2020 Update: While Mod Betty has not been back to the Koolwink in a while, Retro Roadmapper Mike E recently stayed there and had a wonderful time! Thanks Mike for the post from the road!
Original 2011 Post:
Though I tend to drag my feet when writing about places I feel the most strongly about - thinking there's no way I could do them justice, our recent stay at the Koolwink Motel in Romney West Virginia was such a Retro Roadtrip delight that I'm plowing through - adjective choices be damned!
This is one of the best, most authentic vintage motels we've ever stayed at!
(Say hello to my new fave mascot Mr. Koolwink!)
Seriously, if you're looking for a legitimate "family owned motel since the 1930's and well maintained with authentic decor from the 1960's" vintage motel experience, you must spend a night or two at the Koolwink.
I have to give a tip of the Retro Roadmap top hat to "Pink Gin" from LUPEC Boston (Erin Mosely of Ladies United to Preserve Endangered Cocktails) who hepped me to the Koolwink a while ago. When Retro Roadhusband and I were looking for a place to escape for the weekend this fall it looked like the perfect out of the way destination for us, located on the old cross-country Route 50.
First opened as a tourist home in 1936 by Nora and Henry Klien, the original home is now the registration area of the current motel. You can see a photo of the original house here on the Koolwink's history page.
Nestled in the crook of the mountains that Route 50 winds through in this area, the name Koolwink is a nod to the cool breezes that were so important to folks prior to the advent of air conditioned rooms, and the 40 "winks" you'd be guaranteed to get while staying there. Nowadays you're guaranteed to have that AND all the latest amenities here, including AC, wifi, flat screen TVs, microwaves and refrigerators.
When Nora and Henry retired in 1955, they sold the Koolwink to their great-nephew Wallace Mauk, and his wife Pauline. Wallace and Pauline own the motel to this day, and were the folks who introduced the famous "Mr. Koolwink" logo, who I am a huge fan of. I told Retro Roadhusband it's a serious contender if I ever decide to get a tattoo!
Mr. Koolwink is emblazoned on just about everything at the motel - making for photo ops galore, and adding a jaunty cosmopolitan flair to this quiet corner of West Virginia.
But the real Mr. Koolwink nowadays is the Mauk's son-in-law Robert F. Lee ( who missed being called Robert E. Lee "by a line or a letter" he told me as we chatted on the phone while I was making our reservation). He, along with his wife Kay ( one of the Mauk's twin daughters) has been keeping the property in tip-top shape for the past 13 years, as Wallace and Pauline are now in their late 80s early 90s.
From the moment I called the Koolwink to make our reservations, to the friendly chats we had with Robert throughout our stay, we immediately felt the sense of pride of place and courtesy extended to every guest staying at the motel.
In a polite way he'd excuse himself from chatting with us to answer a guest's request for more towels, or to receive one of the free DVD players and DVDs that the motel provides for their guests. I commented to Retro Roadhusband after making our reservation, "if that friendly phone exchange I just had is any indication, we're in for a great stay at The Koolwink" - and I was right!
We were not the only folks who were impressed with our host and stay at the Koolwink, as the notes from past guests, posted at the check-in counter attest, from folks just driving through, repeat vacationing customers and hunters during the season, even a couple who spent their wedding anniversary in the very same room as their honeymoon 40 years before. How nice is that? TripAdvisor visitors have been equally as enthralled by the Koolwink.
Though it is sad to note that when a giant corporate chain of a hotel opened down the road 5 years ago it did drive a lot of the business travel away from this nice mom and pop motel, and they experienced their first season "in the red" in over 50 years. So, travelers on an expense account - don't forget to stay here!
One of my favorite things about the Koolwink is the attention to detail in maintaining their period decor, like this vintage pole lamp in the motel office. And the best part about it is that these fixtures were purchased back when they were considered new, and not just added on to give that fake "retro" feel to a place.
This extends to the room that we were given in the annex up on the hill, designed by Wallace and added to the motel in the late 1960s.
I could not stop taking photos of our room and the motel as we checked in at dusk, much to the consternation of Retro Roadhusband, as you can see here. You can practically hear him say, "C'mon, get in the room already! I want to go across the street and go bowling!"
As soon as my delight with the monogrammed doormat subsided and I was able to step into the room, I was immediately rapturous about the vintage vibe we got from the period wood paneling, vintage motel desk/seat combo and hanging lamp above the working push button phone.
I was also impressed with the cleanliness and attention to detail around the room. We've stayed in smaller, less tidy but more expensive rooms in our travels, so this was a delight.The Mauks / Lees keep each room as clean as if it was part of their own home.
Mr. Koolwink greeted us once again, as he beamed out from the ice bucket set atop the vanity that was complete with period yellow sink and vintage Formica. Robert says many of the other rooms have these old fashioned bath fixtures in harvest gold and avocado, and he makes every effort to keep these original fixtures working instead of replacing them with more boring modern fixtures.
While the Courtesy Coffee system was not in operation, our room did come equipped with a coffee maker as well as the other amenities that modern travelers demand. The cookies were indeed a nice touch after a long drive on the windy road to get here. And I won't lie- it sure was great to have a wifi signal, even in our vintage surroundings!
One of the things that the Koolwink is known for is their spacious rooms- sometimes more than 2 feet larger than standard motel rooms. This gave us plenty of room to spread out in, and enjoy the view from the hill.
Speaking of view, the next morning we were delighted to find that the motel and surroundings were just as charming in the daylight. Our room on the 2nd floor of the hilltop building had a back door that lead right from the parking area into our room, with the front door on the 2nd level opening up onto a balcony overlooking a stream and the autumn foliage. Had we not had a day jam packed with adventures, I would have loved to hang out in those vintage strap chairs and watch the world go by.
While we were staying up on the hill, there are other more traditional motel rooms that are level with the roadside. This charming unit was built on the location of the original cabins that were used when the motel was just a tourist home, and are located right next to the motel office.
Don't you just love the cheery red doors with the butter yellow paint and green accents?
Across the street from the motel is the Wilson Lanes bowling alley - where we had a fun evening bowling, playing pool, air hockey and having some snacks and drinks.
For more fun you can head into Romney and take a ride on the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad (we're totally coming back here for that) or inquire at the desk about other activities in the area.
If we had known how cool, quiet and relaxing our stay at The Koolwink would be, we definitely would have stayed longer. But already we're planning another return visit so we can share this vintage roadside find with our pals.
Or perhaps Mr. Koolwink could play host to a Retro Roadmap Roadtrip gathering for Retro Roadmap readers!
Would YOU be interested in a weekend visit to this classic motel as part of a Retro Roadmap gathering? Let us know in the comments, and if there's enough interest we'll put something together!
You must be logged in to post a comment.
roadsidewonders
November 21, 2011 at 1:30 pmWow, wow, wow, wow, and WOW! This is such a great find!!!! This would be perfect for a Retro Roadmap gathering!
I have been on parts of Route 50 on my motorcycle; but somehow I’ve missed the Koolwink!
BTW, this pic of RetroRoadHusband comes in at a close second to my favorite (his pre-hamburger mug at the Red Rabbit)
Mod Betty
November 21, 2011 at 3:53 pmWendyVee- you’ll be thoroughly delighted with the Koolwink, and entertained to no end with Retro Roadhusband’s antics in the photos from this trip. I think he wants his own show!
Lizzie
November 28, 2011 at 10:44 amNo wonder you could not find the words: this place is incredible.
Laura
February 15, 2012 at 4:14 pmI stayed here last august… it was soooooo cool!! I was on a solo weekend motorcycle trip and scoured the interwebs for somewhere interesting to stay. The Koolwink was a total gem. I was so thrilled with the entire experience. So happy you had a good time too!!
Mod Betty
February 15, 2012 at 5:47 pmLaura – SO glad you enjoyed your stay as well! You’ll be delighted to know that since we had such a good time, we’ve already made reservations to head back there for a weekend in the summmer AND taking a gaggle of our friends with us. Can’t wait!
If you do learn of any more Retro Roadmap worthy motels / hotels during your biking adventures, drop me a line! And thanks for stopping by!
maureen
May 5, 2012 at 4:51 pmOH YEAH!!! I’m looking to maybe come here over Memorial Day weekend. It’s a 3.5 hour drive from the ‘Burgh. The diner in town looks awesome!!!
Mod Betty
May 6, 2012 at 1:40 pmMaureen – don’t forget to tell ’em Retro Roadmap sent you! We’re actually heading there with a bunch of our friends for a Mod Betty Birthday Weekend (I’m calling it the Koolwink-End ;-)) in August and can’t wait! We didn’t do that much exploring of Romney proper so if there are things we should check out when we’re there, please report back!
maureen
June 8, 2012 at 11:41 pmWe went down over Memorial Day weekend and it rained on and off while we were there but that was okay. Not too much to do there beyond what is listed on the website. There is a community public pool a couple streets before you get to the Indian Mound Cemetery. It was closed because of the weather. I forget the name of the street but we got the info at the front desk. Go see the Indian Mound Cemetery. It’s bigger than I thought it would be. There is a monument dedicated to all of the fallen Confederate soldiers plus one of the largest Indian mounds in the area. I loved the old architecture in downtown Romney and wished we had more time so I could take more photos. If you turn left out of the driveway and go up the hill a couple miles there is a shopping center with a Food Lion, Chinese Restaurant, and movie theater and a bar that serves Mexican bar food, and a couple other store fronts. We ate Chinese our first night there. It was okay but I’ve had better. We also made a trip to Food Lion to stock the room fridge with snacks and other essentials, namely microwave dinners and breakfast entrees for the next 2 days. There are plenty of fast food places to choose from as well.
Honestly I was happy as a clam just sitting in the room with the TV and laptop because for me the motel WAS the destination. The best part of it all was watching Mad Men in the atmosphere of the room. My husband kept waiting for the Rat Pack to show up.
”
We were in the annex on the hill–Room 53, and the internet connection was iffy at best. I don’t know if it was the weather or location.
We took the scenic route across Route 50 from Grafton WV where we got lunch at Hometown Hotdogs. A must go to restaurant if you’re in the area. From Grafton it was 88 miles to Romney. If you go this way, there are quite a few remnants of Roadside Past to note.–Old gas stations, coke signs and there was a Dairy Queen with a vintage Eskimo Pie sign attached to the roof.
Than you so much for posting about Koolwink. Experiencing it was a true delight.
Mod Betty
June 9, 2012 at 8:15 amMaureen! Thanks SO MUCH for the details about your stay, and I’m so happy that you had a good time. I think, for me anyways, you hit the nail on the head, with the fact that just being at the motel is so cool, that’s the reason to go. We’re heading down there in August with some pals, so I appreciate the tips, and the reminder of the Food Lion – we ended up getting snacks and drinks at the 7-11 last time. Happy Trails!
Michael Bann
June 30, 2012 at 7:48 amI’ve visited Koolwink on two occasions and was blown away by the cleanliness and that everything was so well maintained. I’d read online reviews about it being clean and have to say it put me into a an even more critical stance…. shining lights into corners, checking for dust on the tops of doors… and am amazed to state, this place is nearly twilight zone-ish in this regard. I dare anyone to find a 5 star hotel this cared for or clean. We actually specifically went to Koolwink to shoot two photo features for Retro Lovely Magazine and are sure to return in the future for more.
Mod Betty
June 30, 2012 at 8:08 amMichael – so glad to hear of yet another fan of The Koolwink! I’m pretty picky about cleanliness of hotel rooms, and you’re totally right! Can’t wait for our return visit in a little over a month – woo hoo!
Mark
September 19, 2012 at 12:14 pmI’m looking for an excuse to return to the Koolwink, and a gathering this fall to take in the foliage, do a ride on the Potomac Eagle, and/or go bowling at Wilson Lanes would be perfect.
Let me know when and I’m there!
Mark.
Mod Betty
September 19, 2012 at 5:17 pmConsider yourself on “the list”!
Mark
September 19, 2012 at 12:18 pmI think a fall group trip would be great, I’m from DC, and the Koolwink is my all-time fave motel, ever since I stayed there last summer.
Fall foliage, bowling at Wilson Lanes, Potomac Eagle, and the motel itself, any excuse is fine.
Mark.
Mod Betty
September 19, 2012 at 5:16 pmMark – good to know we’re not the only fans of the Koolwink out there! This fall is getting filled up pretty quickly for us, but I’m determined to make a Retro Roadmap Roundup to the Koolwink within the next year and will definitely keep you in the loop!
MEL
October 5, 2012 at 10:07 pmI stayed at the Koolwink on a trip through Md/WV a few years ago.We were going to see Ice Mountain. It is a wonderful place to stay and I do want to go back sometime. Downtown Romney has a very cheap thrift store that has great stuff.I forgot the name of the store and its charity but it is on the main drag through Romney., I also saw the Cemetery and mound.
Mod Betty
October 7, 2012 at 11:47 amSo glad you enjoyed your stay at The Koolwink, MEL! I was just chatting with one of my pals that came on the trip and we were saying we need to start planning our next visit there. Can’t wait!
Dr. Knight
February 28, 2014 at 3:16 pmJust a teeny correction…..at the heading here…..Romney is located in WEST Virginia, not Virgina…..
Mod Betty / RetroRoadmap.com
April 6, 2015 at 10:29 amGah! That’s Mod B again, too excited to share to proofread. Thanks, corrected
Mod Betty / RetroRoadmap.com
April 6, 2015 at 1:18 pmHello Jenny – hope you find or know of some authentic vintage motels in IA IL IN and MO because I haven’t traveled to those states much so I don’t have any suggestions. I have heard of Momandpopmotels – glad there are other people out there besides me who want to bring awareness!
Jenny
October 15, 2018 at 10:25 pmThis looks great and will hope to get there someday! There used to be a Jungle-land Drive-In movie in WV, near Parkersburg, I think, too… Does anyone know of any similar motels in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, etc.? Are you familiar with http://www.momandpopmotels.com?