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Lots of Blue There's a lot of blue sky and blue water in Florida!
And they used a lot of blue, when they renovated this 1950's motel in 2009. Front View It doesn't look like the old motor courts and motels I remember from when I lived in Florida as a kid.  But this 196-room boutique hotel had a nice mix of styles. Bohemian-Modern Lobby The huge lobby had lots of sitting areas, all very bohemian-modern. Or maybe should say, it seemed a little Sixties-Snobby. That term I just made up from watching Jerry Lewis movies as a kid.  All the snooty, sophisticated characters who were mean to Jerry lived in modern penthouses with lots of super mod decor! Furniture Memories I grew up in a house with antiques, so the only modern furniture I owned was the lovely "marble" swivel coffee table, that went into my dollhouse.
That "Petite Princess" brand of toy furniture looked a lot like some of the stuff I saw in the lobby... which was luckily pretty empty. It was October and no spring break crowds! Two-Story Motel As we passed through the lobby into the courtyard, I began to see signs of the old motel look.
More wonderful blue! We had a first level motel room on the courtyard. Rooms with Patios Closer to the pool, we saw rooms that may have been original from the fifties.
They had grassy patios and hammocks. Quiet Pool The patio rooms were just steps from the lovely pool. It was peaceful on that evening in October, but as we wandered through the tidy rows of lounge chairs I was reminded of how un-peaceful it might be with a spring break crowd.  Closer to the beach and "shack-bar" there was a handy little platform, holding some sort of creepy mattresses...for lounging, or whatever. I don't think I'd want a poolside room in March or April. Our Groovy Room! I'm pretty sure this is the first surfer-style room I have on my Notable Nights list! One wall was covered with a colorful surfing mural. The green wall figures lured us towards the dandy chair with mod fabric.
The window had Venetian blinds and drapes with groovy green fabric. The view looked out on our courtyard, which actually had some lovely trees and landscaping. Pink Tile & Surf Board I love old tile in bathrooms, especially when a soap dish and toothbrush holder are incorporated! Was that color a flesh tone? Pink, I hope.
I've never had a surfboard in the room. I have a feeling that was not to be borrowed like a hotel towels. But it was tempting, since I could hear the gulls and surf through open windows! By the Beach This looks like a boarded up shack in the photo, but the PCI Bar, was indeed open.
There was a small crowd seated on stools at the bar. We decided to pass on the PCI Bar, in order to catch the sunset. Ahhh! Again, I'm focussing on the peaceful images.  My sunset with dunes photo does not reveal the huge beach nearby. There were volley ball nets and sunburned tourists... This is the scene I choose to remember. Night I'm glad we got to see the lush grounds in the day, with the wonderful trees. I love palms, but these giant beasts were so festive, especially at night when the lanterns (hanging from the branches) were glowing!
Later that evening, Don and I enjoyed some drinks and appetizers at the restaurant/bar attached to the lobby. It was a treat to enjoy the laid back atmosphere without throbbing music and "kids" who would have called us Gram and Gramps. But I wouldn't mind a glimpse of that scene just for fun. What's Notable? We stayed at a retro, beach motel with a clean & fun facelift. The place is pretty large, so there wasn't a cozy welcome, but that's okay.
I'm not itching to revisit, since we may have lucked out. I wouldn't want to return and find the place filled with partiers. But then again, I might have more interesting stories to tell.
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Ninety Notable
Nights My New Year's Resolution for 2014 was to start documenting some of the memorable overnights I've had in some very odd and curious motels and hotels. Like the adventures in my Dining Blog, I have learned to enjoy the surprises that happen when you step out of the comfort zone, far away from the well-known chains. I began with a few entries recalling my very first home away from home memories from my youth. Then, I started sharing about some of the quirky and unforgettable motels, hotels and inns that my husband and I have discovered in recent years. The best part about this challenge was making some lists with Don and getting on the road in search of new overnight adventures. I gave myself a 2-year goal to write up 90 stories and the goal was met. Now we just keep on adding! Archives
March 2023
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