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Tropics Motor Hotel, Seattle, WA (hotel) |
Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
|  Posted: 2010-11-10 8:00 pm Permalink
Name:Tropics Motor Hotel
Type:hotel
Street:225 Aurora Avenue
City:Seattle
State:WA
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:operational
Description:
The Tropics Motor Hotel was located in Seattle in the eye of the Space Needle. It was built in 1956 and served as the host hotel for the 1962 World's Fair. It was once the only luxury hotel in downtown Seattle. It is now a Quality Inn and Suites.
I have seen the postcard from this place pop up as a possible Tiki location in various threads and websites.
Here are some postcards I have showing the exterior.
Here is a close-up of the Tropics sign.
An interior shot of the pool and a guest room.
A bit of a Hawaiian motif in the coffee shop.
I recently picked up this nice little ashtray from the Tropics.
As it turns out, the motel logo and signage are more African or Caribbean than Tiki. Here is a close up of the sign from some copies of a matchbook that are for sale on ebay.
While not truly Tiki, still a pretty cool looking place.
DC
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2011-07-14 09:40 am Permalink
I just purchased these cool swizzles from the Tropics Motor Hotel.
The restaurant/bar was called the Island Room as you can see on the headdress.
First time I have ever seen these.
DC
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2401
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2011-07-14 09:43 am Permalink
WOW! 
I love those!
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2011-08-03 6:32 pm Permalink
I scored another ashtray from the Tropics, this one advertises the Island Room.
A few matchbooks from my collection.
 
The backs, also with an Island Room reference. I wonder what that bar looked like?
DC
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abstractiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 582
From: Lodi, CA
| Posted: 2011-08-03 8:40 pm Permalink
Good stuff! I wonder if the indoor pool is still there and I wounder what that picture is of at the bottom of the pool.
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sputnikmoss
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 04, 2007
Posts: 275
From: Portland OR
| Posted: 2011-08-04 08:47 am Permalink
Here is a picture of a phone book cover I have. It actually holds a 1974 Portland phone book so someone obviously liked it enough to take it home!
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tikicoma
Grand Member (2 years) 
Joined: Jan 16, 2010
Posts: 257
From: city of destiny
| Posted: 2012-01-15 9:14 pm Permalink
Did someone ask, "I wonder what that bar looked like?", ladies and gents.. the Island Room.
A veritable potpourri of chinese hats, witco tiki and masks, Strikow statues, bamboo and Caribbean murals. It's hard to see but on the piano bar there's a three tiki oil table lamp there. In the '80's Lou Bianchi a Seattle Lounge entertainer who, for 20 years, had been the pianist/singer in the Palm Room of the Trade Winds restaurant downtown, started performing in the Island Room.
Another view of the restaurant, my family stayed here once in the early '60's and had breakfast at the tables to the left. I remember I was disappointed not to be in the "huts".
Another view of the pool showing what looks like a tile mural of Diamond Head beyond Waikiki beach.
Room views from the brochure I found at my parent house along with a blue tropics/island room swizzle.
aloha... tikicoma
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-11-02 12:47 pm Permalink
Tikicoma,
Great find on that brochure, and from your parents no less!
Here is another photo of the interior from a news-wire listing on ebay.
Definitely some Carribean influence.
DC
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