Motor Inns Are the New Airbnb | Listen

Your next stay should be at one of these three affordable renovated motor inns

In a world of interstates and fast-food chains, we may still pay homage to the metaphor of the journey being a destination in itself—but do we really mean it? The trend of renovating motor inns and lodges would indicate yes, at least for some. In the economic boom following World War II, and before President Eisenhower’s national interstate project made smaller highways obsolete, increased access to, and affordability of, automobiles meant that people were going on road trips—and they needed somewhere to stay. Enter the motor hotel (from which we get the word “motel,” according to Andrew Wood, author of City Ubiquitous: Place, Communication, and the Rise of Omnitopia), where you could drive up, park, and go straight to your room.

Now these motor inns, which had fallen into disrepair or been abandoned, are being revitalized with custom designs inspired by retro, mid-century, and even disco styles. Covid-19 boosted the appeal as people chose road trips over flights, with the bonus of being able to avoid crowded lobbies and elevators. Now, they’re expanding their appeal: There’s convenient contactless check-in, sure, but there’s also a deliberate effort to create accessible, affordable spaces with personality for both travelers and locals to “staycation” in, with amenities like swimming pools, on-site restaurants, outdoor patios and firepits, and live local music—giving travelers a reason seek out these unique properties, whether they’re in the bustling heart of a city or along a lonely mountain road.

Historic Charm, Historic Prices

In North Charleston, just outside a city where lodging usually begins at $400 a night, the 51-room Starlight Motor Inn is filling a gap in affordable accommodation, while also offering nightlife and other benefits to locals, such as day passes to the pool and a lively bar scene at the on-site Burgundy Lounge. Rooms typically run well under $200 a night. “I don’t want to price out the very people in the neighborhood who we’re trying to serve,” co-owner Walker Lamond says. “We can actually make these rooms affordable to someone from North Charleston who has a family reunion or a wedding in town.”

The building’s history inspired a thoughtful renovation by Lamond and his business partner, area local Ham Morrison, with Charleston-based designer Alyssa Demilio. The property won a Carolopolis Exterior Award for historic preservation in 2023. The original motel, built in 1961, was the first modular-built motel in the South. “They literally built these rooms down in a factory in Georgia and shipped them up to Charleston and slid them into this concrete structure like drawers,” Lamond says. “This is worth preserving. It’s a perfect example of mid-century architecture, which you do not see very often in the South, certainly not Charleston.”

But they didn’t just preserve—they celebrated. Based on Morrison’s love of what he calls “the old Charleston,” they decided, “Let’s really make this about North Charleston. It’s mid-century, but it’s got a Southern patina to it. It’s ’60s, but it’s not Frank Sinatra ’60s. It’s not Woodstock ’60s. It’s Southern soul. It’s Little Richard, Atlantic Records, Mussel Shoals.” You can catch this visually, from wallpaper by Black Jewish artist Justina Blakeney to photography representing what Lamond calls “images of Black joy that weren’t typically seen in ’60s properties. That was a way we wanted to reflect the neighborhood and the people we wanted to serve.”

Country Roads, Take Me Home

Meanwhile, in Boone, North Carolina, Rhode’s Motor Lodge is increasing access to the year-round outdoor activities in the area while creating attractions of its own. A Loden Hospitality property with environmental design by Josh Gajownik, Rhode’s books live music with area musicians almost every weekend, providing entertainment for guests after a long day of hiking or skiing, along with hearty, home-style dining at Canteen, the on-site restaurant. 

Gajownik has put remarkable thoughtfulness into celebrating local culture and artisans in his design choices. Tapestries on the walls mimic the regional practice of hanging blankets during the winter for insulation, and for many of these Gajownik sourced an Appalachian weaving technique called overshot, whose geometric patterns are incorporated into textiles throughout the property. Living edge tables were made down the road in Blowing Rock; beds are crafted in Raleigh after a Japanese runner style with a sledlike feel. Gajownik personally crafted block prints that echo local geography and wildlife. The result at Rhode’s is “glamping” sophistication with chalet lodge vibes and elements of Frank Lloyd Wright, all woven together.

Although room prices can bump up above $300 on high-demand weekends, there are plenty of calendar options that fall well under $200. Each room features a utility nook that acts as a mudroom space for boots, skis, and jackets; custom coolers double as ice buckets. There are six types of rooms available, including a king room with a daybed option. “We looked into doing bunk beds but we didn’t quite have the height,” Gajownik says. “My daughter has kicked me out of the bed to sleep with my wife and I’ve gotten into this bed,” he adds, laughing. “It’s great—takes me back to camping.”

Traveler’s Choice

In Davis, West Virginia, the 10-room Billy Motel offers guests rooms at rates well under $150 to access a range of skiing, hiking, and mountain biking, along with a complimentary cocktail and a global menu at Ish Kitchen. Owner Joy Malinowski, who relocated from Philadelphia, missed the range of cuisine available there and made it her priority. She also designed the space, which she wanted to be “mid-century in a more broad and unexpected way. It’s a little more Rat Pack than Howard Johnsons.” The overall experience creates the hotel’s tagline, “hillbilly fabulous.”

In Nashville, you can book a weekend room at The Dive Motel for under $200 a night, just 15 minutes from Music Row. Though the original hotel was built in 1956 and renovations were completed in 2019, there’s a fun disco theme: Each of the 23 rooms comes with a “party switch” that turns on a disco ball and plays customized tunes from Dive Radio. Guests can boast that they stayed where Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, and Dolly Parton herself once stayed, and change for a dip in the pool or hot tub in the pool house where mafia members once ran illegal casinos.

And in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the Gold-Inn Hot Springs provides 17 rooms that start at $110 a night and range up into the $200s, within walking distance of downtown Hot Springs’ Bathhouse Row with dining, spas, and thermal pools, or five minutes from hiking trails at the foot of the Ouachita Mountains, depending on the day’s vibe.

With the return of affordable yet charming places to stay, we all benefit: Opportunities for travel and tourism increase; smaller communities are able to offer more options for locals to stay put, find work, and invest in their communities; and pricey cities become more accessible. There will always be a place for the high-end hotel with the swanky lobby and the white-tablecloth restaurant—but fortunately for everyday wanderlust, budget travel no longer means a seedy chain off the highway. It may just be that the right motor hotel ends up determining your next vacation spot.

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