Tucumcari Inn

The Tucumcari Inn was built in 1964 as the Aruba Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. ¹ It was one of two motels in Tucumcari developed by Chester Dohrer, who also constructed the nearby Motel Safari. The property started with 22 rooms and was later expanded to 28 and then 37, offering travelers combination tubs and showers, central refrigerated air, hot water heat, dial phones, televisions, and a heated swimming pool. A manager’s apartment and a Tiki-themed restaurant added to its mid-century charm.

For many years, the motel operated as a Best Western, a designation it held until 1999. ¹ Despite occasional remodels, the flow of guests slowed, and by around 2015, the property closed.