Carlinvilla Motel — Hotel in Carlinville

When I travel I prefer to stay in locally-owned hotels and especially ones that align with the vibe of the trip I am making: so for Illinois Route 66, it makes sense to stay in an old motor lodge. The Carlin Villa is lovingly kept up, clean, and quiet, and the people who run it take pride in the property as their personal business which reflects on themselves. The Carlin Villa is located perhaps a 3-minute drive from the beautiful town square — I recommend also finding out what the movie times are at the old Marvel Theatre just off the main square so that you can have dinner and then a lovely night at a historic old movie theatre taking in a show. Pandemic travel always has weird quirks ~ the proprietor was apologetic that they only had pre-packaged muffins and coffee in the common area. The point is that you get muffins and coffee starting at 6 am just so you know ;) When I told Henry at Henry's Ra66it Ranch that I was staying the night in Carlinville, he said, 'The Carlin Villa? Good for you' :) It has a good reputation on the Route and I am glad I got to...

The Carlin Villa Motel holds a lot of great childhood memories for me. The place is kept up well, but you can tell it is a struggle, since it isn't on the main path. The prices are very reasonable and the staff is very friendly. Outside of free WiFi, you're not getting many frills. That said, there is a microwave and a fridge in the room, which I've discovered doesn't happen at many hotels anymore. And, the fridge isn't a tiny one, more like a dorm room fridge, so you can fit a 12 pack of soda and a few sandwiches in it. Sadly, the pool is closed because Illinois passed a stupid law about using propane or gas to heat a pool rather than solar panels and an inspector wouldn't allow an exception. If you have a chance to stay here, do it. You'll save a few bucks and have a nice experience. The rooms are large, the beds are comfortable. The three rooms I've been in this weekend all have working TVs, a rocking chair, desk and large comfy chair. Yeah, the bathroom is small and the place needs a paint job, but the charm...

I was not able to make this trip, so this review is from my husband, Richard. ||A beloved icon of Route 66, Rich Henry, of Henry’s Ra66it Ranch, sadly passed away recently. Myself and other Route 66 lovers and friends of Rich wanted to attend his services. We all wanted to stay at Carlinvilla, as we have all stayed there several times in the past and loved it!||At check in, we were all warmly welcomed by the wonderful Patel family. They are very kind hosts and are loved by many travelers across the world. They treated us like family!||My room was spacious, very clean, and comfortable. The bathroom was equally clean, wish a spacious countertop, which is a rare, but great bonus. The room had furniture, besides the bed, which was great for friends to stop and visit a bit. For the most part, we gathered in a large room near the check in counter; coffee is served there each morning. ||We have stayed with the Patel family at Carlinvilla over the years and always look forward to our next...