8 more motels with style
by Christine Ajudua

ARIZONA
Hotel Valley Ho
A two-story motor lodge turned hip urban resort, with glass-walled rooms, private patios, and two restaurants. 6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale; 866/882-4484; doubles from $289.

CALIFORNIA
Avalon Hotel
Kelly Wearstler has revamped the old Beverly Carlton motel with Midcentury Modernist flair. 9400 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills; 800/535-4715; doubles from $259.

Ballantines Original Hotel
1950's kitsch, with 14 themed rooms — Marilyn Monroe stayed in the Pretty in Pink Suite, where Andy Warhol's silk-screen print now hangs on the wall. 1420 N. Indian Canyon Dr., Palm Springs; 800/485-2808; doubles from $99.

Farmer's Daughter Hotel
This former flophouse is full of country-meets-city quirks: the rooms have rooster wallpaper; the No Tell room has a full wet bar. 115 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles; 800/334-1658; doubles from $159.

Miracle Manor Retreat
A run-of-the-mill motel in 1948, today the Albert Frey-inspired "spa-tel" features a poolside spa  with a Plexiglass-and-steel enclosure. 12589 Reposo Way, Desert Hot Springs; 877/329-6641; doubles from $175.

NEW YORK
Roxbury Motel
Two NYC showbiz vets transformed a dilapidated motor lodge into a funky mountain retreat; this summer they'll unveil a new wing with "theatrical" rooms. 2258 Hwy. 41, Roxbury; 607/326-7200; doubles from $95.

OREGON
Jupiter Hotel
Once a seedy roadway inn over a dank speakeasy, now a "cultural" boutique hotel with a bamboo-floored Dream Suite. 800 E. Burnside, Portland; 877/800-0004; doubles from $84.

TEXAS
Hotel San Jose
Liz Lambert turned an old motel into a stucco-walled, garden-laden, bungalow-style establishment. 1316 S. Congress, Austin; 800/574-8897; doubles from $150.

More from TODAY Pregnant 'man' gives birth to daughter Nutrition SOS: Lose the beer belly, more Emotional eater quits sweets, drops 308 lbs. From pills to pillows, when to replace your stuff Recipes: 101 quick dishes for a perfect picnic  |    Grill skills: Al Roker's BBQ recipes, tips,   Born on the Fourth of July   Week in pictures | More photos

MORE FROM TRAVEL

Travel Section Front

6 wackiest museums in the U.S. Your views of America the beautiful Family fun! Plan a storybook vacation Surprisingly inexpensive summer journeys Cram with a Well-Mannered Traveler refresher course 5 travel tricks for savvy summer savings Wallet-friendly honeymoons What are your tricks for cheap travel? 15 water parks in your own backyard Top 10 luxury camping trips Travel Section Front   Add Travel headlines to your news reader: