Explore Travel
Australia’s motel revival: Gone are those daggy 70s summer holiday getaways

Australia’s motel revival: Gone are those daggy 70s summer holiday getaways

By Explore
Updated April 21 2022 - 4:50pm, first published 4:43pm

Out are outdated red brick exteriors, plastic-wrapped soaps, boxy air conditioners and polyester bedspreads. In are gelato-coloured doors, Palm Springs-inspired décor, magnesium pools, eco amenities and mini bars stocked with locally produced treats – enticing a whole new generation of road trippers to pull in for the night.

Thankfully, many of the nostalgic features that made motels so appealing in the first place have been retained or reimagined: think classic neon signs, the ability to park directly outside your room, refurbished kidney-shaped pools and in rare cases, even the much-loved breakfast hatch.

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