Neon-Lit Landmarks and Stylish Adobe Hotels: Our Favorite Places to Stay Along Route 66

When Route 66 opened in 1926—linking Chicago to Santa Monica as one of the United States’ first federal highways—it was built to connect small towns with major cities and stimulate local economies along the way. The 2,448-mile “Mother Road” began as a mostly gravel route, lined with simple motels and diners that catered to motorists heading west. Now, as Route 66 nears its centennial in 2026, those roadside stops have evolved into chic neon-lit retro lodges, restored Victorian homes, and stylish adobe-style hotels. From refurbished landmarks to new, design-forward inns, our latest Hotels We Love list spotlights the best retreats for a centennial road trip down America’s storied highway.

Chicago Athletic Association

Near the eastern start of Route 66 stands one of its most architecturally striking landmarks. On Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago, so close to Millennium Park that you can see its reflection in the Bean, the Chicago Athletic Association first opened in 1893. Designed in the Venetian Gothic style, the building’s arched windows and mosaic-tiled floors are inspired by the Doge’s Palace in Venice. It served as a private members’ club until 2007, when Preservation Chicago added it to its endangered buildings list, spurring restoration efforts that revived the property as a hotel. Since 2015, the 240-room retreat (including 23 suites) now has a billiards-filled Game Room, an intimate omakase counter, and a wildly popular rooftop bar, Cindy’s, overlooking Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. Guest rooms pay homage to the building’s history; some, like the Founders Rooms, include libraries, crackling fireplaces, wrought-iron bathtubs, and original stained glass.

Bradford House

Along Route 66, many hotels began life as something else, including Bradford House in Oklahoma City. The Victorian manor was built in 1912 as the home of a Kansas-born cattleman named William L. Bradford, and it became a design-forward hotel in 2020. The original house holds 12 rooms decorated with estate sale photos, Italian and French furniture, and pops of vivid pink, teal, and animal prints. The manor is flanked by a newer, contemporary guesthouse, with 24 more sleek, Scandinavian-inspired rooms. An on-site restaurant and bar serves seasonal cocktails and crafty snacks like cacio e pepe popcorn and curry-spiced chicken croquettes. The hotel also has a bakery, a large wraparound porch, and public lounges that periodically host live jazz.

Okana

Courtesy of Okana Resort & Indoor Waterpark

While many hotels along Route 66 have historic pedigree, one new retreat offers a playful, family-friendly option. Owned by the Chickasaw Nation, Okana is a $400 million resort and waterpark on the Oklahoma River, with 404 guest rooms and suites and 13 restaurants and bars, which range from a gastropub overlooking the Oklahoma City skyline to an adults-only swim-up bar. The 100,000-square-foot indoor waterpark includes a wave pool, lazy river, cabanas, and 15 slides. Guest rooms, including the bunkbed-equipped OKA’ Suite, are designed with Indigenous art, wood floors, and balcony views of either the river or a 4.5-acre lagoon with a sandy beach. Non-guests can also purchase pool passes or waterpark tickets.

The Barfield

A perfect stop for a roving bookworm, The Barfield is a 10-story, 112-room boutique hotel in downtown Amarillo, originally built in 1927 by Melissa Dora Oliver-Eakle, who also designed the city’s first library. Today, the Texas Panhandle city’s first skyscraper pays homage to its roots with a library near the front desk and vintage books placed throughout guest rooms and common spaces. Guests are invited to borrow or leave a book, continuing the legacy of its original visionary. Downstairs, Toscana Italian Steakhouse serves Texas-size pork chops with bacon and mustard jam, while the Paramount Recreation Club, a speakeasy that first opened in the basement during Prohibition, has been brought back to life. The guest rooms, including two suites, pair Southwestern motifs like cowhide and leather finishes.

Blue Swallow Motel

Courtesy of Blue Swallow Motel

For the quintessential motor court experience on Route 66, follow the neon glow to the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Opened in 1939 as Blue Swallow Court, the L-shaped building originally had 10 rooms—each with its own garage for drivers on the Mother Road—before two more were added in 1948. In the ‘50s, new owners changed the name to “motel” and installed the now-iconic neon sign, its wing-stretched swallow a beacon of Route 66. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has more neon lights strewn throughout the courtyard, lobby, and renovated guest rooms, where pink stucco walls with shell designs add vintage luster. The two-room Lillian Redman Suite, named after a previous owner, has a clawfoot bathtub, an electric fireplace, a retro refrigerator, hardwood floors, and a ’40s-era rotary phone. There’s also a small gift shop and guided tours for history buffs.

La Fonda on the Plaza

In one of the most storied sections of Route 66, La Fonda on the Plaza holds the distinction of being the city’s first inn. Originally established in 1607 and rebuilt in 1922, it remains the only hotel directly on Santa Fe Plaza. The adobe landmark sits along the original Route 66 path), and is a showcase of Pueblo Revival architecture and regional art. The property offers complimentary art and history tours through its public spaces (including La Plazuela restaurant and La Fiesta Lounge), which include more than 800 works from the past century. The 180 guest rooms are appointed with hand-carved New Mexican furniture, original Southwestern artwork, and hand-painted headboards. For sunset views, the Bell Tower Rooftop Bar serves top-shelf margaritas, while a courtyard pool and spa offer a serene pause. For extra seclusion, book the Terrace Inn at La Fonda, the property’s 15-room hotel-within-a-hotel with its own rooftop patio.

Arrive Albuquerque

Courtesy of Arrive Albuquerque

After Route 66 was rerouted out of Santa Fe in 1937, its new path through Albuquerque passed the Downtowner Motor Inn on Central Avenue. Close to a century later, the midcentury property has reemerged as Arrive Albuquerque, a 137-room boutique hotel that opened in 2025 after a full restoration. Guest rooms across six floors pair floral upholstered headboards and vintage art with checkered floors and a palette of soft pinks, royal blues, and golden yellows. The on-site Dwtnr Cocktail Bar & Lounge playfully fuses Americana with Pan-Asian influences—think char siu ribs with collard greens or coconut shrimp toast on fried milk bread. Don’t miss the Secret Gallery, an exhibition space for Native American artists, or the seasonal pool shaped like the New Mexican Zia symbol.

La Posada

Though La Posada now sits along America’s most famous highway, its story starts on the railroad. In the 1920s, entrepreneur Fred Harvey, known for building restaurants and hotels along the Santa Fe Railway, commissioned Mary Elizabeth Jane Cotter to create an opulent property in Winslow, Arizona, the railroad’s headquarters. With a then-astonishing budget of $2 million, Colter designed a Spanish-style hacienda in the Mission Revival architectural tradition, complete with wooden shutters, exposed beams, and red terra-cotta tile. La Posada opened in 1930 and hosted the likes of Albert Einstein and Amelia Earhart before it closed in 1957. After repeated brushes with demolition, the property was rescued and reopened in 1997 with the support of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Today, guest rooms have ponderosa pine beds, hand-woven rugs, hand-painted tile murals, and whirlpool tubs. Visitors can see the Affeldt Mion Museum, which showcases Navajo art, and dine at The Turquoise Room, where Southwestern fine dining and martinis occupy the hotel’s original Fred Harvey dining room, which the entrepreneur once operated.

Moenkopi Legacy Inn & Suites

At the western gateway to the Hopi tribal lands in Tuba City, Arizona, Moenkopi Legacy Inn & Suites honors the heritage and traditions of the people who have lived in this region for millennia. Opened in 2010—the first new hotel built on Hopi land in more than 50 years—the motel-style property has 100 guest rooms, with two additional suites that have extra bedrooms and Jacuzzis. Inside the hotel, guests encounter Hopi art and a grand stone fireplace in the double-height lobby; outside, a heated pool and a hot tub overlook desert views. The inn also partners with Hopi guides to offer tours of nearby mesas and galleries, where visitors can learn directly from community members about the history and living culture of the Hopi people.

The Georgian

Photos by Douglas Friedman

Among the most glamorous places to stay along Route 66, The Georgian, a Santa Monica landmark, was created during Hollywood’s Golden Age. Hotelier Rosamond Borde tapped architect M. Eugene Durfee to design a hotel with a turquoise facade that fused art deco grandeur with residential warmth. The hotel opened in 1933 and soon drew stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Rose Kennedy. After decades of changing ownership, the property underwent an extensive three-year renovation before reopening in 2023. Today, its 84 guest rooms—including 28 one-bedroom suites—are inviting retreats with arched doorways, mosaic-tiled floors, and sunny yellow banquettes that reference its original 1930s glamour. They’re equipped with amenities like record players and curated book collections focused on art, fashion, and culture. Guests can dine at Sirena, the Amalfi-inspired signature restaurant, or head to Gallery 33, a speakeasy and exhibition space that showcases rotating works by local and international artists.