A Look At The History Of Motels In St. Cloud Area

St. Cloud has had hotels almost as long as the city has existed. Local historian Jim Grabinski and I dove into the history of hotels/motels in the St. Cloud metro area. This is part 2 of our two part series on hotels and motels. Part 1 is available here.

Thrifty Scot Motel

In 1974 Cy Brutger opened the Thrifty Scot Motel east of Highway 10 and north of Highway 23 in St. Cloud off 14th Avenue. Grabinski says Brutger also opened a 94 room Thrifty Scot Motel on Highway 23 in Waite Park. Neither is currently in business.

Gateway Motel

In 1961 a Best Western Gateway Motel opened at 310 Southeast Lincoln Avenue in St. Cloud. Grabinski says it stayed open until 2016. He says their first advertisement indicated they were the first motel with cable TV courtesy of WJON cablevision.

Kay's Motel

It was a 30-room motel located on Lincoln Avenue with a 24-hour cafe and service station. They were located at 102 Lincoln Avenue Southeast. The Uhaul is now in that location. Grabinski says they were open from the late 1940s until 1980.

Kleis Motel Sign, WJON

Kleis Motel

It was located at 30 South 25th Avenue in St. Cloud. The Kleis was across the street from the Rox ballpark. Grabinski recalls the Kleis Motel being located just to the left of the leftfield wall. He says it was in business from the 1950s until the early 2000s. A strip mall is now in that location.

Swiggum's Motel

It was located at 2920 Division Street at the junction of Highways 52, 23 and 152. It was just west of the Rox ballpark. It was built in 1951 with 26 rooms and 26 garages. Grabinski says the establishment also had a cafe. In 1974 the Swiggum's Motel sold to the Crosstown Motel and Restaurant. They stayed open until 1989 when it was taken down to add on to the Division Street Fashion Center.

Park Inn Motel

It had 14 units and was located in Waite Park. Grabinski says it opened in the 1950s and stayed open for 40 years before closing in 1995. It was on Highway 52.

Fox Hotel

The Fox Hotel was located at 724 2nd Street in downtown St. Cloud. The owner purchased the New Merchant Hotel in 1942. The building came down in 1969 to make more room for parking. The Stearns County Jail is now located there.

Riverside Hotel

It was located at 119 East St. Germain Street. It was located there in the 1950s and 1960s. The building is now the Somali Cafe.

Spaniol Hotel (photo courtesy of Stearns History Museum)

Spaniol Hotel Bar & Bowling Alley

The Spaniol was located at 14 North 6th Avenue in downtown St. Cloud. It was located near where the Herbergers building currently is. It was open in the 1950s and 1960s. The basement of the building is now Cream City Tattoo.

Travelodge Motel

It is located at 3820 Roosevelt Road close to Interstate 94 in south St. Cloud. The building was built in the 1960s and was initially David's Steakhouse.

Econo Lodge

It is located in Waite Park at 815 1st Street South. Other names of this hotel have been the Asteria Inn and Motel 6 over the past 30 years.

Laughlin's Lackawanna and Winter Haven Motel

In the 1950s and 1960s these two hotels were located on what is now Benton Drive in Sartell. There was also a Winter Haven roller rink in Sartell.

Red Carpet Inn

It was located at 1420 2nd Street North in Sauk Rapids near the Post Office. It was there in the late 1970s and 1980s. In 1985 it became Travelwise Motel. Grabinski says it is no longer in business.