The Astro Motel is Soaring
Roadside motels across the US built in the 50’s and 60’s have gotten swanky, new retro makeovers that you’ve got to see to believe.
The Astro Motel: The Swanky, New Retro Makeover in Santa Rosa
Not surprisingly, since its rebirth earlier this year, Santa Rosa’s very own Astro Motel has been garnering rave reviews from travel industry media. In the first 3 months of 2018 alone, The Astro has been featured in Architectural Magazine, Napa Sonoma Magazine, and Travel Channel.com named it as one of “10 Roadside Motels You’ll Actually Want to Stay in on Your Next Road Trip.”
Originally built in 1963, The Astro Motel’s renaissance was led in part by Liza Hinman, who doubles as the chef at the nearby Spinster Sisters restaurant. Located in Juilliard Park in an up-and-coming arts district in Santa Rosa known as SoFA (South of A Street), the Astro offers garden courtyard-facing guest rooms furnished with original Mid-Century Modern pieces acquired at auctions across the country. The property also features a curated selection of snacks, amenities and assorted touches fashioned by makers and doers from Sonoma County. In a tribute to SoFA, the Astro team called upon several local artists and artisans to add stylish touches and leave their mark on the motel, including wood slab headboards, cast concrete sinks, and delightfully-tiled Insta-worthy bathrooms.
In many ways, The Astro 2.0 sticks to its 1960s roots—you'll find vintage books and toys in the lobby for children and child-like adults—but it also looks to a vibrant future. With a bright blue and orange color scheme, an LED rocket ship sign, and the second-floor metal railing that mimics a circuit board (both designed by local Santa Rosa artist Todd Barricklow), The Astro gives off some serious Jetsons vibes.
Owner Hinman, one of 100 female chef-restaurateurs selected for the inaugural James Beard Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Program in 2017, isn’t the only star behind the Astro. Andrew Hampsten, the only American cyclist to win the Giro d’Italia, was an investor in the motel, which explains the great bike offerings from on-site repairs to bike tours of nearby wineries. Only minutes from the Santa Rosa Creek Trail, the Astro is perfectly situated to take advantage of a car-free path through downtown and on to longer, more adventurous local trails. The Astro Motel is nothing short of cool, and a perfectly stylish setting for visitors to experience all there is to see, do, eat, drink, hike, bike and explore in Sonoma County.
Check out the articles featuring the Astro Motel which recently appeared in Architectural Magazine, Napa Sonoma Magazine, and on Travel Channel.com
The Astro Motel, 323 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa - (707) 200-4655
