We wanted to stay in Binghamton after seeing a ballgame, but all the motels were full, except one crummy chain that wanted $79 + tax for a smoking room. We decided to hit the old highway after the game and see what happened. I spotted the neon sign, and we decided to check it out. It's a design popular in the late '50s, one long wing of rooms with a two-story office in the center.

My fiancee was worried by the group of older cars with NY plates in the lot, but when I went into the office, it turned out that the owner collects older Cadillacs. The owner is a real character who's owned the motel since 1976. I played with his dog while he made sure we had enough towels.

The room was acceptable for the $53 we paid. The carpet was an old shag, but clean. The bed was large and had clean sheets, but the mattress was pretty beat. We got a fridge and microwave in the room. The bathroom was a great black tile with pink floor and fixtures, and was clean and well... more