Flagstaff's Vintage Mountain Lodge On Route 66 Offers A Perfect Arizona Stay With City Access And Rustic Vibes

A road trip spanning eight states along the 2,238 miles of historic Route 66 — which John Steinbeck called "Mother Road" — is a bucket list destination for many, brimming with Americana along the way. Passing through Arizona, you can experience nostalgic American pop culture and wild southwestern charm in the Route 66 gem of Winslow. Driving 58 miles west to Flagstaff, designated as the world's first International dark sky city, you can stay right on Route 66 at the High Country Motor Lodge (H.C.M.L.), a vintage property with city access and rustic vibes.

The history of the lodge goes back to 1962, when it first served as a paper mill and then as a Howard Johnson and Days Inn before being transformed into its current model: a boutique motel getaway that still honors its past as a vintage roadside motel. The remodel was completed in 2022 by Marc & Rose Hospitality, a family-run group of motels and hotels across the western United States, after they purchased the property in 2020.  

The property now features 123 rooms, including three cottage suites and two junior suites,along with 4,700 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, ideal for groups and larger gatherings. Room types include classic and pool view rooms along with accessible and pet-friendly options so every member of your family can join in on the fun. A limited number of free-standing "Cosmic Cottages" are also available for those needing more space, and guests can enjoy new amenities like a fitness center, Nordic spa, game room, pool and hot tub, and on-site restaurant. The lodge's ideal location just over a mile from the heart of historic downtown Flagstaff means guests have easy access to the city while exploring northern Arizona.

Once you've booked your stay, get ready to enjoy the lodge's stellar amenities, which are included in the room rate as a nightly amenity fee. Plan to take a dip in the pool and hot tub following a long day of adventuring, or engage in a workout with the wide range of equipment in the fitness center.  

No stay at the H.C.M.L. is complete without a visit to the The General Store, open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The menu offers various options to please your palate, from morning coffee and pastries that will fuel you up to handmade Italian-style pizza and local craft beer or "cosmic cocktails" in the evening.  If you're not in the mood for hanging out, grab-and-go options and other essentials are available for purchase. The store is also the property's leisure hub, with fire pits, lawn activities, and access to the game room, perfect for some indoor fun. This mix of amenities makes the lodge the perfect refuge while on a tour of some of the best Route 66 attractions by state, including Holbrook (90 miles from Flagstaff) and the Painted Desert (106 miles).

To enhance your Arizona mountain getaway and relax after a day of exploration, spend time at the hotel's Nordic Spa, the first of its kind in the state. The Nordic Spa experience is a 50-minute multiple-step wellness treatment, combining the effects of heat and cold for the body's recovery. Guests start by spending some time in a sauna, followed by taking cold shower and dipping into a heated pool, and finally sitting in heated chairs next to fire pits. Sessions for two people start at $50 during the week and $75 on weekends, and they are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m, with both online and phone reservations available. 

Part of the properties vintage vibes can be found inside the rooms themselves, where cassette tape players along with mix tapes are available for guests' listening pleasure. Keeping the outdoor lifestyle in mind, the rooms were redesigned to be larger than a typical motel room to make space for the entire family, including pets, along with winter equipment like skis and snowboards. Design elements also include retro-style mini fridges, exposed wiring, and the use of darker tone and rustic wood paneling. The outdoor color choices of darker blue and green are meant to resemble the forest and sky — notable features of the Flagstaff landscape. Famed local artist Katie Lee, along with several others, have their work featured along the walls throughout the hotel.

The H.C.M.L. courtyard structure and design encourages guests to enjoy the outdoor serenity and rustic motor lodge vibes, especially during community activities such as stargazing parties, live music, D.J. performances, and weekly movie and game nights. Flagstaff's renowned Lowell Observatory — where in 1930, astronomers discovered Pluto —provides portable telescopes for night-sky viewing at the lodge. 

Additionally, the lodge hosts a weekly Sunday Shakedown, allowing guests to relive past concert experiences on a big outdoor screen, along with Fadeaway Sessions, a series of live music performances that benefit nonprofits supporting environmental causes. The schedule can be found online and is also listed on the lodge's calendar of events. If you're venturing along Route 66 on your way to the Grand Canyon, you can use Williams (33 miles from Flagstaff) as a base and stay at the Trailborn Grand Canyon, a chic hotel near a Grand Canyon entrance with scenic helicopter tours and western charm.