A classic 1962 Route 66 motor hotel reimagined as a retro-futuristic mountain retreat with a year-round heated pool, backyard fire pits, and in-room disco balls.
The Americana Motor Hotel stands as a bold, color-drenched reimagining of a classic 1962 roadside icon on Route 66. Originally opened during the golden age of automotive travel, this low-slung property was once Flagstaff's premier midcentury retreat, hosting a legendary roster of guests that included Elvis Presley, Robert F. Kennedy during his 1968 campaign, and the cast of Easy Rider in 1969. After decades of fading into the background of the interstate era, the motel underwent a complete, top-to-bottom transformation led by Dallas-based Practice Hospitality, reopening in 2023 with 88 rooms. Designer Andrew Alford spearheaded the redesign, blending the property's midcentury bones with a playful, retro-futuristic aesthetic. The exterior features a vibrant, eye-catching paint scheme of warm reds, deep blues, and sunny yellows, immediately signaling that the classic American road trip has been thoroughly modernized.
Inside the guestrooms, the design embraces what Alford calls rustic futurism, a style heavily influenced by Flagstaff's natural landscapes and its historic ties to space exploration. Every room features a real, spinning disco ball hanging from the ceiling, casting playful light across woodgrain-patterned wallpaper and geometric carpets. Headboards are upholstered in patterns inspired by 1970s ski wear, while writing desks and retro-style furnishings maximize the cozy footprints, which range from the snug 130-square-foot Mini rooms to more spacious 220-square-foot Double Queens. The bathrooms pay homage to the Apollo moon missions (astronauts trained in the nearby Cinder Lake Crater) with bright red shower hardware and geometric white tiling designed to mimic NASA lunar landing gear. Modern comforts are seamlessly integrated, including walk-in showers, flat-screen televisions, mini-fridges, and high-speed wireless internet.
The social heart of the property is The Backyard, a sprawling outdoor communal space framed by drought-tolerant landscaping and gravel pathways. Here, guests can swim in the year-round heated outdoor pool, relax in hammocks, or gather around cozy fire pits as the mountain air cools. The lawn is dotted with games like bocce ball and cornhole, and telescopes are available for stargazing in Flagstaff's famous dark skies. Traveling companions of the four-legged variety are welcomed at The Barkyard, a fenced, off-leash dog run complete with a dedicated pet-washing station. For dining, the on-site restaurant, Baja Mar, serves Sinaloa-style Pacific Mexican seafood and asada dishes, providing a delicious alternative to standard roadside fare. Guests can also grab canned craft beers and regional snacks from the lobby market, borrow a cruiser bike to explore the surrounding area, or plug into the EV charging stations before hitting the road again.
Borrow one of the complimentary cruiser bikes from the lobby to pedal into downtown Flagstaff, or spend the evening in the hotel's Backyard stargazing with one of their rental telescopes.
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