andsands.com, (727) 367-1969
If it's booked, try…
12.
Thunderbird Beach Resort. Though renovation has
blurred the resort's modernist roots, the original neon sign still
beckons from the foot of the historic Treasure Island causeway.
Rates start at $79. www
.thunderbirdflorida.com, (800) 367-2473
13.
Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo, California So over
the top that its men's room has a rock waterfall for a urinal … it
looks like the owners cornered the market on pink paint … it makes
Graceland seem like a model of self-restraint … and that's why so
many people stop here when they're cruising
Highway 1. Built back
in the 1950s as a 12-room motel, the Madonna has grown to 108
rooms, each a unique creation. Jungle Rock has stone walls, zebra
bedspreads, and a waterfall shower; American Beauty has rose
wallpaper and a rose bedspread; Cave Man has rock on the walls,
floor, and ceiling, with leopard print everywhere else. Rates start
at $147; reserve the most outlandish rooms far in advance.
www.madonnainn.com,
(800) 543-9666
If it's booked, stop by the nearby Motel Inn, where the word motel
originated in 1925. It's under renovation to become part of the
Apple Farm Inn next door.
14.
Austin Motel, Austin, Texas Built in 1938 when
the motor-hotel rage had just begun, the Austin Motel now happens
to stand smack-dab in the hippest neighborhood in the city. Not to
be outdone, the motel oozes retro charm, from its neon sign to its
kidney-shaped pool. In place of a greasy-spoon café, a Mexican
restaurant serves up live music along with its enchiladas and
migas. Within a few blocks are antiques shops, vintage-clothing
stores, a folk art gallery, and the
Continental Club, a choice live
music venue. Doubles start at $85, including tax.
www.austinmotel.com, (512)
441-1157