Howard Johnson Motor Lodge
One day shy of Disneyland’s 10th anniversary in 1965, the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge, built on a 7-acre parcel across Harbor Blvd. from Autopia and Fantasyland, celebrated its grand opening. It was a “big deal” as the first HoJo property on the west coast. The gleaming white contours of the hotel with its barrel arched roofline were designed by world-renowned architect William Pereira. It is said that Pereira was friends with Roy and Walt Disney. He had been involved in the original design of the Disneyland Hotel, so it isn’t too much of a stretch to believe the story that Walt suggested him for the job. The hotel has undergone expansion and upgrades particularly in the last decade, but with an emphasis on reinvigorating the retro look of Pereira’s mid-century design and the overall period in which the hotel was built.
Anaheim, Orange County
Photographer: John Bare