Yet Another institutional Green Room

Hampton Manor Motel
Hampton, VA
1960's?

Yet another depressing motel room painted in an appetizing shade of institutional green that reminds one of pistachio ice cream. Observe that man decked out in a 1960's suit (these slim, sock-baring pants are a dead giveaway),  sneaking a peek in a book, perhaps trying to find a picture of a lingerie model The woman sitting on the bed, makes a call, presumably calling the front desk to complain about the room's decor, or lack thereof.

A Peeping Tom in British Virgin Islands

Little Dixie Bay Resort
Virgin Gorda, BVI
1960's or 1970's

Granted, this is not exactly an ugly motel room, but I thought I'd show something pleasant now and then as a break from all the depressing views. This room certainly has a nice view -- as long as you pay no attention to that man lurking by one side of the window.

A Classic 1950's Room

, I

Gateway Hotel

Crown Point, IN

1950's

 This is definitely a room from 1950's -- check out that brown linoleum title floor with little whitish streaks in it. And why, these must be barkcloth curtains. However, some of the furniture is nice, and I bet that desk/dresser with round depressed handles would fetch a decent price in today's vintage furniture market.

Hotel Commode

Hotel Commodore
New York City, NY
1970's?

What is it with 1970's and red carpets and wild bedspreads? However, that rusty orange wall could be considered on-trend today.

By the way, that man looks stupendously bored while the woman holds up a dress, perhaps trying to justify a $500 (in today's dollars) purchase at Saks Fifth Avenue.
  

institutional Green Walls

Bedford Motel
Bedford, Massachuetts
1950's?

Check out the lovely shade of institutional green paint which looks like puked-up split pea soup, accented by a turquoise blue chair and print curtains. The beds look rather uninviting, being covered with what I've come to call "hospital-chic" bedspreads. Definitely a 1950's room. The description on the back of the card brags about fingertip controlled radios (whatever these are) along with TV and telephones.

Fake-Looking Fireplace in Pocono Mountains

Chestnut Grove Lodge
Swiftwater, PA (in the Pocono Mountains)
1950's?

These definitely are very Fifties-ish rooms. Look at that hilly-billy wallpaper -- can you imagine staying in a motel room with such wallpaper these days? And check out the living room below. The fireplace looks so out of place that one suspects it is fake. And what's going on with mismatched flooring? And look at that little old-school television balancing on that teensy-weensy little table (covered with a dolly, no less.)

Room Fit for a Caveman with Refined Taste

Madonna Inn
San Luis Obispo, CA
1970's?
Room 139 ("The Flintstone")

No motel room postcard blog is complete without at least one postcard from the legendary motel, Madonna Inn, and I'll be posting more in the future. In case you are not familiar with this place, it is a motel in San Luis Obispo, California with 110 rooms, all decorated differently, often with a specific theme. Kind of like the American answer to Asian love hotels, though I don't think you can rent these rooms by the hour. :-)

The first post is for the room 139 ("The Flintstone"). Judging from the different bedspreads, I would say these 2 postcards were published in different years. Feast your eyes on these wild bedspreads, rock walls, blue carpet and light blue ceiling. I'll let the description on the back of one of the cards speak for it:

Leaded glass windows in this tower-level rock room (Hilltop Unit), depict of course, the fun-loving Flintstones! The room is very spacious, and is furnished with two king-sized beds with zebra designed bed spreads. ABA-DABBA-DO!

 I tried to find out the fate of this room, but couldn't find it on the site. I'll try to find out more later, but I suspect the room 139 has changed names. (ETA 2/14/2015: I just found out that the room is now called "Jungle Rock" and the current page on this room can be found here. It looks as if the room hasn't changed much except for minor decor changes.)

Groovy in Hawaii

Kauai Surf Resort
Kalapaki Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
1960's?

To be fair, as vintage motel rooms go, this isn't too bad (and of course, a great view helps, too). It has some nice examples of mid-century modern, such as that white round table and the little coffee table. However, the harvest gold carpet and upholstery gives this room a dated look. The printed curtains look like they date from 1950's. Also, note that daybed on the right, which looks like a roll-away bed slid under some of structure serving as a combination backrest and shelf. They were popular in 1960's but you don't see them anymore, as they've been replaced by hide-a-beds and futon frames.

Note: if you are interested in buying this postcard, it is available for sale on Playle's site. I also have many other postcards for sale there as well -- click on the "Other items by this seller" link there.

Big Red Bed

Hanalei Planation
Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii
1960's
(Interior of a cottage)

Look at this monster of a bed, and someone took care to ensure the red carpet matches the comforter, making the bed seem bigger. I think the brown giraffe spots on the white wall in the next room are supposed to represent rocks or something.

Retirement Home Chic

Quality Inn Perry
Perry, Georgia
1970's?

I understand this is supposed to be a motel room, but it looks like it belongs to a retirement home, especially with colonial-style furniture, hospital-chic white bedspreads, and walls painted in that lovely shade of Institutional Urine Yellow. Check out the patterned carpet which is like the kind used by casinos; it is said that casinos use this type of carpet to draw your eyes away from the floor (so you can gaze at their ubiquitous slot machines and the like). Perhaps they are attempting to do the same thing here -- so you can't see how dirty the carpet might be.

Also, you can clearly tell this room is from 1970's. The harvest golden cushions in the chairs and the avocado green curtains give it away.

 

Yet Another Bordello Chic Room

Little America
Various Locations
1970's

This is a very 1970's room. Check out the harvest gold curtains in the background. And the carpet...um, what kind of color is it? The color of kitty puke, perhaps? Anyway, look at the "bordello chic" wallpaper and that fancy chandelier complete with fake candles lurking above the round glass table on the right.

Hypnotic Bedspreads

Little America
Flagstaff, AZ
1970's?

Check out these bedspreads -- surely, the hypnotic pattern on them will help lull you to sleep. Also, check out the matching bed skirts -- what attention to detail. Also, I have to ask -- what is it with red carpets back in 1970's? To help conceal spill spots of cherry-flavored Kool-Aid and cheap wine?

A Mid-Century Modern Room

Hotel Broadview
Wichita, KS
1950's or 1960's
(View of living room in a suite)

Actually, as vintage motel rooms go, this isn't too bad. It's a decent example of mid-century modern decor. Observe the Danish-inspired wood furniture, dark wood paneled walls, and a TV on slender legs (as opposed to being enclosed in a bulky console). The best feature of the room are these metallic cone wall lamps on the right side of the room.

I checked Google to find what happened to this hotel. It appears that the hotel is still there, currently owned by Drury Inns. Based on the photos from the site, the rooms have been updated, though they certainly are somewhat bland compared to the postcard image above.

College Dorm or Motel Room? You Decide

Tourinns Motor Courts
Pittsburgh, PA
1950's or 1960's

With a somewhat Spartan twin bed (with a sad throw pillow attempting to dress up the room), large blind-covered window and Danish modern wooden furniture, this looks more like a college dorm than a motel room.

Room Fit for a Princess, Lots of Frills

Princess Lee Motel
Richmond, VA
1950's or 1960's

 This is one very frilly motel room, full of Provincial French furniture in white with gold trims. The name of the motel, Princess Lee, is rather apt. Also, note that the television seemed to be placed by the bathroom, presumably so you can watch TV while taking a bath.

Most Dangerous Bed in Hawaii

Coco Palms Hotel (Wailua Kai Wing)
Island of Kauai, Hawaii
1950's or 1960's

 Feast your eyes upon what surely must be a rather impractical bed, which the postcard called "Outrigger Bed". Look at that odd wood frame surrounding the bed. Do you take that apart before going to bed? If not, getting up in the middle of the night could make for an interesting adventure. And let us not mention the pair of spears just behind the headboard, a potentially nasty accident waiting to happen. And look at all these little throw pillows placed just so. Maids must have loved making this bed everyday.

By the way, according to the description on the back of the postcard, the bedspread is fishnet which explains the rather rustic appearance of the bedspread. Also, the upright paddles on the nightstands are actually lamps.
 

Space Chic Honeymoon Suite

South of the Border Motel
3346 U.S. 301
Hamer, SC 29547
1970's or 1980's

This is one of the honeymoon suites at the motel at the iconic mother-of-roadside-attractions known as South of the Border. (If you are unfamiliar with this place, go here and be prepared to be entertained -- or be disdained, depending on your taste.)

Check out the Sixties-que white dome lurking above this bed, complete with panels of mirrors and a red padded backrest that looked like it once lived in a nightclub from the 1950's. I'll let the description on the back of the postcard speak for itself:

HONEYMOON HEAVEN! One of pedro's 20 fabulous Honeymoon Suites, with the custom built "Everything" bed. TV, Radio, Cassettes, Mirrors, all in the headboard! You may never want to get out of the bed! At South of the Border Motel.

 Unfortunately, it's my understanding that the suites have been renovated since then, and that these beds are no longer there.

Bordello Chic

1200 Beacon Street Motor Hotel
1200 Beacon Street
Brookline, MA
Approximately 1970's

Apparently, the motel owners couldn't think of a good name for this motel, so they just went with the street address for the name. Anyhow, check out this room. I have two words to describe it: bordello chic. Check out these damask-like bedspreads -- and matching curtains. Who does matching curtains anymore these days? And ah, yes, look at that red carpet. It matches the red walls. Matchy-match.

Introduction

Greetings, everyone. I've been collecting postcards for many years, and one of the categories is vintage motel rooms. The reason, as you shall see in subsequent posts here, is that they rarely are anything but bland, and provide a glimpse into the tastes and styles of time past. Not everyone might view some of the rooms as ugly; in fact, some rooms might be even viewed as cool and even fashionable today, especially rooms decorated in the mid-century modern style.

It is my goal to post at least two times a week, and I have plenty of materials for this blog, which should keep the blog going for a while. Also, if you have a scan of a motel room postcard (or even a photograph of a memorable motel room) you'd like to feature on this blog, I'd be happy to put it on the blog with credit going to you -- just contact me privately.

Now, let's get started.