Modern Motels

I recall the traveling we did as a child. Every once in a while we would take winter vacation to Florida. My parents planned the trip so we would stay at Howard Johnson Motels. From New Jersey, Florida was a three day trip. Howard Johnson offered good accommodations, and we thought they were better and roomier than Holiday Inns.

Ray Charles always stayed at Holiday Inns because every room was set up the same way throughout the country, which is pretty important to someone that isn’t sighted. Ho Jo’s had everything for a family. They had an on-site restaurant, a pool, air conditioning and a TV. These accommodations were pretty cool in the 50s and 60.

Take a look at signs on old motels and you will see things as they became available depending on their age. I’ve traveled and stayed in places that didn’t offer a lot of things we take for granted. I’ve stayed in places that didn’t have phones in the rooms. I stayed in one place that didn’t have televisions in the rooms, and I stayed in a few places in the 70s that still had only black and white televisions.

If you look at the old signs you will see what was special to travelers, such as: TV, Color TV, Cable TV, Phones, Pool or better yet a heated pool. Some even advertised hot water. Now-a-days these features are standard, and we see motels advertise other things on their reader boards such as: Spa, WiFi, Exercise Room and Free HBO. Eventually these things will be the norm in every motel. I’ve grown used to motels and hotels that not only have all of that, but they also need to have an iron, a hair drier, in-room coffee maker and a fridge. Most important, there should always be fresh baked cookies available in the lobby at 5pm.