wine Cellar.

Entrance to Wine Cellar

 Now that you are in the Wine Cellar, you get to see what must be the most famous urinal in the country, if not the world.

Men's room at Wine Cellar

A waist-level light sensor (that little metal square on the waist-high side wall) automatically starts the waterfall if a person steps close to it. It accomodates two persons. According to the description on the back of the postcard:

The secret's out! Now the ladies can see our men's room, without a guided tour!

This is the first picture published of our celebrated men's room with the "waterfall." Not evident  in the photo are the giant, clam shell sinks.

If you still want to see it ladies, make sure all the gentlemen are out!