Route 66 Wigwam Motel: a quirky stay
One of the things we were most looking forward to on our US road trip was the chance to stay in the Route 66 Wigwam Motel in Arizona. I absolutely love spending the night in weird and wonderful hotels and I’d choose novelty over comfort any day.
The Route 66 Wigwam Motel in Holbrook is basically a kitsch-lover’s dream. It was built in 1950 as part of a hotel chain, but is now one of only three remaining. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2002.
Stepping back in time at the Route 66 Wigwam Motel
I loved the Wigwam Motel from the moment we drove in and read the sign: “Have you slept in a wigwam lately?” Oh yes, I do it all the time…
The welcome sign at the Route 66 Wigwam Motel
The motel consists of 15 wigwams arranged around a carpark, which is filled with old cars from the 1950s and 60s. The cars themselves are in varying states of disrepair. But their presence adds to the sense of nostalgia on the site.
Each wigwam is 14 feet (4.3m) wide at the base and 32 feet (9.8m) high. Inside they’re basic and are kitted out with traditional furniture and brightly coloured furnishings. There’s no amenities like hairdryers or mini bars, but there’s a small TV.
A tiny bathroom is squeezed into the back of the room, with the shower tucked under the sloping wall.
We absolutely loved everything about our stay at the Wigwam Motel. In fact, it was probably one of our favourite stays on our US road trip.
Sure, the facilities are basic, but its charm and history won us over in seconds.
What’s the quirkiest place you’ve ever stayed in on a trip?
If you enjoyed this post, why not check out this one about a Meteor Crater we visited in Arizona, or this one about the ghost town of Chloride on Route 66.
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Wow – that is awesome!! We are so putting Route 66 on our to-do list now. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
You must do it at some point! It’s so much fun. There’ll be lots more Route 66 posts coming in the next few weeks:)
Love it! We drove past this place when we did our US road trip so wondered what it was like inside. This part of the world is great for quirky places to stay.
We loved all of the quirky stuff on Route 66. Who wants to stay in a boring chain hotel when you can stay in a wigwam?;)
This looks awesome 🙂 Would love to stay in one of these!
It was really cool! I love staying in unusual places:)
I want to stay here!! This looks so cool! I stayed in a beehive hut in Swaziland and we absolutely loved that. I’m the same as you – quirky is so much better than luxury and comfort.
Wow, that sounds different! I definitely agree, you can stay in a fancy hotel anywhere – the quirky places are the ones you remember.
Totally adorable! Is it wrong that I like that Aztec bedspread?!
Haha, I actually loved it too! Very in keeping with the theme;)
This is amazing! I had heard about this, but didn’t think it actually existed. How nostalgic.
It did feel like we were stepping back in time!
I’ll take charm over WiFi any day! Sounds like a blast. I’m definitely putting a stay here on my travel to-do list. 🙂
Exactly, I think we can all take the odd day off from checking our emails 😉 Glad it’s making it onto your to-do list.