Koolwink Motel

Long before boutique “retro” hotels became fashionable, the Koolwink Motel was serving up charming roadside Americana in small-town West Virginia. 

Opened in 1936 as the Koolwink Tourist Home, the property started off renting rooms in a family residence, as well as a pair of cottages for motorists exploring what is now U.S. Route 50. 

When married couple Wallace and Pauline Mauk purchased the business in 1955, they didn’t replace it with something new. Instead, they slowly expanded it while preserving its personality. Wallace personally designed many of the additions, completed much of the plumbing and electrical work himself, and oversaw the motel’s gradual growth through the 1950s and 1960s.

Today, the Koolwink remains family-owned, making it an increasingly rare survivor from the heyday of America’s roadside motor courts. Wood paneling, private entrances, breezy porches, vintage furnishings, and a cheerful mascot named “Mr. Koolwink” evoke an era when family vacations unfolded on two-lane highways. The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History has even featured the Koolwink among the state’s historic lodgings, recognizing its place in the region’s roadside heritage.

The Koolwink also makes an excellent base for exploring West Virginia’s Potomac Highlands, a region where scenic drives, Civil War history, and mountain landscapes intersect. Romney, the state’s oldest chartered town, is home to historic buildings and museums, while nearby attractions include the South Branch Potomac River, the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad’s eagle-watching excursions, and the expansive Monongahela National Forest.