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Photo November
1977: Bob Venditti |
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Miami-Airport
West, Florida -- 7330 N W 36th St
AKA Palmetto Expressway |
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An early example of an Eastern U.S. Mansard
type complex, Airport West was opened at the end of 1971 with
120 guest rooms. 1999 was the Motor Lodge's last year as a HoJo's.
Then for a period of time it likely operated as an independent
prior to becoming a Best Inn and then later as an outlet of America's
Best Inn and Suites.
Above
& Lower: Working at the nearby
and now erased Miami Airport Ramada Inn, Bob Venditti, while completing
a coursework marketing project during the late 1970s for his classes
at the School of Hospitality at Florida International University,
photographed some of the surrounding competition including the Miami
Airport-West Howard Johnson's.
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Howard
Johnson's Landmark: March 1972, page 6 |
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Above:
Opening staff of its 108 seat Restaurant featuring its touted
"new nautical decor, blue color scheme, and new hostess
uniforms."
Below:
The Restaurant's main dining area shown without patrons or employees.
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Brochure ca.
1970s: Larry Passaro |
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Photos
November 1977: Bob Venditti |
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Ah,
those were the days! Americans travelled and stayed at roadside
motels where we could conveniently enter our rooms from the
parking lot avoiding the inconvenience of traipsing through
formal lobbies (I should note that initial room entry at most
HoJo's was though central corridors, but that subsequent entry
could have been accomplished through sliders assuming that guests
had ground floor rooms).
Moreover
we could enjoy swimming pools with diving boards and even slides
all without the inconvenience of fences, gates or other impediments
to access. Indeed those were the days of standardised clean
affordable and safe lodging prior to the modern era of regulation,
litigation and irresponsibility.
Note
that the flat roofed guest buildings at the Miami Airport-West
former Howard Johnson had lost their mansard treatment by the
end of the 2000s. It is believed that only two other Motor Lodges
shared Miami Airport-West's architecture--Orlando-Orange
Blossom & Fort
Lauderdale-Airport.
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Photo
November 2006: Justin Kimbrough |
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Photo ca. 2008:
http://www.americasbestinnmiami.com/ |
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