#102 The Swiss Alps Inn

Heber City... in Utah

Our "Inn" didn't exactly have a view of the Alps, but we could have spotted the towering slopes of Mount Timpanogoes, if we'd not been socked in by clouds.   

We may have lacked the perfect view, but we did have some mighty sweet Swiss kiddos, holding a bucket and Alpenhorn, gazing down on us as we approached.

An Inn or Motel?

This is a darn cute little inn, with or without the mountains.  My photo on the right, didn't exactly match the one shown on TripAdvisor.  "Swiss Alps Inn" is a fitting name for a place that looks quaint and cozy, even on a gloomy weather evening.  So why did they add a sign with MOTEL on it?  The word motel says America to me... not Switzerland. 

Roof Top Treat

But I do like retro motels, especially with a rooftop display, showing a sheepherder and his sheep.  I was eager to get checked in and ask if they could turn it on with a switch.  I assumed the whimsical little thing worked sort of like a cuckoo clock. 

The Office

The office door was locked, but there was a phone to call for assistance. The man in red, came over from the Dairy Keen, next door.  Evidently the Mawhiney Family owns both.  I was eager to find out some scoop from a 5th generation owner who might know something about the business, which started as a shack in 1946. When I was handed the key I asked the man in red if he was the owner. He laughed comfortably and said his family owned the place so he guessd that meant he was the owner.  "But don't tell my sister!" He teased.  Then the phone rang and I didn't get to ask about the dandy little bell on the counter.

Still Talking...

I stalled a bit, but he kept talking so I didn't get to ask about the decorative shields on the stucco wall.  I didn't get to ask if it was his grandma's idea to have blue shutters and flower painted stucco.  It was pretty clear that we'd be dropping the key in the box in the morning... so no chatty fun learning about our little inn's history.

Exploring

No matter if we are staying in a lodge, mansion or rambling hotel, I have to explore. There wasn't much to see in a 10 room motel, especially since the rain was starting up.  But I glanced at the pool and slide and swings and remembered how much I loved finding a motel playground on travels as a kid.

Exterior

It's funny how the simple zigzag design of the front, gave guests a little bit of separation.  The chairs were a little worn and the view was of the parking lot, but I appreciate the nice cottage look to the painted trim around the big picture window.

Room 30

I'm pretty sure there weren't 30 rooms,  but this was our number.  And we had our own little shield with the title, ASARGAU.  That's another thing I could have asked my man in red.

In We Go

Don and I were tired on day 16 of our trip. It had been a long day in the car with rain and bad traffic, so I wasn't giddy with enthusiasm (as I often am) to open our door and see what surprises awaited.  We tried to find the positives as we looked about, but it was a bit tough.  "Look, a Willkommen greeting on the wall."  I smiled.   "Someone worked hard on painting that headboard." I sort of grinned, then I had to inquire, "But, what is that smell anyway?" 

What's Good

I would have preferred a 1950's bathroom, but there was a coffee pot on the counter and some "Swiss Miss" hot chocolate packets.  Nice touch.  There was a fridge and microwave and we popped some popcorn and opened the door to change up the smell, which I can't really describe.   

View

I always like to take a photo of the view from our hotel window, but we hardly wanted to open the shades and stare at the parking lot. However if you look out the open door you can see a triangular roof image.  That's an odd story.

The Cute Building

When I took a morning walk the next day, I took this photo of the gingerbread style house that faced Main Street. It was the same roof, we'd seen from our motel door. The little building was the office for Karl Malone's Car Dealership.  Now I know nothing about Karl Malone or his basketball career, but I do know that our son was driving down this very street on a road trip last summer, when he texted Don to say, "We just drove by a building at a car dealership and we saw Karl Malone sitting on the porch!"  It's a small world.

Night and Morning

It was an uneventful evening. Don and I were so tired we just picked up some incredibly yummy carryouts from Cafe Rio and ate at our little table with some Margaritas...  while rain poured down.  We were up and on our way early the next day, feeling a little sad that we hadn't fully experienced all that the Swiss Alps Inn might have had to offer. 

What's Notable?
Pretty simple. The Swiss Alps Inn is a storybook inn on the outside and an outdated motel on the inside.  It would take so very, very little to fix this up and make it adorable.  Maybe they're saving that job for the 6th generation.