The sunny yellow sign box still looked cheerful, even as the Sunny Motel was nearing the end of the road in this 1996 view. Its unusual design stacked “Sunny” above the larger “Motel” letters, all squeezed into a simple rectangular frame. Nothing fancy here, just one of those homemade-looking neon signs that gave old Route 66 a little more personality. The motel is now gone. 01-07
The Sunny stood at 911 West Hopi Drive, along the old Route 66 path through Holbrook. The highway follows Hopi Drive on the west side of town and Navajo Boulevard farther east, which probably explains why the motel was sometimes described as being on Navajo Boulevard. Either way, this was pure Route 66 motel territory.
Sunny Motel
Holbrook, AZ Photo courtesy Rod Holcomb
Check out the swimming pool sitting right in front of the room blocks. By the motel’s final years it had been completely drained, leaving a big empty hole between the highway and the rooms. It must have been quite a sight for passing motorists. Back in better days, that pool probably looked pretty inviting after a long drive across the Arizona desert.
The Sunny was not one of Holbrook’s famous tourist attractions, but it offered the sort of inexpensive accommodations that once filled Route 66 towns. A 1990 newspaper ad promoted weekly rates for just $50, with kitchenettes available. That sounds more like apartment rent than motel rates today.
Holbrook had plenty of competition for overnight travelers, including the famous Wigwam Motel and a long lineup of motor courts, cafés and glowing neon signs. The Sunny never had concrete teepees or a giant roadside gimmick. Its little yellow sign, swimming pool and row of rooms had to do the job.
The former Sunny Motel Off the old Route 66
Holbrook, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
John Steinbeck called Route 66 the “Mother Road” in The Grapes of Wrath, but by the 1990s many of its older motels were struggling or already abandoned. The Sunny hung around long enough to be photographed before disappearing with many of Holbrook’s other modest roadside stops.
UPDATE: Here's another view of the Sunny Motel with its now empty swimming pool. Many thanks to Rod Holcomb for updated photos. 11-10
UPDATE: Here's another photo of the Sunny Motel from the 1990s. The motel is gone. 09-21
UPDATE: The Sunny Motel was completely demolished and its distinctive roadside sign was removed. The exact year of demolition is uncertain. 09-26
Budget Inn Motel (Gone)
Holbrook, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Budget Inn Motel was a colorful old roadside stop in Holbrook. Its sign featured a particularly cool mid-century typeface, especially the stretched and angled letters spelling out “MOTEL.” Lit in pink, orange, and blue, it must have been difficult to miss after dark. 09-21
The motel had a classic single-story roadside layout, with rooms facing the parking area so travelers could pull up close to their doors. A kidney-shaped swimming pool added to the vacation atmosphere, reflecting the colorful glow of the neon at night.
A photo of the Budget Inn Motel in 2000
Holbrook, A Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Next door was Mr. Maestas Family Restaurant, a longtime local stop serving American and Mexican food. Its large yellow triangular sign and the bright Budget Inn marquee once made this corner a memorable little collection of Route 66 roadside architecture.
Although the Budget Inn name disappeared, the motel buildings were not razed as originally reported. The property was remodeled and became part of the Knights Inn chain. The distinctive Budget Inn sign was removed or altered during the change, taking its wonderful lettering and colorful neon with it.
UPDATE: The former Budget Inn property survives under Knights Inn branding. The original roadside sign is gone, but the motel buildings remain in lodging use. 09-26
Brad's Desert Inn Motel
Holbrook, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
That big palm-topped sign is a welcome sight while cruising through Holbrook. Brad’s Desert Inn Motel opened along Route 66 around 1960 or 1961 as Brad’s Motel, offering 18 rooms to travelers crossing northern Arizona. The small L-shaped motor court had everything a roadside traveler needed, with the sign advertising such modern comforts as “Direct Dial Phones” and “Free Color TV.”
Brad's Desert Inn Motel
Holbrook, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The original sign has changed a little over the years, including the addition of “Desert Inn,” but those metal palm leaves still give it plenty of old Route 66 personality. A couple of decades ago, the motel was even advertising rooms for $18. Good luck finding that rate anywhere along the old highway today.
Brad’s also sits close to Holbrook’s busy railroad tracks, so passing freight trains are part of the overnight experience. The motel has been known to leave complimentary earplugs in the rooms, a thoughtful touch for anyone not accustomed to sleeping beside the railroad. 09-21
UPDATE: Brad’s Desert Inn remains open as an independently operated motel. The rooms and exterior have been renovated over the years, while the old roadside sign has been repainted and continues welcoming Route 66 travelers into Holbrook. 09-26
Motel
Williams, AZ Photo courtesy Tim Hewett
Route 66 pride is painted all over this Williams motel, complete with a map of the Mother Road and a large highway shield. By the time this photo was taken, businesses throughout town were once again embracing the old road, turning once-ordinary motel walls into colorful reminders of the highway’s cross-country past.
Williams has a particularly important place in Route 66 history. On October 13, 1984, it became the last town along the entire highway to be bypassed by Interstate 40. Local business owners had fought the bypass for years, knowing what could happen when travelers were suddenly routed around town instead of directly past its motels, diners, and gas stations.
Unlike many other bypassed Route 66 communities, Williams found a way to keep drawing visitors. Its location near the Grand Canyon certainly helped, but so did the town’s enthusiastic return to its roadside roots. Route 66 shields, murals, neon signs, old cars, and souvenir shops gradually became part of the downtown scene. This motel joined right in, proudly displaying the route instead of trying to hide its age behind another plain coat of paint.
The exact name and location of the motel shown here remain uncertain. 10-06
Sunny Motel - 1996 (Gone)
The sunny yellow sign box still looked cheerful, even as the Sunny Motel was nearing the end of the road in this 1996 view. Its unusual design stacked “Sunny” above the larger “Motel” letters, all squeezed into a simple rectangular frame. Nothing fancy here, just one of those homemade-looking neon signs that gave old Route 66 a little more personality. The motel is now gone. 01-07
Sunny Motel
Brad's Desert Inn Motel
Brad's Desert Inn Motel
Motel
