Orange County Neon Motels

Colonial Motel (Removed)
Azusa, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Along Route 66 in Azusa, the Colonial Motel once greeted travelers with flowing neon script and an arrow pointing toward the driveway. Its tall, layered marquee gave motorists something to watch for as daylight faded along the old highway. 01-07

Opened in 1951, the motel offered a single-story arrangement of rooms stretching back from the boulevard. Cross-country travelers could pull off the Mother Road and settle in before continuing through the San Gabriel Valley.

The sign supplied much of the roadside personality. Contrasting neon borders framed the Colonial name, while the arrow helped turn passing traffic into overnight guests. By January 2007, the glass tubing had been removed and replaced with a backlit plastic face, changing the familiar nighttime appearance.

The supplied account also includes unverified stories about Room 104, describing sudden cold spots and radios switching on to static. These remain guest folklore rather than a documented haunting.

UPDATE: The Colonial Motel is now the Colonial Inn. The sign is now a boring plastic sign 11-20

UPDATE: The property was modernized and renamed Colonial Inn in November 2020. It remains in operation at 1009 E. Route 66, with its older motor-court buildings surviving beneath later updates and replacement signage. 10-26

Glen Capri Motel
Glendale, CA
Photo courtesy Anand Desai

A familiar mid-century appearance gives the Glen Capri Motel in Glendale a little extra roadside appeal. Its neon lettering and two-story layout recall the years when San Fernando Road carried travelers along historic U.S. Route 99. 07-07

Built in 1951, the motel arranged its accommodations around a central parking area. The design made an overnight stop convenient for motorists while giving the property a recognizable appearance from the street.

That older look also attracted film crews. The supplied history credits the motel with appearances in The Good Girl in 2002, followed by Anchorman and The Girl Next Door in 2004. Apparently the rooms weren’t the only things available for booking.

UPDATE: The Glen Capri remains in operation at 6700 San Fernando Road. A renovation in 2014 updated the accommodations while retaining its mid-century profile and signature neon lettering. 10-26

Stardust Motel (Rem.)
Azusa, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

A tall starburst marquee once gave the Stardust Motel in Azusa a little outer-space personality. Neon flashes and projecting shapes helped make the property noticeable along the old Route 66 corridor. 10-08

Built in 1961, the motel adopted the cosmic styling popular during the Space Age. Its name and sign suggested some of the glitter associated with the famous Las Vegas Stardust, though this overnight stop stayed closer to the San Gabriel foothills.

The towering sign was the feature to watch for after dark. Later alterations removed the starburst components and neon, leaving a more conventional illuminated display.

UPDATE: The supplied history reports that the Stardust Motel remains in operation, with its original sign substantially altered in the late 2000s. Its motel buildings date to 1961. 10-26

Bonair Motel (Demolished)
Los Angeles, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Broadhurst

Here's a night shot of the Bonair Motel that used to be located on Western Avenue near Hollywood Boulevard. The Bonair was torn down in 2010. Many thanks to Scott Broadhurst for info. 11-10

Glowing script once announced the Bonair Motel along Western Avenue in Los Angeles. The vertical neon marquee gave this small urban motor court a noticeable nighttime presence near Hollywood Boulevard.

Completed in 1952, the 30-room motel served travelers visiting Hollywood and the surrounding studio district. Its sign carried the name above the street for more than half a century.

UPDATE: The supplied account places closure and demolition in November 2010, although its timeline separately lists demolition in 2011. The former Bonair site at 1720 N. Western Avenue was subsequently redeveloped with apartments. 10-26

La Habra Motel (Rem.)
La Habra, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

Along Whittier Boulevard, the La Habra Motel once greeted motorists with flowing neon script. The sign gave this small roadside property a familiar nighttime appearance at the western end of town.

Established around 1949–1950, the motel used a straightforward single-story layout suited to the post-war travel boom. Guests could pull off the boulevard and find a room without the scale or formality of a large hotel.

The custom neon remained a recognizable feature for more than sixty years. An overhaul in August 2012 removed the old glass lettering and substituted a flat backlit sign, changing the view from the road.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, the neon sign no longer lights the way, replaced by a new sign of the backlit variety. 08-12

UPDATE: The La Habra Motel remains in operation at 1001 W. Whittier Boulevard. Its original motor-court buildings survive, while the vintage neon marquee was removed in August 2012. 10-26