Lewistown, Montana in September 2015 This odd little hotel has a curious history. In fact our whole stay at the hotel was odd and curious. We found the recently renovated 28-room hotel tucked into a neighborhood. There were flowers to greet us and a nice awning which covered the stairs going UP to the lobby and DOWN to the bar & grill. The Lobby This is how the lobby once looked with curved archways. Before it became a hotel in 1928, it had been a dorm for high school students. In 1917, the county built the "Fergus County Improvement Corporation Dormitory" to house students who lived in the country, too far for daily busing. Today This view across from the very modest lobby desk, shows the original archway. There are still two sets of stairs leading up from the lobby, to the same second floor hall. At one time girls were housed upstairs and boys were down. Then after the building was enlarged, the boys and girls were separated on east and west sides of the second floor. Each had their own stairway. Don and I dared to use the same stairs! I'm glad they kept many of the original details. Even the new hexagonal tile is in keeping with the period. But I didn't care for some of the framed artwork, which looked like it had been purchased at one of those "Kirklands" stores at the mall. Our Room Our "King Spa Room" was comfortable enough, but there was an unfinished feel. The sheer curtains opened to an odd bricked in space. From the front, you can see the "new addition" built over the awnings. I'm not sure why they added that little "porch", because there wasn't really room to sit out there and make use of the windows. There was a portable-looking steam room at one end, but it had an "out of order" sign taped on the door. Long Ago This is what our guest room might have looked like, back in the day. Then we could have at least looked out the window from the room. From our windows on the spa porch, we could see the elementary school across the street and a nice mountain range in the distance. All was quiet on a Saturday evening. What was nice? The bed and linens were actually very comfortable and the TV and bathroom were decent. I thought maybe we would feel more at home once we went down to the lobby and chatted with the young woman at the desk. She might fill us in on the town and hotel history. What's the History? I tried to strike up a conversation with the girl at the desk, but she was too young to be interested... and she was new to town. The biggest disappointment was finding out that the Onyx Bar & Grill was not open. Closed?! How could the hotel restaurant be closed on a Saturday night? We saw the sign down the street and the Onyx name on the door under the awning. The girl at the desk had no ideas about where we could eat in town. She offered up some soup that she had cooking in a crockpot. What? A Basement Tour We noticed a woman with keys opening the door to the basement restaurant. She happened to be the owner and was heading down to the restaurant kitchen to cook her husband some dinner. (I kind of hoped to be invited) She was sincerely apologetic about not having a chef anymore. She explained how impossibly hard it is to keep a good chef in such a small town. She let us go down and have a peek.The courtyard was now enclosed, with a skylight and seating. The native brick was impressive and it looked like it would be festive to sit there at night with strings of lights. Darn. The Onyx Bar The basement bar and grill felt comfy with the glowing onyx and sconces. There was an old cash register and a colorful vineyard wall mural and cozy booths underneath the copper ceiling. What a sad waste. Even without the onyx bar, it would have been a a fun atmosphere...with the old southwestern decor. So we sighed at what we couldn't enjoy and then felt incredibly lucky when another man came to check in. He had once lived in Lewistown and he recommended the only place he thought might be open... The Wagon Wheel Drive In. Deluxe Dining Our "wagon wheel" burgers and tots went well with our wine and beer, back in the room. Oh my. It was delicious. What's Notable? Our room was clean and comfy enough, but there was something missing. The hotel was lacking guests and warmth. There was history, but no one was offering it. Usually it's the run down towns and hotels that remind me of a Twilight Zone episode. How odd that you can get that Twi-Zone feeling in a nice little hotel, in a nice little town.
0 Comments
Deadwood, South Dakota The Iron Horse Inn was the only hotel on our 4-week road trip that had the bonus treat of being a hotel, plus casino. Of course that is only a bonus if you love casinos, which I don't. And most of the people I know who do enjoy casinos, would not have stepped foot in this one. So that is why I am focusing on the horse feature. I do like horses and above the hotel door, there was a horse figure on the metal sign and an even more awesome carved horse above! The Beginning The inn, is on the left side of the building. It began as a 1-story feed store in 1893. Horse wagons used to load up in the basement and exit over a ramp, into the street. Two more floors were added in 1896 and the building became a hotel in 1921. Later, the Wooden Nickel Casino moved into the adjoining building. It all looked pretty sweet, sitting on the edge of town, near the tree covered hill. Third Floor The side of the building shows the stone that came from a nearby quarry. Our room was on the third floor, third window from the right. I know that, because when I zoom in, I can see the dirty window. A bird must have flown close by, on a windy day. Small Door Leads to Grand Things For such a big building, this was a modest hotel entrance. The glass block around the door was added during a renovation in 1937. Who knows how long ago the horseshoes were pressed into the cement. When we opened the door, it was quite a jolt to be greeted with the 1970's pink and teal paint and shimmering chandeliers. I had expected a western lobby with saloon style decor. In fact where was the lobby? All I saw were glowing slot machines in the dim light. (Camera flash brightened things up!) There it Is! We turned the corner and found the little cage, where the woman clearly dealt with more gamblers than hotel guests. I had a feeling the cute western "bank teller" look, was more about guarding money than decor. I was eager to get upstairs to our room and see if the stale carpet smell disappeared, as we climbed. Up We Go "Just one night." I easily assured myself. I had to laugh when we headed down the narrow hall, where the two end doors made a "V". Our room on the right was 302. I couldn't wait to see what "$109. would get us in Deadwood. Verrrry Cozy What can I say, the room was cozy. The double bed was squished between the wall and a bedside table. The blue counter around the sink coordinated with fancy blue trim above. The linens were fresh... I am a good tester. The window helped enlarge the room. However, I had to pull the shade down to cover up some of the unpleasant stain on the glass. Then I could stare out, longingly. The View We gazed across at the Franklin Hotel, with the doric columns holding up the bar terrace. The grass is always greener. We headed over and had a drink on the terrace and even watched the evening "Shoot Out" on the street below. Kind of hokey, but I won't be a snob. I'm sure there are some local thespians who don't mind the job. The Franklin was a step up from our non-gracious casino atmosphere. But it didn't exactly look to luxurious. That's not what Deadwood's about. Then What? For a Friday night in Deadwood, it was on the mild side. We enjoyed wandering and then settling in, at the Saloon #10 for good people watching. We ate a late and surprisingly good dinner, upstairs at the Deadwood Social Club. We made sure we were good and tired before heading back to our tiny room. Gas for Breakfast We woke, both surprised that we'd slept well. Where were all those motorcycles we'd expected to hear? There had been no kooks stumbling down the hall. Our good nights rest, gave us confidence to try breakfast at Lee Street Station, which was connected to our hotel. Sassy Service We actually enjoyed a decent breakfast served by the feisty and funny Tami. She gave us a list of her rules, which reminded us not to yawn or harass the cook. We enjoyed the view through the garage doors. We also kept an eye on all the locals who came to eat and chat with each other. I didn't even mind the blinking and clinking coming from the casino entrance. Everything's more tolerable when you're heading out. Most Notable? The best part of the hotel was the exterior stonework with the carved horse... even though his face does look a little terrified. But what will I really remember most? I guess the cringe factor. Smelling the stale air and hearing "Celebration" and other oldies piped into the dim casino's atmosphere. It wasn't a comfy stay and I'm afraid I'll mostly remember that. But I'll force myself to focus on the horse!
Historic District? I've stayed in hotels, motels, inns, lodges, resorts and motor courts. I've never stayed at a place that calls itself an historic district. Flags & Flowers It had rained during our entire drive through Rocky Mountain National Park. So we were pretty delighted to find the hotel drying out when we arrived around 5. I managed to snap a photo of the waving flags and colorful flower display without any people. It wasn't easy. The hotel and grounds were swarming. I thought we were traveling off season in September. Colonial Revival Don and I were in the first week of our western road trip and this hotel was looking out of place. Not only was it huge, but it looked like something from New England, not the West. That's because FO Stanley (as in Stanley Steamer fame) missed the old mansions back home in the east. He built this wood framed building first on 160 acres in 1909. I Love Stairs I do appreciate a dramatic stairway and this one was hard to beat. After we reached the first level, we had to hunt around for the extra stairs to the third floor. We have seen this trend in old hotels and it just adds to the fun. Ghostly Elevator It was actually pretty nice having an elevator option, since many old hotels don't have them. Of course this one seemed to have a ghostly operator... wearing a ball cap. Wait, that's Don. Hotel History I mentioned the Stanley Steamer connection. They even had one on display in the lobby. There was a fleet of Stanley Steamer Mountain Wagons that once picked up guests at the train station. That would be a fun arrival. Arriving This would have been quite a sight for those arriving in Mountain Wagons, even for those wealthy East Coast travelers! It is kind of funny though, to see how dwarfed the hotel looks at the foot of the Rockies. The King Connection Besides the Stanley Steamer history, it's the Stephen King connection most guests are curious about. This is the hotel where the author and his wife stayed when he became inspired to write The Shining. Next to the Stanley Steamer in the lobby, there was a cutout for photo posing... so you could feel a part of the movie. That was a little weird. The Stanley in 1974 There were so many renovations, it was hard to imagine what the hotel was like when guests dined in the roaring twenties. The Whiskey Bar with its copper-toned molded ceiling was hopping on Thursday evening. I had to peek in early in the morning to imagine what it was like when Mr. and Mrs. King stayed in 1974. They were the hotel's only guests when they stayed, right before the hotel closed for the season. The dark wood in the closed off Pinon and Billiard rooms, looked more like the movie image to me. A Scary Image The stairs were the way to go, when we weren't lugging bags. So many odd things to see along the way. I startled myself once, when glancing at the framed portraits as I climbed. Most of the ornate frames surrounded paintings and photos, but a few were mirrors. Mirrors can be eerie. Especially when you see a familiar looking, rumpled traveler staring into your face. We paused on the second floor to look towards Stephen King's room, 217. I'm sure it looked a little different in 1974, but it was creepy enough to King that he woke in the night. The dream image of his young son running down the hall, urged him to get up and begin writing what became one of the scariest books ever. Our Room 310 I think our room was considered a budget room, without a budget price. It was cozy and I loved the wooden doors. The large wardrobe held the TV, where you could watch the The Shining, 24/7. The odd headboard embraced us in a very bold way. I felt like a baby in a cradle, unable to reach for my water glass! The View I always have to mention the view, whether it's good or bad. It was cloudy when we arrived or we would have seen more mountains. Mostly our view was of the back of the hotel, which isn't bad for the back of anything. There was an outdoor dining patio that could have gotten loud with our open windows... had the weather been nicer. Morning Morning was the best time, where we could have the veranda, plus the view to ourselves. There were so many private functions and ghost tours on the evening before. I hated to leave when it was finally quiet. Ghost Encounters? I did manage a fun chat with Cindy at the desk when we checked out. She works the night shift and has heard one too many stories from guests. Only once did she feel the chill of a shadow passing behind her, that could have been a ghost. "I refused to turn and look. I just turned on the Christian radio station, real loud." We headed for the car, past some stones and bushes. It seemed to be some kind of attempt at a hedge maze, like in the movie. Hmm? We loaded up the car, chuckling about our fun, but odd stay. What's Notable? The hotel was so impressive and large that I'll never forget it. I love the history of Mr. Stanley as well as the connection to the scary book and movie. But I think I would have been happier had there been more ghosts and less guests. It was hard to sink in and relax when I felt such a buzzing tourist vibe... almost a Disney-feel. It just made me want to go back and visit... in another era.
Fairplay, Colorado The sunflowers look like summer in this picture, but it felt like a chilly fall evening when we arrived early in September. Don and I found this place a couple years ago and always vowed to come back and stay. Roof Sign The sign is hard to miss, especially in a small town with less than 700. The western facade of the hotel makes me picture horses and wagons. But the big sign reminds me of the days of early car travel. 1930's This photo, which was in the hotel, shows Front Street with lots of cars... not horses. You can glimpse a bit of the Hand Hotel Cafe sign on the left. The Hand family opened the hotel in 1932 and it had a whole different look. Richard, Our Host Richard was a hoot. You can see him sitting on a sidewalk bench in the other photo when we first arrived. He looked like he was waiting for us. He thought it was pretty funny that we were from Texas. He thought it was extremely amusing to tease us about some of our past governors and presidents. Lucky for him, we were happy to laugh along. Making Ourselves at Home We were at the beginning of our road trip, headed towards some National Parks. I decided, if I was going to get up close and personal with any wild beasts, this was the place to do it. There were many furry things in our hotel... that wouldn't bite me. The Hall Richard said the hotel was haunted, but he wouldn't elaborate. The upstairs hallway, looked a little eerie, but I've seen creepier. "Silverheels" There was nothing at all spooky about our cozy little corner room. The room was named for a local dancehall girl who became more of a "ministering angel" to the miners in the area. I believe the room reflected more of Silverheels' angelic days than her wild ones. The combo of white curtains & flowered wallpaper was sweet enough for an old granny. The old iron bed with quilt was pretty cute, but I did acquire a bruise from bumping into it a couple times. Details The sliding pocket door to the bathroom was efficient. The cute little sink with "washstand look" was a nice touch. The shower was updated and worked well. All clean! The View A peek through the screen of the back window revealed a wooden deck... ... and a view of the reservoir park and the distant Rockies. Snack Time When Richard checked us in, he asked if we were hungry for anything and hinted about possible options. "I've got some cookies and some popcorn." I got pretty giddy at the mention of popcorn and then he seemed to tease me by not following through with the offer. Next thing I knew there was a table full everything from bananas to goldfish crackers... and lots of popcorn! Room With a View We grabbed some nibbles and some wine from our room, for a little happy hour in the sunroom. The geraniums looked like they were climbing out of the pot in the corner. They nearly blocked our view of the Aspens and distant mountains! Clouds and drizzle inhibited our view even more. We were glad to find a cozy and decent Italian restaurant just a few doors down on a chilly night. Morning We slept well with no hauntings and woke to a cold morning. We couldn't complain since Richard (who has lived in Fairplay for 44 years) remembered it getting down to 56 below! We stepped out onto the terrace and took in the view, before heading down the porch stairs. Honoring Prunes We stopped to pay a little respect to Prunes the Burro, who worked in the mines for 62 years. I love this small town that still honors their favorite burro with annual "Burro Days" in July! Morning Hike We headed down another long set of stairs and paid a visit to the reservoir, in search of beavers. No luck, but we worked up an appetite for the spread of breakfast goodies on the table near the sunroom. People Encounter We bumped into Robin and Ron at breakfast. We'd met the Albuquerque couple the night before and talked about everything from painting to psychiatry. But it was morning and sometimes B &B meetings are awkward. Not everyone likes to be social in the early morning. But we ended up sharing travel stories for a good hour and exchanged numbers and photos. We took a few notes from our new friends and added to the list of places we must visit! What's Notable? There was nothing fancy about this place and nothing expensive either. It was a simple stay, with some good chats and a comfy enough room. The image of Prunes the Burro will always be stuck in my mind... a symbol of good little town and good little hotel.
|
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
December 2023
Categories
All
|