Sheraton Motor Inn

The Sheraton Motor Inn is an abandoned hotel and conference centre in Danville, Pennsylvania.







History

The Sheraton Motor Inn opened on October 22, 1973. 4 Developed by the Archris Hotel Corporation of Boston, 4 5 the hotel hosted a lavish, invitation-only, grand opening party on October 20 that included cocktails, ceremonies, dinner, entertainment, and dancing. 4 An open house was held on the following day.

The new two-level facility featured 145 guest rooms, each with color television. 2 Amenities included the Glenwood restaurant, live entertainment in the Dell Lounge, an indoor “tropical” courtyard with a heated pool, saunas, a poolside “rain bar and cafe”, Springhouse Coffee Shop, game parlor, and banquet facilities. 2 4

Trustees of First Mortgage Investors filed suit against the Sheraton Motor Inn for $758,576 in back mortgage payments in January 1976. 3 The hotel had defaulted on a $610,000 note that had been due in November 1974. The lawsuit was later settled.

The Sheraton Motor Inn eventually became a Days Inn in 1999. 1 Despite a remodeling in 2010, the hotel closed after the 2014 Christmas holiday season.


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Sources

  1. “Days Inn Danville Conference Center.” Booked.net.
  2. “Sheraton Motor Inn, Route 1-80 at Pa. Route 54 Danville, Pennsylvania Original Vintage Postcard.” Amazon.com.
  3. “Sheraton Motor Inn owners sued.” News-Item [Shamokin], 29 Jan. 1976. p. 3.
  4. “Sheraton at Danville readied for opening.” News-Item [Shamokin], 13 Oct. 1973, p. 2.
  5. “Area Happenings.” Evening Herald [Shenandoah], 19 Jan. 1973, p. 2.

5 Comments

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I remember Chris with the kid,she was a waitress there,I played in the show band ,(tom thumb show)the place was beautiful, and Chris and I even met up there years later,to catch the band and drinks. Joe keyboard player
Chris loved Todd rodgren

Do you remember what year(s) this was? Do you recall local WHLM radio personality, Bob Gale, appearing there on weekends; possibly Friday nights? I was staying there in the early-’90s and I think that’s when I remember Mr. Gale appearing on at least two occasions in the lounge. His appearances had the feel of a regular thing in my opinion.

This location was a beautiful place at one time. When my wife and I first discovered the Sheraton Danville for ourselves in July ’78 the motel was probably at its zenith though I didn’t realize or appreciate it then. The rain bar actually had simulated rain running down its roof. The putting greens were immaculately maintained and the food and refreshments were top-shelf as I perceive it. I still have a crystal drinking glass, possibly 16 oz., in which I was served a Tom Collins. Over the years that glass had been washed in our dishwasher and it became scratched. Best wishes

A fine overview of this property’s history, Sherman. You’ve really gotten into the background of the matter. I would only say that the changeover from the Sheraton Danville to the Days Inn Danville occurred in (or around) July of 1989. My wife and I found this Sheraton by chance in July of 1978 as we were upstate on a sightseeing getaway (very young we were then too; my dearest had just turned 20 and I was all of 22). I’d assert that 1978 was, perhaps, this little oasis’s high water mark. Everything was nicely maintained and the pool, courtyard and rain bar were in immaculate condition. We were then regulars, annually, each summer since the initial experience had imprinted on us.

My wife and I always sought a ground floor room situated on the courtyard. At night the illumination was dimmed in the courtyard/pool area and the enclosure was bathed in a soft, amber glow; it was beautiful! I think I remember that the pool was open until 10 PM. We’d go to dinner in the restaurant (maybe I do recall it being called The Glenwood but I am not certain in this) and look out onto the courtyard as we ordered and enjoyed our dinner. The lady who was the hostess and seemed to run the restaurant was named Betty and the Head Waiter, as I perceived his position, was a pleasant fellow named John. The food was excellent and there was an expansive menu. For all of that this location was it was a gem alongside Route 80 at Danville, Pennsylvania, in the late-’70s through the late-’80s.

I began to stay at the Sheraton Danville when I would come upstate from the suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to go trout fishing in spring, summer and fall beginning in the early ’80s. This was two or three times annually, by myself, for stays which were typically one-nighters. I remember calling the night desk manager, Mr. Clark, when I was on break on the overnight shift at work, asking if I could get a reservation on short notice; I was always very pleasantly accommodated.

This motel’s fall from glory began when the ownership/management changed hands. The last trip I made there was in May of 2003 when the property was a Days Inn. The morning following my check-in there was no hot water in my room. I felt management was less than engaged in righting the situation and I checked out and relocated to a motel in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Now I see that, sadly, the property has been abandoned in-place and in toto which really has caused me to go back in time and scrounge up all of the memories I had of this motel.

Do you know why it ended up closing? I live in Danville and would love to explore it, but don’t want to get in trouble.

I believe now that it was the cost of upkeep. On an aging building like the ‘Sheraton Danville’, the maintenance costs were likely appreciable. I also believe that if it had been maintained all along that it would still be a premier location. I must have stayed there 80 times or more beginning in July 1978 through May 2003.

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