Vintage Motels: Ellie Seymour's Book Chronicles America's Mid-Century Roadside Icons

Travel journalist Ellie Seymour's latest work, 'Vintage Motels: America’s Most Iconic Motels, Beautifully Restored,' has been published by Luster Publishing. This 256-page volume features 40 mid-century motels across the United States that have been reimagined as boutique hotels while maintaining their original charm. Among the highlighted motels are The Pearl in Florida, Skyview in California, Hotel Lucine in Texas, and The Dive in Nevada. Inspired by Bill Bryson's 1998 book 'Notes from a Big Country' and her own road trip through California, Nevada, and Arizona, Seymour emphasizes the architectural importance of these establishments. The word 'motel' was first coined in 1925 with Arthur Heineman's Milestone Mo-Tel, and by the 1960s, the number of motels had surpassed 60,000, many of which fell into disrepair. The book illustrates their resurgence, crafted by doublebill.design, as part of designboom's 'MODES OF HABITATION' chapter.