Description
Book SynopsisIn 1963, the savvy owners of the Cove Haven Resort in the Poconos unveiled their heart-shaped tub. Like Elvis Presley and Playboy magazine, it launched a post-war phenomenon that defined a new era of pop pleasure: the honeymoon hotel. Destinations across the country were soon racing to catch up, installing not just heart-shaped tubs but all types of over-the-top design flourishes, from pink shag carpeting to immersive worlds worthy of a Broadway stage set, in order to create a sense of romance, fantasy, even adventure.
From the photographers and inveterate travellers behind the social media sensation A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour, Hotel Kitsch celebrates dozens of creative, nostalgic, one-of-a-kind hotels that span the heart of the Poconos and across the United States to Mexico, Spain, and the UK. Discover, in the middle of Iowa, a jungle room with fake trees and foliage surrounding the bed as if it had taken its cue from Where the Wild Things Are. Or Jules' Undersea Lodge in Key Largo where the rooms are reached by scuba diving. An Arctic Cave room at a hotel in Kentucky with its carved blue walls and not a window to be found. And on the California coast, the iconic Madonna Inn featuring 110 rooms, each themed and no two alike.
Along the way, authors Margaret and Corey Bienert uncover too many wild details to mention, including unconventional beds (a Cadillac, a clamshell, a sandwich), mirrors on mirrors on mirrors, in-room swimming pools, full suits of armour, and fibre-optic star ceilings.
While it's not a travel guide, every destination in Hotel Kitsch is open for business. Time to check in.
Trade ReviewI’ve lost hours combing through every photo...It’s been an inspiration both for decor ideas and a travel bucket list.—
Adrienne Breaux,
Apartment Therapy“I’ve lost hours combing through every photo. . . . It’s been an inspiration both for decor ideas and a travel bucket list.”—
Adrienne Breaux,
Apartment Therapy“A raucous celebration of America’s gaudiest hotels. . . . If you know someone who secretly approves of hotel hot tubs in the shape of Champagne coupes, we’ve got just the gift.”—
The Wall Street Journal“Within the book’s bright pink pages and vintage fonts,
Hotel Kitsch offers an A-to-Z guide to experiencing a fantasy vacation with American flair.” —
Wallpaper*“The creators of A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour have collected the zaniest fantasy suites and honeymoon hotels from the Poconos to Key Largo in this gleeful celebration of all things tacky. Champagne bathtubs, heart-shaped swimming pools, clamshell beds, an arctic cave room and so many mirrors: this book has everything.”—
New York Post“You’ll find the dreamiest escape diving into Margaret and Corey Bienert’s infinitely giftable coffee table book. . . . Whether you’re a design lover with a taste for retro interiors or are always on the hunt for new off-beat travel destinations, this book will not disappoint.”—
The Daily BeastYou’ll find the dreamiest escape diving into Margaret and Corey Bienert’s infinitely giftable coffee table book...Whether you’re a design lover with a taste for retro interiors or are always on the hunt for new off-beat travel destinations, this book will not disappoint.—
The Daily Beast“Where once kitsch themed hotels seemed tacky or outmoded, many young people today find their fading glamor appealing and intriguing. . . . It’s also, suggests Margaret, about people realizing how fun these unexpected spaces can be.” —
CNN“There’s a whole world of theme and fantasy hotels out there, just waiting to be discovered. . . . For Margaret and Corey Bienert, these little slices of Americana are livable works of art.”—
Thrillist“
Hotel Kitsch charts [Margaret and Corey Bienert’s] favorite flamboyant lodgings in the U.S. and around the globe, depicting heart-shaped bathtubs, tropical murals and clamshell beds through a historical, referential lens.”—
Women's Wear Daily"Before your pal books their next vacation, they’ll want to pick up this gorgeous coffee table book for inspiration."—
PureWow“This paean to the glam and gaudy revels in heart-shaped bathtubs, champagne-glass whirlpools, and other legacies from the Poconos’ heyday as the ‘honeymoon capital of the world.’”—
Publishers WeeklyTable of ContentsContents Introduction
The Hotels Cove Haven Resort | Lakeville, Pennsylvania
Pocono Palace Resort | Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Adventure Suites | North Conway, New Hampshire
Feather Nest Inn | Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Loop Inn Motel | Avenel, New Jersey
Designer Inn and Suites | Toledo, Iowa
Red Carpet Inn FantaSuite Hotels | Greenwood, Indiana
Best Western | Galena, Illinois
Don Q Inn | Dodgeville, Wisconsin
Grandpa’s Pool House | Stanchfield, Minnesota
Grand Hotel | Mackinac Island, Michigan
Sybaris Pool Suites | [Location TK]
Anniversary Inn | [Location TK]
Best Western Rail Haven Route 66 | Springfield, Missouri
Wildwood Inn | Florence, Kentucky
The Dive Motel and Swim Club | Nashville, Tennessee
Estancia Hotel and Suites | Miami, Florida
Jules’ Undersea Lodge | Key Largo, Florida
Black Swan Inn | Pocatello, Idaho
Destinations Inn | Idaho Falls, Idaho
Cliff House Lodge | Morrison, Colorado
Mon Chalet | Aurora, Colorado
Love Cloud | Las Vegas, Nevada
Victorian Mansion | Los Alamos, California
Mustang Motel | Los Angeles, California
Rainbow Getaway | Palm Springs, California
Castle Wood Cottages | Big Bear Lake, California
Hicksville Pines Bud and Breakfast | Idyllwild, California
Madonna Inn | San Luis Obispo, California
Best Western Fireside Inn | Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Shell House | Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Margate Suites | Margate, United Kingdom
Romeo’s Motel and Diner | Illes Balears, Spain
Hotel Directory
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