A Retro Motel Romance takes us on location to the Gold Coast for Open House 2025, where we explore two beautifully restored mid-century motels and unpack why these roadside icons still matter. From neon palms, breeze blocks and terrazzo entries to poolside culture and pastel perfection, Jill and Arielle dive into Australia’s love affair with motel design and the optimism of post-war travel culture. We wander through lobbies, guest rooms and courtyards, reflect on personal holiday memories, and get real about preservation versus progress — asking whether nostalgia is a design trap or a love letter worth keeping. Along the way, we talk adaptive reuse, heritage hospitality design, and the designers, artists and motel owners keeping these retro gems alive. It’s coastal-cool, candid, and a little bit romantic — proof that great design doesn’t just age well, it flirts with you forever. Grab a cocktail, hit the highway, and check in with A Date With Design.
We cover:
00:00 – Introductions
02:38 – The Icebreaker - The First Sip - Retro Revival
13:44 – The Entrée – Gold Coast Open House
21:17 – The Main Course – On Location: Retro Motel Tours
36:40 – The Spark – Current Design Muse - Alex Proba
44:15 – The Real Talk - Why Preservation Matters
53:21 – The Sweet Bite - Ellison Studios
Cocktail of the Week - The Pink Poodle
Think neon signs humming at dusk, terrazzo underfoot, and that first sip signalling you’ve officially checked out of real life.
60 ml Gin
20 ml Sugar syrup
30 ml Bundaberg Pink Grapefruit Sparkling
30 ml fresh lemon juice
Ice
To garnish pink grapefruit segments or a red glacial cherry, a sprig of rosemary, and dried edible cocktail petals. Add to an iced martini glass add the gin, sugar syrup, Bundaberg Pink Grapefruit Sparkling, and lemon juice.
Garnish with pink grapefruit segments, a glossy red cherry, a rosemary sprig and a scattering of dried petals. Design matters — even in a drink.
Venues
Gold Coast Open House https://goldcoastopenhouse.com.au/ @goldcoastopenhouse
The Pink Hotel https://www.thepinkhotelcoolangatta.com/ @thepinkhotelcoolangatta
The Cheshire Cat Motel https://www.cheshirecatmotel.com/ @cheshire_cat_motel
The Shores Motel https://www.shoresmotels.com/ @theshores_miami
Special Guest
Monique Luchterhand - Interior Designer @m_o_n_studio and owner of Cheshire Cat Motel
https://www.instagram.com/m_o_n_studio
Architecture by https://www.instagram.com/plus.studio.co/
Design Muse of the Week
Alex Proba / Studio Proba https://www.studioproba.com/ @alexproba
The Real Talk
Tim Ross / Modernister https://modernisterbooks.com/ @modernister
Book - Motel - Images of Australian on Holidays
Anna Carey / Artist https://annacarey.net/ @annacareyhere
Works - Stardust, Mirage, Twilight, Places From Nowhere
Sweet Bite of the Week
Ellison Studios https://ellisonstudios.com/ @ellisonstudios
Photo Credits
https://www.instagram.com/themysamotel/
https://www.instagram.com/theshores_miami/
https://blueheronmotel.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/lacostamotel/
https://www.instagram.com/thepinkhotelcoolangatta/
https://www.instagram.com/cheshire_cat_motel
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