A Look Inside Hotel & Motel Rooms of the 1950s-70s

Let’s have a look inside the rooms of 38 U.S. hotels and motels from the late fifties through the seventies. Whether it’s a cheap roadside motel in Tennessee or a chic Hawaiian resort – the “handsomely decorated” retro interiors  are a wonder to behold. Be prepared for a plentiful supply of wood paneling, tiny televisions, and gaudy wallpaper. The images come from vintage postcards, and I’ve included the postcard text when available.  Enjoy.

The Biltmore Hotel – Los Angeles, California

Biltmore Hotel Guest Room Interior Furniture Los Angeles California 1970s USA

Offered guests the choice of blue, green, orange, yellow, or violet rooms.

Wenonah Hotel – Bay City, Michigan

Bay City MI 1960s INTERIOR Downtowns POPULAR MODERN Wenonah Hotel

“200 rooms with private shower bath, facing beautiful Wenonah Park.  Plenty of parking. Television and air conditioning.  Good food, cocktail lounge, excellent convention facilities.”

Windjammer Motel – Newport, Oregon

1970s Windjammer Motel

Copper Hills Motel & Coffee Shop – Miami, Arizona

COPPER HILLS BW MOTEL RESTAURANT Miami AZ Vintage 1970s Photo Postcard

“Facilities: coffee shop (6AM-10PM), dining room, cocktail lounge, nightly entertainment, bowling alley, liquor store, heated pool, color TV, gift shop”

Quality Courts Motel – Pocomoke, Maryland

Pocomoke, Maryland Postcard Quality Courts Motel

Town House Motor Inn – Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo, North Dakota Postcard TOWN HOUSE MOTOR INN

Nixon Hotel – Butler, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania PA postcard Butler, Nixon Hotel bedroom interior

“Say! Let’s stop at the Nixon Hotel. Beautiful and modern lobby, General Butler Dining Room, Cocktail Lounge & Bar; guest rooms with TV and radios.”

Quality Motel – Perry, Georgia

1973 Quality Motel Room Perry,Georgia Hotel Postcard

Best Western Rondee – Sedona, Arizona

BEST WESTERN RONDEE MOTEL Sedona AZ Vintage 1970's Photo Adv Postcard

Sedona, Arizona Postcard RONDEE MOTOR HOTEL 1960s

Lake Merritt Travelodge – Oakland, California

1960s Lake Merritt Travelodge Oakland California

“Heated swimming pool, air conditioned, elevator, televisions, radios, and telephones in all rooms.”

Hanalei Plantation – Hanalei Bay, Kauai

Hanalei Bay KAUAI Hawaii Postcard HANALEI PLANTATION Hotel Room Interior c1960s

Hanalei, Kauai Hawaii Postcard Hanalei Plantation Hotel Room Interior c1960s

Town & Country Motor Hotel – Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

1960s Interiors Town & Country Motor Hotel Route 8 Old TV Cuyahoga Falls OH

Abbey Hotel – 51st Street, New York, NY

New York City Abbey Hotel 151 West 51st Street 1960s Interior Bedroom Lobby

“Accommodating 1000 guests – 23 stories, modern rooms and suites, television in every room, in Radio City and Rockefeller Center area, home of the famous Stockholm Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge.”

Herkimer Hotel – Herkimer, New York

Herkimer Motel Pool Bedroom Herkimer NY

Hotel King Kemehameha – Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Kailua Kona Hawaii~Hotel King Kemehameha~Room Interior~View~1960s Postcard

“As in this lovely suite, every guest room in Hotel King Kamehameha boasts its own private lanai with a superb view of delightful Kailua town and the scenic Kona Coast.”

The Hotel Bethlehem – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

hotel bethlehem PA

“A modern hotel located in the heart of the city and convenient to business, shopping, amusement and sight-seeing areas.”

The Nalioa Hotel – Hilo, Hawaii

1950s HILO HAWAII Naniloa Hotel Interior Furniture Helibigs postcard

“This beautiful Inter-Island Resorts’ hotel is a favorite of Islanders and visitors alike.  Each modern room is casually comfortable and affords a pleasant vista of tropical gardens and Hilo Bay.”

Bo-Bet Motel & Coffee Shop – Plack Horse Pike, Mount Ephraim, New Jersey

Bo-Bet Motel & Coffee Shop - MOUNT EPHIRAIM NJ - c.1970

“Complete with colored television, radio, telephone, air conditioning.  Motel, coffee shop, and valet service, open 24 hours daily.  New Olympic size swimming pool.”

Hotel Commodore –  Park Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY

Room Interior Hotel Coomodore Park Ave @ 42nd St. New York NY

Broadway Motel – Eureka, California

1950s Broadway Hotel EUREKA entrance interior Redwood Hwy

Colonial Motel – Rockford, Michigan

Rockford MI Colonial Motel

“Color TV, showers, tubs, carpeting, king size beds, self-dial phones, continental breakfast.”

Colonial Brick Motel – Hallstead, Pennsylvania

1970s Colonial Brick Motel C. H. Hinkley Great Bend Exit I-81 Hallstead PA

Hanalei Plantation – Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii

1950s Hanalei Plantation Hotel Interior Kauai Hawaii Roberts postcard

“A bedroom in one of the private cottages that line the brow of the hill at Hanalei… overlooking river, valley, mountains and deep blue ocean.”

Hill Top Motel – Belmar, New Jersey

Belmar NJ Hill Top Motel 1970s

Sea Horse Motel & Apartments – North Wildwood, New Jersey

Sea Horse Motel & Apartments - WILDWOOD NJ - c.1970

“All with air conditioning, cable color TV, private bath with tub and shower, daily maid service, in-room coffee units and refrigerators in motel rooms, gas barbecue grill, babysitting service, and off street parking.”

Berkshire Spur Motel – Canaan, New York

CANAAN, New York BERKSHIRE SPUR MOTEL

Congress Inn – Monroe, Ohio

Congress Inn Motel Monroe OH

Kauaui Beachboy Hotel – Waipuli Beach, Kauai, Hawaii

Kauai Hawaii Postcard KAUAI BEACHBOY HOTEL Waipuli Beach Room Interior c1970s

8 Inn Motel – Manchester, Tennessee

Manchester TN~8 Inn Motel~Guest Rooms~Interior~1970s

“52 guest rooms, direct dial phones, bath and shower combination, color cable TV, air conditioning, king size waterbeds, honeymoon suites, located half-way between Nashville and Chattanooga in beautiful Middle Tennessee.”

Broadview Hotel – Wichita, Kansas

WICHITA, Kansas KS BROADVIEW HOTEL 1960s Tacky Interior TV Postcard

Thunderbird Motel – Klamath Falls, Oregon

Thunderbird Motel, Klamath Falls, Oregon

Wingate Motel – Wildwood, New Jersey

Wingate Motel - WILDWOOD NJ - c.1960

Deluxe motel rooms feature silent central air conditioning & heat – individually controlled, ceramic tile bath with tub and shower, free Color TV, wall-to-wall carpeting, inn coffee, daily maid service and refrigerators optional.”

Millwood Motel – Millbrae, California

MILLBRAE, CA California MILLWOOD Motel c1970

“34 Deluxe Units, color television, coffee in rooms, room phones, kitchenettes available, 1 1/2 miles from San Francisco International Airport”

The Diplomat Motel – Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Oak Ridge Tennessee Diplomat Motel Illinois Ave 1970s

56 De Luxe air conditioned rooms, all rooms with color TV, phones, heated pool, 3 min. to O.R. Atomic Museum.”

University Hotel – Athens, Georgia

Postcard Athens Georgia GA Room Interior University Hotel

Madonna Inn – San Luis Obispo, California

San Luis Obispo, CA Postcard MADONNA INN Hotel LOVE NEST Room Interior c1960s

Hotel Executive – Madison Avenue, New York, NY

NY, New York City HOTEL EXECUTIVE Room Interior Madison Ave c1950's

“Located in exclusive Murray Hill section.  All rooms air conditioned and with television. Hotel features a fine restaurant and cocktail lounge.”

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