Hotels & Motels

The image above is of the Monroe Motor Inn, in Monroe, Georgia. Built around mid-century, it is a sort of hybrid between the old fashioned motor court and the motel. The Inn consists of three buildings arranged in a tight "U" formation around a central parking lot reminiscent of the old motor court's individual buildings scattered about. However, the linear design of the single story buildings belies the coming of the motel. Still visible are the links to residential past of motel buildings: the central office which attempts to appear very home-like with its gabled roof and poor attempt at colonial revival architecture. Well past its prime, the Monroe Motor Inn subsists on weekly rentals to lower income travelling workers, as well as those who find themselves in between suitable domestic situations, but it does offer great amenities such as a microwave and a refrigerator (both located inside the office). Above is the Bulldog Inn of Athens. Located a few blocks from downtown Athens on Highway 441, this inn is an excellent example of late 1960s motel design. The Bulldog Inn has a central office and portico with two wings of motel rooms flanking it and a third bank located behind the main building. The portico features angle changes which project it up, giving a sense of flight to its modern architecture, which is heightened by the simple exterior of the main building and room wings with large plate glass windows and very minimal structure. While the sign is rather ho-hum, its italic lettering is highlighted by neon at night, reflecting the hey day of motel when it served both travellers and athletic teams in town to compete against UGA. Today, the Bulldog Inn survives through weekly rentals.

The final image is of the Country Hearth Inn, also in Monroe. Largely, it seems that lodgings such as this have brought an end to the heyday of the motel. A small, regional chain, the Country Hearty Inn is an economy or budget hotel offering little in the way of amenities but survives by attempting to play on cultural references with its massive, but non-working fireplace in the lobby attempting to give a sense of home and place. Its clientelle is largely that of the motel, but it capitalizes on the middle-classes as well by offering a more controled environment than the motel with its interior rooms and cheap rates. Architecturally, the building is quite bland, utilizing a mixture of architectural features drawn from various styles, most notably the two-story entry and portico. While it draws on the hotel with its interior rooms, places such as the Country Hearth Inn are little more than glorified motels.