Victorian Bordello Chic

Madonna Inn
San Luis Obispo, CA
1970's?
Room 157 ("Traveler's Suite")

It's been a while since I last did a Madonna Inn post, so here we are. I've referred to other motel rooms as "bordello chic" but this room looks like it was teleported straight from a Victorian-era brothel. Look at that ubiquitous red carpet, matched by the red ceiling. And of course, that huge stone fireplace -- if it doesn't have big rocks, it ain't Madonna Inn. Also, look at how closely the 2 king's beds are positioned together, foot to foot. If for some odd reason you happen to fall off the foot of one bed, no worries; you'll just roll to the other bed.

You may be disappointed when you look at the present day rendition of this room. They sadly took away all the bordello chic-ness of this room and even painted the walls white. However, it looks like they kept the original beds, albeit sans the canopies, and even their original positions. But without the canopies, the bedposts look ridiculously tall and makes one want to do some impromptu pole-dancing.

A Granny Room Away From Home

 Cavalier Motor Lodge
Reno, NV
1960's?

Teal bedspreads, blue floral wallpaper, beige carpet and ah, yes, that rather grandfatherly armchair all conspire to make this a most granny room. This motel was located in the heart of Reno, meaning you were mere steps away from casinos and all-you-can-eat buffets, which makes this room even more granny.
 

The Great Harvest Gold North

Skyline Hotel
Toronto, ON, Canada
1970's?

As you can see from the postcard above, even Canada wasn't immune to the harvest gold craziness that plagued the United States in 1970's. Check out the harvest gold phone on the nightstand, matched by harvest gold walls and harvest gold bedspreads. Even the door was harvest gold. By the way, that curtain looked as if it used to be a part of a circus tent at some point in its life.

Hanging Out at Ye Ole YMCA

YMCA Hotel
Chicago, IL
1940's?

I've been featuring hotels and motels from 1950's through 1970's, and I thought I'd post something from a bit earlier, the 1940's. Though the rooms above would have looked like they belong to a flop house today, I suspect the rooms were pretty decent back then. According to the back of the postcard, the rates for the rooms ran from 75 cents to $2.50. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to rent a hotel room right in downtown Chicago for the price of an iPhone app?
  

Smoking in Day Beds

Chandler Courts
Miami Beach, FL
1960's

 A glance at this postcard tells you that this motel clearly isn't from the 21st century. For one thing, two day beds -- both twin sized -- are arranged artistically in a L shape, with a little table and table lamp serving as a nightstand for both beds. And check out that quintessential shapeless wood coffee table. While you might try to find something like that at IKEA today, I suspect it has been many years since IKEA made any coffee tables with recessed ashtrays.

Think Red

Madonna Inn
San Luis Obispo, CA
1970's?
Room 121 ("San Francisco")

It's Saturday, which means it's Madonna Inn Day, and I got a couple to post today. The first up is room 121, otherwise known as the San Francisco room. As you can see, this room -- which seems to be actually two bedrooms -- is very red. (Note: the lighting in the photo makes the carpet looks kind of pink, but the description on the back insists it's red.) Please draw your eyes to that rather ornate mirror with four electric candles branching off it. This is a room that the late Liberace could love. He probably would insist that these "old lady" floral bedspreads be changed, though.


Check out here for a more recent photo of the suite. Obviously, the room has been redecorated, but I am pleased to see that they didn't try to tone it down. In fact, if anything, the rooms seem to be a bit wilder, especially with these white ornate bed frames. They should have kept the Liberace mirror, though.

Room 216 ("Matterhorn")

Except for bits of grooviness --the Sixties-que wallpaper and the hanging cracked-glass lamp above the bed -- this is a rather tame room by Madonna Inn's standards. By the way, that is a really odd angle to take a photo of this room. One cannot help but wonder what they are trying to hide in the other part of the room. Check out this updated photo of the room. As you can see, the room has been modernized, though the dark wood headboard appears to be the same. Sadly, the walls are a boring solid white.

Uptown Downtown

Uptown Motel
Port Angeles, WA
1960's?

This is definitely a groovy room -- what is not to love about it? Check out that round white table, bright red chairs with butterfly backs, and hanging turquoise blue lamps. The only gripde I have about this room is these walls painted in that institutional green that seems to be so ubiquitous in 1950's and 1960's.

An Institutional Green Suite by LAX

Hyatt House East
Los Angeles, CA (near LAX)
Mailed in 1963

These days, when you hear "Hyatt House", usually "high class" comes to mind. But you wouldn't know it, looking at this postcard. It probably was middle class in 1960's, but to the eyes of today, this looks a little tacky, especially that utilitarian kitchenette. No attempt at any sort of wall decor except for that monster cooling/heating unit. By the way, when was the last time you saw an ashtray in an American hotel?