These Hotels Have Nods to the Nineties Like Bunk Beds, Lava Lamps, and Pillow Fight Packages
We love a throwback to the nineties, whether it comes in the form of a retro movie night, a pop-up bar, or a hyper themed hotel suite. The nineties were a simpler time, especially for those who grew up in the decade. A time without smartphones and social media, when the most important news stories were when the new Mary-Kate and Ashley movies were available on VHS. There’s comfort in nostalgia, so it only makes sense that we’re drawn to a good throwback — especially when said nostalgia is translated into a hotel suite.
Here, we’ve pulled together a list of some of the coolest, retro-inspired hotel properties and suites in the U.S. and Canada. From milk & cookie bars and pillow fight packages to bunk beds and classic board games, these hotels tout all your favorite nineties throwbacks, all grown up.
Magnolia Hotel — Denver, Colorado
Housed in the former American National Bank in Downtown Denver, Magnolia Hotel combines both historic charm and cheeky retro amenities without taking on a hyper-nineties theme. Here, guests can enjoy modern luxury in a crisp, clean setting, but once 8 p.m. hits, guests are welcome to indulge in the property's complimentary milk & cookies bar.
Hotel Derek — Houston, Texas
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Just a few steps from the impossibly chic Houston Galleria shopping district, there’s Hotel Derek. The 4-star, pet-friendly guesthouse is ideal for young travelers who are tired of price-friendly hotels and hostels that look and feel the exact same everywhere you go. Packed with personality, Hotel Derek offers a plethora of cool amenities, but the retro-inspired “pillow fight” package reigns supreme. Upon reserving the package, guests will receive ten extra pillows for the fight, plus milk & cookies for afterwards.
The Curtis Denver — Denver, Colorado
Immediately guests will be greeted with warm cookies at check-in, but the nostalgia doesn’t stop there. The Curtis, which is tucked into Denver’s downtown, also offers insanely Instagrammable themed rooms based on your choice of nineties nostalgia. Whether you prefer winding down with retro video games and the original “Ghostbusters” or you’re more into spending your evening with Barbie and Marge Simpson, the hyper-themed rooms are reinventing the way guests stay and play in Denver.
Arlo NoMad — New York City
Nineties kids either absolutely loved or totally despised bunk beds. They usually meant one of two things: sharing a room with your annoying sibling or a sign of a sleepover with your BFF. Whatever side you land on, bunk beds as an adult is totally novel and fun. The Arlo NoMad in New York City takes the retro bunk beds you had as a kid and turns them into a welcome amenity when traveling with friends or family. Equipped with floor to ceiling city views, bedside charging stations, and two individual LED TVs, these are certainly not your elementary school BFF’s bunk beds.
Hotel Preston — Nashville, Tennessee
Whether you’re going from city to city for business or embarking on your own solo trip, checking into another hotel room can get lonely — and fast. That’s where Hotel Preston comes in. The Nashville-based property aims to make their rooms and suites a little bit more friendly in the most endearing way possible — not just with Southern hospitality, either, but by providing pet fish, lava lamps, and rubber ducks for a fun bath.
Related: The Perfect Three-Day Weekend in Nashville
The Chequit — Shelter Island, New York
Think weekends at your family’s beach cottage, all grown up. Nestled into the Northernmost peak of Shelter Island, The Chequit, a restored 19th-century clapboard-clad inn, has been reinvented as a retro boutique hotel and inn. No hyper-themed rooms or cookies here, The Chequit’s nostalgia shines through its shabby-chic outdoor seating, elegant clawfoot tubs, and pastel pink and yellow guest rooms that feel straight out of the pages of “The Baby-Sitters Club.”
The June Motel — Prince Edward County, Ontario
Cross the border into Canada’s wine country for the ultimate boho getaway. Prince Edward County is known for its blossoming wine-centered tourism, and The June Motel does it best. It would be easy to overlook the renovated vintage roadside motel if you don’t know what you’re looking for; just keep an eye out for the pastel pink room doors, which stand out against the otherwise unchanged motel facade. Once inside, guests are welcomed to a retro-meets age of Instagram decor that includes pastels, floral wallpaper, and neon signage. Wine lovers will particularly love the thoughtful wine-focused amenities which include high quality glasses, champagne flutes, and corkscrews, because who wants to drink wine out of a paper cup in wine country?