Aruba Motel / Tucumcari Inn

1700 E Route 66, Tucumcari, NM
Phone: 575-461-0088

East < GO > West

The former mid-century Aruba Motel was one of two motels that Chester Dohrer built, in Tucumcari, the other is the Motel Safari. The motel was expanded and remodeled at least a couple of times over the years having started with 22 rooms, then growing to 28 and eventually to 37. For many years ending in 1999 it was a Best Western motel. Beside all of that there was a managers apartmetment and a Tiki restaurant.

The sign in place in 2012 is a poor replacement for the original that featured a couple of Tiki figures.

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Vintage Advertising Highlights

Early 60s Postcard
Aruba Motel
1701 East Gaynell Ave.
Tucumcari, New Mexico
AAA
Best Western
Area Code 505 - Phone 461-xxxx

Twenty-two (22) Brand New, Lovely, Well Furnished Units
Combination Tubs and Showers
Central Refridgerated Air and Hot Water Heat
Automatic Dial Room Phones
T,V.
Heated Swimming Pool

Owned and Managed by : Mr. & Mrs. Chester L. Dohrer

Note: The early 60s postcard listed a Gaynell address. Gaynell was the local name of Route 66 at the time. A later postcard listed "28 tastefully appointed unusually well maintained rooms," and also added Cable TV and a "Distinctively different \"TIKI\" Restaurant". It's interesting that the restaurant wasn't mentioned on the earlier postcard.
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Photo(s): 2012