The old Route 66 is the home to American kitsch. There are few places you will find unbelievable sights like dinosaurs scattered along town streets, a replica of the fort from the 1960s show F Troop, and a giant Easter Island-style head just sitting along the highway. Arizona has quite a few of those places still standing and serving customers since the highway’s heyday. One Route 66 icon in particular truly stands out from the rest.
This is the Wigwam Motel, located in the heart of Holbrook, Arizona.
It was part of a small chain of similarly designed motels strewn across the country, the brain child of Frank Redford. This particular motel was built in 1950 by Chester Lewis, who purchased the design rights, and became the sixth one.
Since then, it has become an iconic part of Holbrook and the old Route 66.
Can you imagine Holbrook without the motel? It operated until about 1974, when the highway was closed for Interstate 40, but reopened in 1988 and has been serving travelers ever since!
The interior is compact compared to current standards for hotel rooms but manages to be a cozy place to sleep.
Each of the 15 little units were made from steel and concrete, sitting in a sort of semi-circle around the motel office. They measure about 14 feet across, have a little bathroom inside, and contain modest furnishings that stay true to the time period the motel was built. That also means that while you get a TV in your room, you won’t find a phone or even internet access during your stay.
Because of its proximity to the old Route 66, the motel sits a short distance from other iconic places in Holbrook.
Places like Joe and Aggie’s Cafe, the Roxy Theatre, and the Rainbow Rock Shop are within walking distance of the motel.
The motel was also the inspiration behind a little motel featured in Disney’s film Cars.
If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll probably remember the Cozy Cone Motel in which each unit looks like a massive traffic cone. The Wigwam Motel was just one of the many locations in Arizona that served as heavy inspiration for the movie.
Despite the name of the motel, it’s not actually a wigwam you'll be sleeping in.
These motel units are actually modeled after tipis, the traditional dwelling for Plains tribes. Wigwams are actually dome-shaped homes used by Northeastern tribes and look pretty similar to the wikiups used by some Southwestern tribes.
The Wigwam Motel No. 6 is located at 811 West Hopi Drive in Holbrook. Booking information can be found on their website, sleepinawigwam.com.
Want to see another incredible place to stay the night a short distance from Route 66? Read our article, We Dare You To Stay In This Arizona Cave And Not Absolutely Love It, for the quietest, darkest sleep you will ever experience.
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