14. El Trovatore Motel Pt. 1, Kingman, Arizona

We finally arrived at our lodging in Kingman, the El Trovatore Motel. The towering, free- standing roadside sign advertises the El Trovatore’s Hollywood-icon-themed rooms. I had reserved Room 105, John Wayne’s room.

When my husband and I entered the office, we were greeted by the owner, Sam Frisher, who was sitting at his desk cadenza off in the front left corner. Stacks and stacks of paper seemed to swallow the computer and even the imposing Sam (and made me glad I had printed out and brought with me a copy of the paid reservation to present to Sam).  Sam devoted at least a half hour if not more to welcoming us. He even asked someone who had called while we were there to call back because he was busy checking in guests. Sam first confirmed our reservation and provided us with vouchers for breakfast at the Hot Rod Cafe, which I had the opportunity to pay for in advance while making reservations for the motel on line. He then pulled out a map of the town to orient us to its layout, pointing out its restaurants and attractions in the process. Finishing up, he presented each of us, my husband and me, with a pin of the Route 66 highway shield.

Sam’s wife, Monica, was no less passionate about or proud of their business and her role in it. She escorted us to our room, noting features of the motel in general and of our room in particular. Colorful murals cover the exterior walls of the motel. On its main wing (the one with the office), the motel boldly lays claim to its fame as having the “World’s Longest Route 66 Map”:

And there it is, all 206 feet of it, the painting of a two-lane serpentine road winding its way the length of the building, with markings of the legendary towns and attractions to be discovered and experienced along the way:

We found the door to our room under the Grand Canyon landmark:

Our spacious quarters did not appear at all worn–as I would have expected from a pre-WWII facility–but had recently been renovated with quite luxurious furnishings for a motel. The preservation of original architectural features such as the rounded arches in the walls and the older-style tiling and fixtures in the bathroom (such as the triangular sink in its corner) was appreciated for affording an authentic historic Route 66 experience.

There was much yet to do before we settled in. First, dinner at Mr. D’z Diner, and then evening images of the motel neon.

(to be continued)   SUBSCRIBE to my blog at the very bottom of the page!

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