The Zoe Report’s 2026 Readers' Choice: Hip Roadside Hotels

The best roadside motels prove that great design and memorable hospitality aren't reserved for sprawling luxury resorts. Across the country, a new generation of independently owned properties is reimagining the classic motor lodge, pairing retro charm with thoughtful interiors, destination-worthy dining, and a distinctly local point of view. Whether it's a colorful Austin icon, a stylish lakeside retreat in Big Bear, or a design-forward desert escape in Taos, these stays transform a simple road trip stop into a highlight of the journey itself. Vote for your favorite hip roadside motel and help us crown this year's Readers' Choice winner.

Have questions? Read the official Readers’ Choice rules.

Photos Courtesy of Austin Motel/Bunkhouse Hotels/Hotel Lucine/Hotel Marina Riviera/Patrick Chin/Hotel Willa/Patrick Chin/Interstate Inn/Sara Forrest/The Longleaf Hotel/Rhode's Motor Lodge/River Lodge/Silver Sands Motel/Skyview Los Alamos/The Starlight Motor Inn/The Surfrider Malibu/Trevor Tondro/Three Ducks West Hampton/Trailborn Hotels & Resorts/Christian Harder/The Vagabond Hotel Miami