Angelenos are lucky. We’re bang in the middle of a glorious landscape stretching north and south, so a few hours drive means we’ve landed in beach, high desert or natural mineral springs. I live in Los Angeles, so names of the most charming small towns in California as well as some of the best beach towns in Southern California are flashing in my mind’s eye every time I glance up at a freeway interchange—just go, now—but alas, regular life calls. However, now I’ve got an extra impulse to hit the open road, since a handful of vintage motels have re-tooled themselves as chic little getaways with refreshed branding, updated interiors and elevated restaurants. The trend has been accelerated by the Covid Era, when flight-free road trips to rooms that opened not into a lobby but instead to the outdoors were a safety boon. As I visited and reviewed the following top sites, I appreciated how these independently operated motels reflected the personality of their towns, without overbearingly chatty innkeepers like in some hosted stays (love you, Airbnb!). Plus, these seemed to be at least 25 percent less expensive than nearby luxury hotels. And the casual vibe of it all means I don’t have to stress on dressing to impress or making any scene—the chillax of a pleasant hike, walk on the beach or hot springs soak (with or without a shot of rare agave spirits) are all that’s asked of me.
The Nouveau Cali Motel Is Trending—Here’s My Review of 9 No-Presh Getaways
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Published Aug 13, 2024
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Dana Dickey
6. Alamo Motel (Los Alamos, California)
- Distance from LA: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: near vineyards, firepit gatherings
- Don’t Miss: Bar Alamo, the shed-cum-wine bar
This mid-state wine country getaway is from a hotel group that specializes in taking run-own properties and refreshing them with hipster décor and chill vibes. This one is a cluster of log cabins set along the sleepy town of Los Alamos. The dog-friendly rooms are camping chic and the hotel is walking distance to fine dining at Pico inside the old cattle town’s former general store, and a nightcap to dive bar Depot Bar inside the antiques mall.
