5 retro-style motels for sale around Australia
Australians can’t get enough of road trips, renos and mid-century design – and nothing blends them better than an old-school motel.
Following a golden period in the 1950s to 1980s, the humble motor inn was somewhat left in the dust by the expansion of budget hotel chains and, later, short-term rentals.
However, cost-of-living challenges and a yearning for nostalgia could lead to a retro revival of the affordable, convenient and family-friendly motel stay.
Whether taking on a fixer-upper to create a “destination” or customising a well-placed property with a loyal customer base, opportunities are available around the country.
Here are five retro-style motels and motor inns currently on the market.
Rocky Gardens Motor Inn, Queensland
Offered to the market for the first time in 27 years, this classic motel features four-star accommodation across 42 units, set in three separate wings. With undercover parking for all units, a pool, a seven-day-a-week restaurant and bar for both guests and the public, and the option to derive additional income from functions, the property offers a solid customer base with growth potential.
“The business benefits from a strong and proven trading history, solid occupancy levels, and a diversified customer base including tourists, casual travelers, government and corporate guests,” the listing says.
Pacific Coast Motel, Queensland
Located just 800m from Harley Park Beach and close to shopping centres and outlets, the Pacific Coast Motel offers scope for a mix of short-stay and semi-permanent accommodation. The property boasts 13 guest rooms, a three-bedroom manager’s residence, and an outdoor pool, along with easy access to parkland, walking and cycling tracks.
“The business presents an ideal opportunity for someone to step in and continue operating immediately or explore redevelopment potential (STCA) in line with Broadwater precinct growth,” the listing says.
The Classic Motel, Queensland
This motel is, as its name suggests, oozing with classic retro vibes, perched on a prominent corner block with dual frontage along the Gold Coast Highway at Mermaid Beach, about five kilometres south of Surfers Paradise.
Set on an 817-square-metre parcel only moments from prestigious millionaires’ row, it offers eight self-contained units, a manager’s residence, a pool and leasehold holding income, with repositioning potential just 300 metres from the beach and near future light rail.
The site, just 20 minutes from Gold Coast Airport, is “ideal for boutique mixed-use redevelopment, townhouse project, or future repositioning,” the listing says.
Hi-Way 8 Motel, Victoria
This well-maintained 17-unit retro brick motel in Stawell, in western Victoria, on the doorstep of the famous Grampians, offers a side serve of healthy visitor numbers.
Recently refurbished with new carpets, cabinetry, soft furnishing and beds, the motel also features major Western Highway frontage, a large three-bedroom manager’s home, office, a solar-heated pool, a pool room, a shaded BBQ hub, and a communal breakfast room.
The site spans 3888 square metres, with potential to expand to more than 20 rooms (STCA).
“This motel has strong consistent weekday trade from trades and corporates along with tourists to fill the weekends, with so many local attractions this motel caters for everyone making it a great investment,” the listing says.
A&A Lodge Motel, Queensland
A truly high-traffic motor inn, the A&A Lodge Motel sits on the Gregory Highway in Emerald, Queensland, and is passed by hundreds of cars daily.
This is a well-established motel offering 14 rooms, a manager’s residence, a reception area and covered parking, on 1001 square metres of freehold land.
On the market as a freehold and business sale, this property offers “a stable income stream … and permits plenty of growth and success to the incoming purchaser”, the listing says.
It also benefits from the current strong demand for accommodation “due to the robust resource and agricultural industries”.
