In search of unusual lodging - Help!

Hello fellow travelers,

I'm wondering if I could get your help. I'm in search of unique and unusual hotels, motels, cabins, etc that people have discovered on the road. Unfortuantely, doing a random search online didn't bring up too many options. Many times these are mom and pop places that it's difficult to find out about unless you've come across it driving or have heard about it through the grapevine. I'm not concerned about location, I'd just like to hear about places people have found. For example, in Lancaster PA you can sleep in a hotel that is shaped like a steamboat and in Strasburg PA you can sleep in a cabose. I've also heard of treehouse lodging, lighthouse lodging and nice neon motels exist.

Any suggestions would be great! Let me know if you've come across an offbeat place to stay overnight.

Thanks so much!

Some places to check out that might point you in the right direction:
www.roadsideamerica.com, www.roadsidepeek.com, www.eccentricamerica.net, and www.gethep.net/road/

www.HotelAmericana.com has lots of neat places listed but I'm not sure that they're all still open.

I know this isn't all exactly what you were hoping for but I hope it will help. If someone knows of a website that collects this information, I hope they share it here because I'd love to know about this stuff, too!

There's actually a book that includes a directory of unusual lodging in the American SW :
http://www.bellaonline.com/ebooks/ebook79

You could check out a few of these:
The Ice Hotel near Quebec City (Ste-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier), QC
Dog Bark Park Inn, Cottonwood, ID
Karell Double K Ranch (cabooses), Tucson, AZ;
Jules Undersea Lodge, Key Largo, FL
Tree House Cottages, Eureka Springs, AR
Ottawa Jail Hostel, ON, they converted an old prison into a hostel. I know the hostel once offered (maybe they still do)a free night's accomodation to anyone who could last an entire night in death row. There's a website called Unusual Hotels of the World.

The most exotic motel I stayed at was the Crazy Jug Motel in Fredonia, AZ, it is not as spectacular as an ice hotel or a dog shaped cabin but it's very "western". If you like neon, get your kicks on old route 66, you'll find plenty of neon signs and colorful motels.

I'm also very interested in finding unusual places so if you find something really special, keep us updated!

Gen

Tucumcari, on old 66 in New Mexico has quite a few of the old motor court style motels left. In Arizona, check out the Shady Dell Travel Trailer Motel in Bisbee. Also the Wigwam Motel on I-40 near Holbrook AZ.

Gen, that website is amazing. And it was fun to see how many of these unusual spots aren't that far from me. Wish I could do a roadtrip just to check all of these places out. I so want to stay in the Jules Verne underwater hotel in Key West. Wouldn't that be a cool experience? Although a part of me is also conjuring up images of deep-sea monsters slithering around just waiting for me to drop my guard. Or like those intelligent man-eating sharks in some stupid movie I saw. Maybe I'm too chicken to sleep there. You think they'll just let me take a quick visit in the daylight?

Thanks for sharing this info.

Judy,
We could arrange a rendezvous at one of these locations some day. I'm sure Bob would like to stay at the Ice Hotel... We'll see if he still likes the cold and snow after that!:-)lol Personally, I'd prefer the Jules at Key Largo, I tried winter camping once and that was enough for me!! brrr The rates at the Ice Hotel are pretty expensive (595$CAD/night double occ) but you can visit the place for 14$CAD. I'll go there next winter and take a few pictures!

Gen

I'll stay in the Ice Hotel as long as they let me bring my fur pillow! Cold is GOOD! :) Bob

I have witnessed a Wigwam Motel (not my pics/page) on US-31 in Cave City, KY.

In WV, there is a railroad that will put you up in a caboose, give you a train ride to a secluded location, unhitch you for the night, then come back the next day to pick you up. The name of the rail escapes me right now, but I think I posted it a while back.

It's amazing, the wealth of information Mark and Megan have accumulated right here on RTA. Tonight, I discovered this link -- that fits right into this theme and request! I should've known! Check it out for some unique and classic motels for all the states. Bob

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Tonight, I discovered this link -- that fits right into this theme and request!

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Wow, cool site! I'm really into these old motels and neon signs. Thanks for sharing!

Gen:-)

Wow - these responses are great! I can't thank you enough guys (and gals) for listing them. Just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate it.

by far the most quirky place I ever stayed was in the Cochise Hotel in Cochise, Arizona. Its an old hotel, built in the late nineteenth century, and time has stood still. The small hotel (I think it has nine rooms) is still furnished in antiques from that period. No televisions, no phones in the rooms, and no heat. The proprieter gave us a space heater (yes, they do have electricity). We paid about$70.00 for a suite that had two separate bathrooms and breakfast the next morning was included in the price. I recommend arriving when it is still daylight, in order to avoid the feeling of
stepping into a scene from the movie THE SHINING. You can have supper prepared for you if you request it ahead of time. For more information go to www.ghosttowns.com, to Arizona, to Cochise County and click on the little town of Cochise. The pictures are accurate. The experience is unique and fun.

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Originally Posted by JuneNY

by far the most quirky place I ever stayed was in the Cochise Hotel in Cochise, Arizona. Its an old hotel, built in the late nineteenth century, and time has stood still.

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Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum! Great suggestion -- how did you originally find this place?

Another fun place is the Nevada Hotel in downtown Ely, Nevada which was built in 1929. The current owners acquired the property in 1994 and continue to restore and decorate the hotel and casino in old Nevada style. Of particular note is the elegant table games room downstairs where you get the feeling that Brett Maverick might walk in at any moment. Every available inch of wall space in the main casino is packed with historic artifacts, photographs, taxidermy, paintings, sculpture, models, and an impressive collection of western guns.

Mark

Here's a few more for the fun motel crowd!

http://www.kahneeta.com/ - scroll to the bottom of the accomodations page for wigwams to stay in! - Warm Springs OR

http://www.rrpark.com/RRP.htm - stay in an old railroad car in Dunsmuir CA

http://www.ranchosonora.com/ -- ahhh - what a respite this was in the middle of nowhere - Florence AZ

All three of the above have RV parks associated with them for the RV crowd!

http://www.elranchohotel.com/ - this was our favorite Route 66 hotel - Gallup, NM

This tree house motel near Cave Junction, OR doesn't seem to have its own web page, but here is a good article about them. I've heard it is a blast!

http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/02...ma-oregon.html

Have a great time - there is so much to explore in our great country.

Carol White
Live Your Road Trip Dream
www.roadtripdream.com

Hi everyone

I remember reading a while ago on another thread somewhere a mention about a Caboose Motel where they will take you in your caboose, drop it in the middle of nowhere for the night and come back and get you the following morning. Does anyone know any more details about this motel?

I'd appreciate any help - my boyfriend is really taken with this idea and we're coming over to the US for our road trip in September.

Thanks
Julia

try this site Julia --

www.kiskijunction.com/RentaCaboose.htm

My boyfriend and I stayed in a teepee last December. Think it was 2 or 3 days after Christmas and it was C O L D!!! Got down to about 32 degrees F. We were supplied w/ some mesquite wood to keep the fire going (or should I say getting it started!!) and we had to go out on the property and pick up more for the rest of the night. We woke up about every 90 minutes and had to put more wood on the fire. Oh! This was in Texas. It was at a B&B which was 3 miles down a dirt road from the main road. The whole experience was fantastic and I'd do it again in a heartbeat! It was actually the best nights' sleep we had during our whole Christmas vacation! Don't know why but it was! The aero bed had nice soft sheets on it and great Indian wool blanketes! I woke up at one point probably an hour or two before dawn and where the aero bed was situated (which was VERY comfy!) we could see the moon against the sky through the hole in the top of the teepee (where the smoke escapes). Also, the breakfast the next morning was out of this world! Pumpkin pancakes, cooked apples, sausage, juice & coffee. If anyone wants the name of the place, I'm sure I can find it! The shower was outside also. It had sides on it but no top! Open to the tree tops and stars! Again, VERY cold! The water was supposed to have been heated (small propane tank) but it never got very warm if you ask me! Quite invigorating though! Just remembered the name of the place!!! If you're ever in the neighborhood, it's certainly worth the trip! They only had the one teepee "The Dancing Buffalo Lodge". Check it out!

If you ever want to take a scenic route to unusual lodging which is definitely off the beaten path I would STRONGLY suggest the Deadbroke Inn and Corral located in Pleasant Valley, Young, Arizona . Whether you take the northern road or the southern road to Pleasant Valley you will be pleasantly surprised with the adventure. I prefer the southern route 288 to Young primarily for the incredible view overlooking Roosevelt Lake.
Deadbroke not only provides a cozy western style accommodations you also have access to your own saloon. It is perfect for not just a family getaway but for reunions or group retreats. In addition to the Inn there is an incredible bunkhouse and two "bordellos".

Hi, and Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum!

Thanks for jumping in with your first post, and adding another great suggestion to the list. Feel free whenever you can make a contribution or suggestion. They are always appreciated. If you have questions yourself, at anytime, there are lots of folk here to answer them.

Lifey